FORTY TIOUSAND PRISONERS IN TWO WEEKS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3070, 4 May 1917, Page 5

FORTY TIOUSAND PRISONERS IN TWO WEEKS

FRANCO-BRITISH RECORD IN THE WEST TWENTY-FOUR GERMAN DIVISIONS PUT OUT OF ACTION ) iParis, May 2. Marcel Hutin, writing to.the "Figaro," states that between April 16 and April 30, the British,and French captured 40,603 prisoners, 437 heavy guns, 316 trench mortars, and 882 machine-guns. The "Petit Parisien" states that twenty-four onomy divisions, launched on tho British front, had to be rolioved from further participation: Tho enemy effectives have molted away amazingly. Many survivors deserted, and somo'wout mad.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE LULL ON THE BATTLE FRONT ARTILLERY DUELS AND RAIDS. London, May 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "The artillery on both sides was active during Hie night between St. Quentin and Lens. Wo ropulsed a Gorman raid at Fau-quissart."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Router. • ' , (Rec. May 3, 7.15 p.m.) London, May 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports: ''Wo drove off a raid by tho_cnemy northwards of Arleux-cn-Gohelle. There was active reciprocal artillery fighting northward of tho Scarpo and in tho neighbourhood of Ypres. Seventeen German aeroplanes were brought down on Tuesday. Four of ours are missjng." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Keuter. ON THE FRENCH FRONT. Paris, May 2. A French official communique states: "There is groat reciprocal artillery work in tho region of Chemin-des-Dames. On. the Cerny-H.urtebiso-Craonuo front our maohine-guns and grenades repulsed enemy partial attacks on our trenches. There was a violent artillery strugglo during the night in the sectors of Mont Cornillet and Monthay in tho Champagne. Thero was lively grenade fighting in tho woods west of Mont Cornillet, whero we mado progress. Our detachments penetrated the German linos at different points in Les Eparges. Our air squadrons on tho night of tho 30th bombed several railway stations and military establishments in the region of laon, Vouzior, and Bethel, causing fires." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn'.-Reuter. (Rcc. May 3, 8.5 p.m.) 1 ■ London, Mav 3. ' . A French official communique states:—"Tho artillery of both sides is active, particularly north-west of Reims and in Champagne region. A local operation gained us ground west of Mont Cornillet. Tho day has been quiet everywhere else. By way of reprisals for the enemy's act in bombing Chalons and Epernay, five French machines bombed Treves, causing a violent conflagration."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Renter.

GERMAN REPORT. • London, May 2. Wireless, per Admiralty Press:—A German official message states: "Tile English advances westward of Lens, near Moriehy-Fontaine, failed. We repulsed the French at Cerny, on the Aisne.. There is intense artillery action on the whole front.' We repulsed French thrusts at Chemin-des-Dames Ridge. During the Champagne fighting on April 13, we took over 400 prisoners. The enemy yesterday lost fourteen aeroplanes."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable 'Assn.-Reuter. A RECORD MONTH WITH THE AIRMEN ■ ■ . ——. i 714 MACHINES BROUGHT DOWN IN THE WEST. London, May 2. April was easily tho record month in air activity. Statistics compiled from the communiques 6how that 714 machines were brought down on the Western front—366 German, 147 British, and 201 French. Of the German victims the British brought down 269, all excepting six by the airmen. The previous highest totals were 165 last July, 189 in August, and 322 in September. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assu. GERMAN LEADERSHIP QUESTIONED Amsterdam, May 2. The "Berliner Tageblatt" states that Herr Cohn, a Socialist member of the Reichstag, has proposed that , a committee he set up to consider Germany's military leadership. , The Pan-German newspapers vigorously protest against criticising von Hindenburg, but the Socialists insist on a discussion in the Reichstag.—Aus - N.Z. Cable Aesn. , ■ (