THE ROAD TO PARIS

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11611, 10 August 1918, Page 2

THE ROAD TO PARIS

HQ.W IT WAS BARRED. BATTLE OF THE WOODS. Five days’ fighting has seen the complete collapse of the third of the great German offensives delivered since March £2l, a collapse which can only he characterised as disastrous to’ the enemy, says the special correspondent of the Morning Post writing on June 1-1 from the French front. They have failed to attain any appreciable advance in the • direction of Compiegne, they have ; suffered extremely heavy losses, i and so far from being adi vanced in forcing an early decision I of the war they have reduced their ! chances of°beiug able to do so by the j extent of their losses on the one S hand, and the lueviable feeling of ' disappointment at the failure of j thejr offensive on the other. In view of these considerations and al!so in view of the bearing That suc- ! cess in this sector would have had jon the situation of the capital, it would be difficult unduly to exaggerate the Importance of the achievment of the French. The whole pro. ■ gress of the offensive developed on I very different lines from those of ! the two previous attacks,, ! The French were well aware of the enemy’s intentions, and had made preparations to meet ‘them. The onslaught, however, was formidable. On the first day 14 divisions were engaged, and full use was made of masses of ariiliery of all sorts “that had been brought into position with most minute precautions to ensure secrecy, and the centre of the Noyon-Montdidier line was forced to fall, The wings held successfully, hut were to move back because of the with drawal of the centre, which, it should he noted, fell back without riskirggCven momentarily the loss of contact By the morning of the third day the Germans were very far from tha Compiegne objective that had been assigned to them, and

on this day they attacked in force 3 o-i the French left, hoping to force S this southwards and bring their right on io a level with the centre. Despite the fact that crack German troops were engaged it was the ! French who gained cronml by their counter-offensive at Conrcelles, and played havoc with the German troops that were massed to advance against them. THE STRUGGLE ON THE MATZ.

The fourth day was up to local' actions, in which generally the French had the advantage, despite a diversion which the Germans attempted iiuthe forest of Yillers-Cot-terets, in the hope of causing anxiety to the French right. By last night the enemy had been thrown beck over the River Matz, and the counter-attack they tried to deliver from the region of Conrcelles \ to the north of Mery ha : failed so i signally that the attacking troops I were unable to reach even the French lines. Such is a summary sketch of £the battle which &was fought to secure the woods suri rounding Paris and is now becoming known aa the Battle ot the Woods. The attack on the MoutdidierNovon sector, following immediately as it did on the dramatic success chained in the Soissons-Rheims sector, came on the public as a holt from the blue. It is common knowledge that Compiegne is an important towards au advance on Paris, and while tire enemy were glad enough to advance their line in the ;i Soissons-Rheims sector, and would have welcomed the moral victory of capturing Rheims, they must continually have had their I eye on Oompeigne. This town is situated at the junction of the Rivers Oise find Aisue, the Aisne flowing west from Soissons to Compeigne, and the Oise flowing west-south-west from Noyon to Oompeigne. Once the Germans were established on the Aisne they sbowsd|hy the offensives they delivered that their aim was to break down the pivot of the Oise. MASTERLY RETREAT OF THE FRENCH.

A whole series of attacks were launched betwen Mouliu-Sous-Touvent and Semoigny, the aim Doing directed primarily against Mount Choisy; and, secondarily, against Carlponte Forest. Had these attacks succeeded they would have resulted in an advance of the enemy along the Oise west-south west, and in rhß loss to the French of the northern part of the triangle formed by the Oise from Oompeigne along au imaginary line from Noyon to Soissons and by the Aisne from Soissons to Oompeigne. Choicy was attacked four times in a single day, aud au attempt was made to turn it as well as Hesdin village, on the wsst of it The position was held heroically, and it fell only after a prolonged bombardment and attacks by overwhelming numbers. The French were then compelled to fall back on to new positions running west Pf Mount Choisy, Corey, Oaisnes, and St Eloi Wood. The retreat robbed the Germans of the main results obtained by the fall of Choisy, and it was possible only because the local commander had foreseen the eventuality of.retreat, aud had not only prepared his fresh line, but already had his established on it before giving orders for the first line troops to full back. This actiou“saved the Ccmpeiguo region, for there can be no doubt but that the intention of the Germans was to force tluir way through by Garlepont Frest'to the’Oise in the* hope of pressing on !o its junction with the Aisne at Oompeigne,.