AROUND BAPAUME.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 February 1917, Page 1

AROUND BAPAUME.

Prossure Affects Germans

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.) LONDON, Fob. 25. Mr Philip Gibbs, writing from headquarters in the 25th, says the enemy is steadily withdrawing from many positions between the Haubutomo ground and south-west of Bapaumo.

Our strong patrols pushed on through the abandoned country and penetrated some places three miles beyond om former line, and are already north-west of Scrrc and south of Jules. Beyond Miraumont and Pys we gained a number of German strongholds, which we expected to win only after heavy fighting. The enemy is yielding to the ceaseless pressure of our men and guns by escaping to a- new line of defence along the Bapaume ridge. This is the most notable movement since the autumn of 1916. The Germans’ strategical retreat) 'reveals a new phase of their weakness in defensive conditions. This retreat did not surprise o.ur generals, because after the battle of Boom Bavin© on the 17th there were several signs that the enemy contemplated a withdrawal to Miraumont. On 'the morning of the 24tli several fires were seen burning in the German front lines, and the enemy’s field batteries for several days’ fight used an abnormal amount of ammunition.

They s eemed to bo getting rid of supplies to forward dumps before witndrawing their guns. Haig’s Report. LONDON, Feb. 25. Genera] Sir Douglas Haig reports: ithat the enemy continued to yield ground along the Ancrc, and smai: bodies of our troops advanced on «, wide front, and occupied Serves ana other important points eastwards, meeting with little opposition. We then successfully raided eastward of Vielrstraat on a 500 yards front, inflicting casualties. We also raided eastward of Armentieres and drove out the enemy raiders. There was considerable artillerying astride the Somme. French Report. LONDON, Feb. 25. A French communique says our artillery effectively took action in the region of Morthomme. There was intermittent artillerying in Lorraine and the Vosges. i On the Tigris. (Australian &N.Z. Gab’e Association) LONDON, Feb. 25. Mesopotamia Official.—ln the southern portion of Sannyait, the position captured on Thursday consisted of two lines with a 450 yards frontage and 100 yards deep. Six counter-attacks failed. Our assault on Thursday afternoon resulted in the capture of two linos on a 900 yards front, and before daybreak on Friday we crossed the Tigris in tbs neighbourhood of the Shumran bed. Our covering parties established themselves on the left bank, and within nine hours we completed a bridge ..eid consolidated our position in spite o £ stubborn resistance.

Simultaneously we resumed the assault or. Sannyait and captured the third and fourth lines on a 1050 yards front. We prisoncrcd in the Shumran area on Friday, 544.

In Armenia

LONDON, Feb. 25. The lit. Hon. 31 r Balfour, in a letter to the American Committee of the Armenian’s relief, says it is doubtful if tho true horror of the sufferings or tlio Armenians is realised. There were 1,800,000 Armenians in the Ottoman Empire before the war, of whom 1,200,000 have been massaced or deported. Those massacred died after abominable tortures, but they esc ped the deporteds’ longer agonies. Sweden fearful. (Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.) STOCKHOLM, Feb. 25. The First Chamber Diet carried a .military grant of 30,000,000 kroner for the defence of Swedish neutrality. The Second Chamber voted only 10,000,000. During the debate the Foreign Minister stated that something had happened in the past few days which greatly aggravated Sweden’s positiion, necessitating a larger vote to safeguard her neutrality. The situation is more grave than ever, and the future is very drak. The grant will be submitted to a joint session, when it is expected the Government will disclose this threatening danger at a secret sitting.

London Churches

LONDON, Fob. 26

'Fho Bishop of London is closing all London churchas except eight, thus freeing the clergy as chaplains for national service.

Dutch Feeling

AMSTERDAM, Feb. 25,

Dutch ship owners on Saturday declared that the situation is most critical and warned Germany that however peaceful Holland may bo they womd not tolerate everything, and the resumption of ithe sailing of twenty vessels to America this week maj’ be can. celled,