THE WEST FRONT ICEBOUND

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 89, 8 January 1918, Page 7

THE WEST FRONT ICEBOUND

OPPOSING ARMIES AWAITING A THAW GREAT CONCENTRATION OF ENEMY GUNS AND MEN (Ilec. January 7, 9 p.m.) London, January 7. Mr. Philip Gibbs, writing from the West front, says: "The enemy at tho moment is not doing much, being snowbound and icebound, like ourselves. There is little activity behind his lines. His gunfire is still fierce, and there are sudden bursts of fury against Passchendaele, the back areas of the Ypres salient, and also at Havrincourt and Cambrai. 'Ilia opposing armies are waiting for the snow to melt, and after that there will be another little wait until the thaw is complete and until the mud, ooze, and slime whicli fill the trenches will havo dried. Prisoners say the enemy will strike a blow in the event of the peace efforts failing. Wo cannot ignore tho monace of the possibility that our armies, when tho ground has hardened, will be pnt on tho defensivo against a great concentration of guns and moil, moving forward with massed attacks in a last desperato attempt to gain si decision at any cost. My personal opinion is that heforo that happens Germany, knowing tho strength of our defcnco, will make a desperate bid for peace. She cannot faco the utter permanent rum or tho race which will follow that pouring out of a river of blood from tho last reserves of her ihanhood."—Aus.-N./i. Cable Assn. SIR DOI]GLAS~MIG'S REPORT . A SAP RECAPTURED. London, January 6. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "We have recaptured tho sap east or Bullecourt i which the enemy occupied yesterday morning."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Reuter. ■ GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. (Rec. January 7, 8.5 p.m.) London, January 6. A German official report states: We penetrated the lines westward of Bezonvaux and captured numerous prison.erg ."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutor. ACTIVITY OF THE BRITISH AIRMEN ENEMY AERODROME AND STATIONS BOMBED. (Rec. January 7, 8.5 p.m.) London, January 7. Despite the weather yesterday, our aeroplanes droped half a ton of esplo* sives on Ramegnieschin aerodrome, obtaining direct hits. They also dropped a ton on Conflans station, causing a big explosion and fire, and a. further halt ton on Courcelles station—Aus.-JN.//. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. GERMAN SOLDIERS IN FLANDERS FEVERISHLY CONSTRUCTING FORTIFICATIONS. Amsterdam, January 6. Twenty-two Belgian civilians were executed at Ghent on December 20 for alleged espionage. All villages in north-east Flanders are packed with German soldiers, who are feverishly constructing fortifications. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.