FURTHER PROGRESS ON THE ANCRE.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3022, 8 March 1917, Page 5

FURTHER PROGRESS ON THE ANCRE.

BRITISH AT IRLES AND PUISIEUX4U-MONT . SEVERE CONFLICT QN VERDUN FRONT ■""' By Telegraph-Press Associalion-Copyricht ■ (Reo. March 7, JO 35 p.m.) London, March 6. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Wβ hare made further progress north-west of Irles and north.of Puisieux-au-Mont. We raided the- enemy's trenches eastward of Bouchavesnes. Later our artillery dispersed tho enemy's troops who were massing for cointer-attacks on the trenchos we.receiitly' captured there."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuler. ' ' FRENCH COMMENT ON THE GERMAN RETIREMENT . ' \ !; ENEMY. BEING FORCED BACK. Paris, March 6. French military critics consider the tendency in England is to exaggerate Iho voluntary nature of tho Gorman.retreat. 'They declare that the Germans are being forced from their positions hv suns and men. : Thfc "Libijrte" states that a -fierce hattle raged for forty-eight hours between Gommecourt and Irles. The Germans resisted desperately hut iniavaiiingly.. "Tho _Gennan resistance increases daily, and is marked by a series of violent artillery and'infantry engagements. Tho British, by superb dash drove them out. The Germans continue- their harsh and slow retreat." The "Petit Parisien" states that the obstinate struggle at the Bucquoy salient turned to the advantage of the British. who crossed tho GommecourtPuisieux Road at several places, and.stormed the Tlossigno! Wood, a rectangular area four .hundred yards long, and reached the outskirts of les EssartsBuequoy, and are also within a few yards of Hill 15't.VT.ho. evacnatioii of tho salient is expected. Further south the British aro oecnpying the Malassiso spur, outflanking the St.'Pierre Yaast Wood, the scene of" sanguinary actions. , The British aro closing on Moislains. owning tho road "across' the Nord Canal to Mount St. , Quentin, which dominates Peronne. The British are fighting with great yigour.—Aus.-X.Z. Cable Assn. ' . SNOW HAMPERS BOTH SIDES ■••*■• ' ■ . .London, Jfarch fi. -.Beuter's correspondent at Headquarters .".Several inches of snow havp fallen on the battlefield, delaying the Gprmsn .withdrawal' and nur forward movement, though the former is worso affected. It appears that the Germans 'on the line between PuisienV-ati-Mont and Le Transloy have accomplished the first stage of the withdrawal, and the troops are resting 'nlong a spur of thp"Bfioiiume Tideo temporarily. North-west of the ridge tTio Germans are still withdrawing, 'and our.trnofjs are .everywhere following ur>. Reports from the advance parties show that the enemv's- movements northeast of Gommecourt extended very considerably dnriii" ilin twenty-four hours preceding the snowfall. Later a hearv thaw set in."—TCeuter. ■ ' • THE GERMAN REPORT. • ■ ' ' . '. ' ■■"■ London,' March fi. A German 'official report states: "There has been violent artillery fire on the right bank of the Somme. We repulsed British attacks east of Bouchavesnes." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Ausn.-Reuter. v HEAVY FIGHTING ON THE MEUSE : ' London, March ft , .* '■ 'A French official comiminiouo states: Our line and connter-attneks smashed theftermaii attempts to drive us frmn portions of the trendies we recaptured yesterday north of Caurierp's Wood. French airmen bombed the railwav station and military establishments at Friebourg-im-Brisgau, mills at Kehl, -near Strassburg. and also dropppd three ton.s of bomb's on the aerodrome at Varenne-in-Oise, seriously damaging the. 'sheds.—Aii's.-N.Z.. Cable Assn.-Renter. ,'■■'" . ■ ••.. •' ,: ' . (Roe. March 7. 10.35 p.m.) • ■ London, March R. A. French official communique-states: ."Between tho Ofse.nnd the Aisno a destructive' fire bv our. [runners wrecked the enemy's organisations northwest of Mauiiii-sur-Touvenfc. and demolished bis nasemates and dug-onfcs north'. of A'u troches There hnv" been violent artillery notions north of tho Meuse. a.loncr the Chanibiates-Bezonvaux front, but no infantry fighting."— Aus.-NT.Z. Cable Assn.-Renter. ' " : ' " ■/., IS IT ANOTHER VERDUN OFFENSIVE ? i Paris r March G. Expo-Han't coinniputs are m-'d' l witTi .regard to events nf Verdifp. 'Hie d'itios ask whether the Crown Prince is resumin" tlie. odonsive, and flaim that _'• cou"ter-attack lins restor".'l th" French I'iie at H'e C'nurieres, Wood. M. states that the Wrench seventy-fives end ninchine-giins ,seo'iired extraordinary slaughicr throughout the action.—"Renter.