THE WEST FRONT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12284, 5 April 1918, Page 3

THE WEST FRONT.

Harrying the Enemy.

LONDON, April 4. .Mr Pereira! Phillips says;—Wo succeeded in several minor offensive operations between Arms and Albert. Tbo enemy succeeded in none, and would be, content to remain quiet, but. onr men insist on attacking and raiding villages, harrying the infantrv which is Irving to dig in on favourable ground, while awaiting drafts and further orders. Sir Douglas .Haig’s aviation report states:—We harassed the enemy troops and transport, with bombs and machineguns. Hostile aeroplanes were active between Albert and Aloreuil. We downed twenty-one aeroplanes and three balloons. Seven of ours are missing. Onr night bombers dropped four and half tons on hostile billets and Imps. The American air service in the past fortnight has rendered invaluable service. A French communique says:—There was no infantry action to-day. The artillery duel continued somewhat violent in the region north of Alontdidier, and especially between Domnin and Hangard on Santerre. The ‘‘Alorning Post’s” corresponds W on the French front says that the Hermans during the advance brought up reserves mainly by forced night inarches, one division undertaking eight ql these on consecutive nights. 'Hie prisoners are mostly young. Their morale is good, hut they complained of lack of food, owing to ammunition having preference in transport. They confirm tlio view that the losses wore slight during flic first two days, but were tremendous subsequently. 'French military authorities anticipate fluctuations between Lassigny and Montdidicr, hut do not entertain the possibility of tho Germans breaking the line. THE GERMAN SIDE. A Success Claimed. AMSTERDAM, April 3. A Berlin semi-official message claims that the Compeigne railway, connecting Clermont with Amiens, is tinder artillery fire, and that airmen arc bombarding Compeigne and Soissons. LONDON. April 3. A wireless German official message says;—A counter-attack repulsed a nocturnal English thrust against Ayettc. Strong enemy forces attacked in the evening between Ala reel cave and the Luce, hut were heavily driven hack. AYe look possession of a. height south-west of Aiorcuil. Onr successful thrust south-west of Hizbach brought in prisoners. POSITION REVIEWED. Heavy Fighting Ahead. LONDON, April 3. A high military authority writes; There is no material change. AYe have somewhat improved onr positions, while the whole front front Arras to the Oise lias reached a position of stability after the recent series of gigantic battles. AVe still have the 1018 season in front, of ns, and it would he futile to suppose that the operations have ended because the enemy for a time is being checked. The two main masses of the enemy are divided by the Somme. They arc greatly congested, necessitating the enemy having to reduce the situation to some sort of order. . Tin’s congestion is particularly severe in the northern area, where the splendid work‘of the Third Army enabled us to make n more deliberate withdrawal, inflicting greater punishment on the enemy. As an instance of how we retarded the enemy advance; wo blew up two enormous mines, and as we fell hack mined the road between the craters. Tin's was now one enormous crater, into which onr artillery was firing day and night, preventing the Germans from bringing up divisions with iron rations and replacing the exhausted division. They have now reached the point’where the process is inapplicable. They must devise a means to bring up supplies of fond and munitions over the greater distance. Although we have checked tho enemy definitely, wo must remember that he has employed so far about half of his army on the Western front. The enemy is probably sending up fresh divisions and sending down tho tired ones. He may claim that ho broke through (lie British prepared positions, and he thinks he can now repeat the performance against improved ones, hut the readjustment of the battlefield is only a matter of time. It is certain that the German losses wore very considerably heavier than onrs. In onr withdrawals many aerodromes have been destroyed, but wo have improvised now ones further hack. It might still he said that wo arc a long way from having command of the air- he adds: There are indications that an Austrian attack against Italy is being prepared. General Plainer has returned to tin Mestehi front. All ranks welcomed the victor of Afossincs. which is regarded as the most finished piece of British staff work during the present war. Calculations based on raptured data respecting fifteen .divisions suggest that tile total German infantry casualties are probably between 2-50,000 and 300,000. Air Perry Robinson says:—This is the quietest day yet. The eneniv lias temporarily abandoned his Amiens efforts and also seems to realise that onr line is firm on the Somme, the Ancre and at Albert. Artillery Ore near the Scarpe suggests a renewed attack n t Arras and Vimy. The enemy is digging in industriously on other parts. Fresh captured documents ’ and prisoners’ statements endorse iHe reports of great enemy losses, averaging 40 to 00 per cent of effectives "of fifteen divisions. Regiments wore reduced to from 40 to (iO. One. regiment lost 800 men at Arras and other were annihilated. Renter's correspondent on the French front gives an idea, of the German losses, which are already having a disquieting effect in the Fatherland. He says that the statements of prisoners, carefully checked, shew Unit tho losses in several German divisions, which the correspondent names, chiefly Guards and Bavarians, ranged from twenty-five to lorty five and even to seventy-live per cent of 'their strength.