LATEST NEWS OF THE FRENCH ADVANCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3033, 21 March 1917, Page 5

LATEST NEWS OF THE FRENCH ADVANCE

A DEPTH OF 22 MILES REACHED. , (Reo. March 2L 0.50 a.m.) London, March 19. A 1 French official commtinique slates: "Daring, the day our troops advanced beyond Ham, on the Somme, and Chauny on the Oise. We hold numerous localities between both. Our cafralry, operating several _ kilometres (a kilometre is { of a mile) north of Ham, captured a convoy which was returning in the direction of St. Quentin. Our advance at this point attained a depth of thirty-five kilometres (about 22 miles). Our detachments south of Channy reached the Aidette-Soissons line, and entirely relioved the onemy'n pressure north-east of Crony. Our advanco elements progressed along the Maubeuge Road. About twenty villages and small,towns were liberated during the day. , . "Before retiring, the enemy laid waste the country. Fruit trees were cut down or torn up by the- roots, fields destroyed by mines, and roads and bridges demolished, and numerous villages incinerated. The shelterless and starving inhabitants were fed by the French troops. "There has been violent artillery firing in Champagne. ■ We , have recaptured almost all the trenches on the left bank of: the Meuse into which the enemy had penetrated. 'Fighting continues."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable As6n.Reuter.

THE GREAT DAY OF LIBERATION

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WELCOME THEIR DELIVERERS. London, March 19. !AI Frenoh official communique referring to the liberation of the French villages, says :—"The enemy has shamefully'devastated and pillaged' many,, localities. Thousands of inhabitants, whom the Germans were unable to drive away, welcomed our troops."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.' '■ ■ \ ' • .'■ A COMPARISON WITH THE SOMME ; ' . ; (Rec. March 20, 10.45 p.m.) - • London, March 19. The Somme advance liberated 176 villages and 1230 square miles, while' 11,000 inhabitants were set free.—Renter. GERMAN ATTACK ON THE VERDUN FRONT HEAVY: LOSSES INFLICTED !BY THE FRENCH. ■■..■■' (Rec. March 20, 6.25 p.m.) ~.'■'■'■' ~,_ ,: ■ '. London, March 19. . A. Irench official communique states:—"After a violent bombardment the Germans laßt evening made a powerful attack on the Avocourt-Morthomms front. Our barrage and machine-gun fixe smashed their waves of assault on the greater part of the front before they reached our lines, and we inflicted heavy losses. In-the direction of Hill 304 and the edge of Avocourt Wood, parties of the enemy succeeded in penetrating our lines on a front of about,two hundred metres (under 200 yards), and after lively hand-to-hand Sghting they were partly driven out."—Aus.-N.Z. Gable Assn.-Reuter. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT (Rec. MarcOO", 6.25 p,m.) ■.-,„„■' . , ' ' tendon, March 19. .. 'A'German wireless ofhcisl report stales:—'"Our evacuation of the tract of country between Arras and the Aisne, long prepared, was carried out without disturbance by_ the hesitating, pursuing, enemy. We destroyed the traffic establishment in the evacuated regions, and provided five days' food for the population left behind. > ' • "We stormed trenches on a length of five hundred and eight"- hundred metres on the fronts south of the Bois de Malancourt and of Hill 804."—Aus,-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. . v ■ '• . •