ON THE FRENCH FRONT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3054, 16 April 1917, Page 5

ON THE FRENCH FRONT

BLOW AT ST. QUENTIN FROM THE SOUTH,

London, April 13. 'A , French official communique states:' "Wβ attacked this morning the German positions south of St. Quontin, and despite the enemy's desperate resistance, carried several linos of trenches between the Somme and La Fere, on the St. Quentin Road. Our advanced elements progressed south of the Oisc and eastward of Coucy-la-Ville, capturing prisoners and material: An artillery struggle took place in the Aisne region and in Champagne. Two attempted enemy coups de main in tli e Verdun region failed under our fire." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn .-Renter. C .

(Rec. April 15, 5.5 p.m.)

"■•;.' ■■• , i( ■ London, April 14. A'French communique states: "South of St. Quentin wo continued to bombard the German positions between the Somme and the Oiso. There is great mutual artillery activity in the.Champagno region, where we effected numerous reconnaissandes.' —Aus.-VZ. Cable Assn.-Router. A later communique states: "South of St. Quentih fighting continues before the positions we conquered this morning, the enemy vigorously resisting. Our artillery furiously bombarded the. German organisations between the Somme and the Oise. An a rtillery duel is in progress in the region between thV Aisne. and Champagne.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reuter.

(Roc. April 16/0.5 a.m.)'

■ ■;. , '• ■ . ■ London, April 15. A French-official report states: "We have organised the'conquered ground' between St. Qiientin and the Oise, and made progress soutli of the Oise on the plateau north of .Lower Qujncy. Our artillery is most active against the German defences at St. Gobain, in the Upper Coney forests. I '—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.

REPORTED SACKING OF ST. • QUENTIN

HINDENBURG LINE MENACED

1 .-.-■ Paris, April 13. Mr. Wfiod, the United Press .'Agen oy's correspondent, gives details of how the French reached the-suburbs of St. Quentin, and asserts that the capr ture of-iSt. Gobain and St. Quentin, according to French strategists, means the breaking of the Hindenburg line. The Germans are believed to be engaged in.'sacking St. Quentin. There are many fires, and prieoners assert that Prince Eit-el Friedrich has ordered its ■ destruction.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable 'Assn. f , GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT ■: : ■ • : London, 'April 13. Wireless, Tier 'Admiralty. Press: German official: "Our counter-thrust hal-j aneed strong British attacks against Anores and Givenohy-on-Gohelle. We twice repulsed attacks from the Arras-Gavrelle Road to the Scarpe, and re-,, pulsed several attacks, including one by c&yalry, south-eastward of Arras.' French attacks southward of StJ'Quentin .failed."—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn.Reuter. ■' ■ -', ' • (Rec. "April 15, 5.5 p.m.) '■/• ■■'.'■' . , ■ London, 'April 14. 'A' German wircless.ofncial report states: "There was a pause in the fighting yesterday' north-eastward of Arra,s and the Soarpe. Further southward, at Otoisilles and Bullecourt, after a violent artillery fire, the British vainly attacked several times. (Mr after-thrust inflioted considerable losses. Strong; enemy attacks failed against our St. Quentin positions. During the past week the heart of St. Quentin has been violently bombarded, and the Palace of Justice, the cathedral, and-Town HaiT seriously damaged. Our 'batteries arc fighting at full strength at Soissons, Reims, and Western Champagne. The enemy lost, on the West front on Thursday eleven/aeroplanes, arid on Friday, twenty-four."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutcr. :• -.•-■■•■■•■. : (R«c. April' 16, 0.5 a.m.) ' . ■■■■,'-.-'- •■•...-. , London, 'April 15. Tho German owning official report states'that repeated strong British attacks between the Scarpe and Bulleoouit failed, with heavy losses.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutor, ' ■ ■ ■ THE KAISER AND CROWN PRINCE. (Rec April 15, 525 pm.) Amsterdam, 'April 14. An official jeport from Beilin states that the rumours that the Kaiser is ill are unfounded. The Crown Prince, has resumed his command of the rentia] group of aimies on the Western fioin -^-Reuter. GERMAN GOVERNMENT URGED TO-TELL TIE TRUTH. Amsterdam, 'April 13. ' The "Vontaeits" says "The German Go\ernment must tell the people the truth —that it is impossible to dictate peace to a wprld of enemies."— Aus-NZ Cable Assn ' . ' GALLANT SOUTH AFRICANS. , BRILLIANT WORK IN LAST WEEK'S FIGHTING'. ' (Rec Apnl 15, 5 5 pm.) ' 'London, [April 13. Mr. Philip Gibbs gives prominence ■to tho South Africans' shave in Mon* day's fightpig "Then colonels chaiged at the head of their .men, and then captuipd the fiist line without a casualty Aftenvards, they fought through a wicked maohrae-gun fire, and gathered hundreds of prisoners and many guns, inoluding some 6-inch howi t?ors and a vast haul of ammunition, andireversed the captured guns upon the onomy. It was a triumph for , the Soutli Africans, revenging the tragio e.pisodes of the fighting in Delville Wood, at the battle of the Somme." —- Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.' \ , CHAIN-MAIL CURTAIN TO SHIELD .SOLDIERS' FACES., ( ; : . ," i (Rec] 'April 14, 8.15 p.m.) / ', ■'■'■: , ,--,., London, April 13. 'A newspaper states'that a curtain of chain-mail has been, invented, to hang from the steel helmet-to. protect the soldier's face. Some have s.\-. ready -been issued to tho 'troops.—Aus. -N.Z. , Cable Assn. , .'.. - : .',KILLED ; IN A BRILLIANT CAVALRY CHARGE./ . •■' (Rec. April 15, 5.5 p.m.) •*. ■ - ; . ' ' ' . London. 'April 14. . : The'"Daily Express" reports that BrigadieivGeheral Bnlkeley Johnson was killed in. a brilliant cavalry charge which preceded the capture of Monoliy.—Renter.' ; ■y-,-. AMEIUGA 'ANB.TUE'WAR \ ■ . SUBMARINE PROWLERS ABOUT .■:'" (SUGGESTED BIG NAVAL OFFENSIVE (Rec. April 15, 5.5 p.m.) - ; New York, April 14. : 'The Hoiifc of Representatives adopted the war loan unanimously.—Aus.N.Z. , Qable Assn. ' -, . . ■''•»"'' A BIG NAVAL EFFORT? ] •■' , EXPERTS PREDICT ATTACK ON GERMAN COAST. ;':V. . ; (Rec April 14, 3.10 p.m.) " . . ■ . '...'■ ' .'..•' , Berne, April 13. Military writers express the opinion , that tho.entry of America into the ■war will result in an afigressive sea policy against Germany, with the ultimate landing of troops on the Germ an coast, involving a tremendous battle, completely out-doing Gallipoli.—Reuter. ■'■•'•.■