FOURTEEN MORE VILLAGES CLEARED OF THE ENEMY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3034, 22 March 1917, Page 5

FOURTEEN MORE VILLAGES CLEARED OF THE ENEMY

BRITISH PROGRESS CONTINUED GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACK BEATEN OFF By Telegraph-Press 'Association-Copyrisht (Rec. March 21, 7.20 p.m.) ■ ! 1 ' 1 ' ( London, March 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports :■ "Despite less favourable -weather, wo mada considerable progress on the greater part of our front in our advance southward of Arras. Further villages were cleared of the enemy. Wo have now passed Generalise, Caaizy, Estre-en-Chajussee, Nurlu, Velu, and! St. Leger. Wo drove off a counter-attaok southward of Arras, and raided the enemy's lines north-east of Neuvillp-St. Vaast, bringing back prisoners. Our aeroplanes bombed with good results an important ammunition depot."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. THE WEATHER TAKES A HAND (Rec. March 21, 5.15 p.m.) • ' Wondon, Maroh 20. Renter's correspondent at British in France attributes tho slowing down cf the German retreat to the equinoctial gales, which are now roaring across Northern France.—Reutor. NEXT TWENTY-FOUR HOURS WILL DECIDE 1 , Now York, March' 20. The New York "World's" correspondent at Paris states that tho Gorman High Command Ss stunned at the rapidity of General NiveUe's pursuit. French aviators returning from scouting report that conflagrations are visible fifty miles behind the lines. Mr! Frank Simmonds, writing to tho New Yotlc "Tribune," says that tho next twenty-four hops will deoide 1 whether the Germans intend to retire to the Franco-Belgian frontier or make a stand on the Cambrai-St. Quentin-Laon front;—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. WHAT THE GERMANS HOPE TO GAIN Now York, Majob 20. Mr. W6od, the Universal Press representative with the advancing French armies, states that JVench refugees say that the Germans hope by shortening the West front to release thirty divisions for strategy purposes elsewhere. The recaptured territory has been wantonly destroyed, the devastation exceeding that of the original German invasion. The Germans mined 1 Roye, hut were compelled to evacuate after firing only a few mines. Civilians were hurled out of their beds, and craters Forty feet wide by thirty foet deep were blown in the principal street. ENEMY REFUSES TO FIGHT London, Maroh 20. Mr. Philip Gibbfe writes: "Tho qnomy is refusing battle, and has further retired to the open country. Bast of Bapaumo, our cavalry patrols ftr© in. touch with the Uhlans on »line west of Cambrai and St. Quontin. The oxact location is vague, as the movement continues. Our cavalry is moving cautiously between a largo number of villagos, which everywhere are burning. Thero was widespread destruction at Peronne: Everything was done to impede pursuit: bridges were destroyed, and trees in the streets were cut down to form barricades. The houses wore wantonly ignited, and were burning fiercely when the British entered. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. REJOICINGS IN RE-OCCUPIED TOWNS 4 Paris, 'March 20. 'A French aviator when flying over Nesle on Sunday observed a man on a housetop waving the tricolour. Tho aviator descended, and found that the Germans had evacuated the town. Tho cavalry entered later, and received an enthusia6tio reception from 2000 of the population. Many wept, with joy and flourished flags. The entrance to Roye was delayed owing to floods causing obstructions on the roads. Tho town was savagely and_ systematically looted. Germans carried off or destroyed the crockery, linen, pictures, and furniture, leaving tho inhabitants only a mattress and table and chair apiece, but many houses and churches aro intact.—Aus.-N.Z. Cabin Assn. ADVANCE BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT PROGRESS ON THE FRENCH FRONT London, March 20. W French official communique statps: "Thero waß little change in the night. Our advanced elements progressed slightly, and continue to maintain contact with the enemy. The advance has become more difficult, owing to tho destruction of all means of communication and the bad weather, "The artillery struggle in the Champagne has ended. We heavily repulsed attacks between Arocourt Wood and Hill 301." —Ails.-N.Z. Cable Aflsn.Reuter. FRENCH CAVALRY ACTIVE (Roc. March' 21, 0.20 p.m.) ' London, March 21. A! French! official communique stales: "Between tho Sommo and tho Aisne our troops made fresh progress, and aro ; proceeding ho occupy tho reconquered zone. Our cavalry north of f,be Somme advancod as far as tho outskirts of Roupy, seven kilometres (!}. niiles) from St. Quontin, whore they gave chaee to one of the enemy's cavalry patrols. North-east of Ohauny our infantr.y ocoupiod Tergnier, and orossed the St. Qncntin Canal.' Soma lively skirmishes with detachments of the enemy terminated to our advantage.' _ "furing the severnl days pursuit, our losses on the wholo front wero insigTi'r-'ant. Everywhere we nave found evidence of systematic vandalism, mostly ••'thout any military object. Our aviators report that the historic ruins ni tho Castle of Courcy were destroyed by an. explosion. '"ihe Germans, whsn evacuating NoyCn, forcibly carried off fifty girls |Ji!? Hlft fiiteoa fcwea i it-£ie.'*~Aus.»N.Z. Gai>!a (

HERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. (Reo. March 21, 5.15 p.m.) LmiUon, March 20. A German wireless official report,states: "Cavalry engagements have beon abandoned in the districts on both sides of ihn Homme and tho Oise. There were heavy enemy losses. Wn ropnlsed violent attaoks on the left bank of tho Mouse. Wo brought down thirteen aeroplanes."—Aus.-N.Z. • Cablo Assn.Reutefr A GERMAN VIEW OF THE RETREAT. (Roe. March 21, 5.15 p.m.) I London, March 20. Major Moraht writes in the Berlin "Tageblatt": "Every Gorman. should be pleased with the retreat, lor it means that von tlindenburg is * luring on the English and French in order lo inflict unprecedented losses."—Router.