THE FRENCH ADVANCE

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13463, 18 April 1917, Page 5

THE FRENCH ADVANCE

SUCCEEDS A MONTH'S BOMBARDMENT. EVERYTHING SWEPT AWAY. HUNDREDS OF PRISONERS IN HALF-AN-HOUR. ENEMY RETREAT IN PANIC. impregnable" POSITIONS CAPTURED. (Reuter's Telegrams.) Received April 18, 8.45 a.m. PARIS, April 17. The Petit Parisien states that the French offensive followed a months' bombardment. The attack swept everything away, hundreds of prisoners arriving at the depots half-an-hour after the attack was launched. Eastward of Craonne the enemy's whole line was terribly battered, and he retreated in panic. The entire first line was captured at rioon. Then the artillery resumed, and the German lines became an inferno. The French advanced and seized the second line westward of Craonne. The elite of the French troops, after a severe hours' struggle, entered the first line, which the enemy boasted was impregnable. In an extraordinarily violent counter attack in the afternoon, the enemy employed the greater part of his reserves. The French advance at some points exceeded four kilometres. CAPTURED POSITIONS ORGANISED. COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED. WITH HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES. (High Commissioner's Cable.) LONDON, 3.25 p.m. Tuesday. French official: Between Soissons and Rheims we organised the positions we captured in the region of Allies. A strong German counter-attack on our new lines was broken by barrages of machine-gun fire, with heavy enemy losses. Other enemy counter-attacks on our second line* at Courcy equally failed. ARTILLERY DUEL CONTINUES. DESPITE BAD WEATHER. FRENCH AVIATOR'S 36th MACHINE. Received April 18, 11.35 a.m. LONDON, April 17. French official: Though the weather continues very bad, an artillery duel is raging in the sectors west of Auberive, in Champagne. Nine enemy aeroplanes were brought down, including Captain Cuynemeyer's thirty-sixth. OFFICIAL GERMAN REPORT. GREATEST BATTLE IN HISTORY. UNABLE TO WITHSTAND THE BOMBARDMENT. OBSTINATE DEFENCE IMPOSSIBLE. (Admiralty per Wireless Press.) " Received April 18, 12.30 p.m. LONDON, April 17. German official: One of the greatest battles of this mighty war, and therefore in the world's history, has been progressing on the Aisne since April 6th. The artillery fire and minethrowing is unprecedented in duration, mass and intensity. Yesterday morning the French, witli a deep column, attacked from Sopi to Betheny. During the afternoon the French threw in fresh masses, carrying out lateral attacks between the Oise and Condes sur Aisne. The artillery fire continued to-day, levelling positions and rendering an obstinate defence no longer possible. The fighting is no longer against a line, but over a deep, irregular fortified zone. The battle swayed backwards and forwards around the foremost position, our object being,evenjf war material were lost, to spare the lives of our forces and inflict losses on the enemy. This was achieved, thanks to our heroic men. The French attempt to break through failed, and we inflicted sanguinary losses, taking over 2100 prisoners. Where the enemy penetrated the fighting continues, and fresh attacks are expected. The fighting between Pruny and Auberive lias developed, the battle line therefore extending from the Aisne into Champagne. We have entire confidence in the coming heavy fighting.