THE TAKING OF BAPAUME.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 May 1917, Page 2

THE TAKING OF BAPAUME.

High Officer’s Letter.

Wellington, May 29 Sir Jamfs Allen has lately received from an officer of high rank m the Brit eh Army a personal letter, from which he gives for publication the following extract:— ”1 am sure you will ha glad to know that my corps had the honour of taking Bapattme, the goal that had been before the eyes of tbe whole army on the Somme since Jnoe last. We had no very heavy fighting at’ the last, probably owing to the fact that we bad been able to keep up a continuous and unrelenting pressure on the Germans day after day for so long, which finally broke down their resistance. I hope wa threw away no chances, while tqual'y we were not

rushing. ‘‘l am thankful to say that we had very few casufiltiee. The fact of having driven the Germans out like this and keeping them on the run as we are still doing has had a moat extraordinary beneficial effect on every one. My men simply have their tails right over their backs. They ore ao pleased with themselves ; rightly, too, for they have deserved success, “At the present moment we are seven miles bayood in lovely rolling country, over which it has been a great pleasnre to me to ride to-day especially after the hateful shell-swept country with mud to ones girths, from which we are delighted to have escaped.

“It is quite impcLSible to imagine without seeing if the appalling state in which the Germane left Bapaume and the country and villages round it. I fancy it is very very much what the Russians did vyhen retiring before Napoleon. Every single thing in the country has been destroyed—house?, sheds, trees—everything. It is really awful to think what the existence of the people over these miles of country must be for years to come A good deal of the destruction has been .absolutely wanton. For assistance of* the people over these miles against a wall, ornamental shrubs and monuments have all been cut down or blown up. The womeD, we hear, have been treated most disgracefully, and in fact the Gormans behaved themselves like real beasts. One would almost thick they wou’a have learned something during the ’ but apparently this is rot the cese.

Russians Upset

Petrograd, May 28 { Yabnbovitoh, assistant War Minister, addressing the Peasant Congress, dec'ared the Army was technically fully prepared. There were ample shells, gnns, machine gnus and bomb?, bat the soldiers mast be filled with ' warlike enthusiasm.

Many delegates from the front.assarted that radical measures were necessary to restore discipline.

A Disclosure

Washington, May 29 Mr Lansing disclosed that shortly before the declaration of war, the Germans attempted to involve the United States in a quarrel with Great Britain and France, through the organisation of a steamship company whose raisondetre was the violation of foreign trading with the enemy laws. The plot is now being investigation by,the Department of Justice. / " _i ... .■ A Counter Blast [BEUTEB’S SEBVICB.—COPYBIGHT.) London, May 29 . As a to Hon; George’s statement on submarine question, the German" Government has issued a lengthy statement designed to reassnre the people. A German Move New York, May 29 Under the title of “Friends of German Republic Provisional Revolutionary Committee,” American Germane have opened an office with the object to put the Kaiser out of business. Blind Fools. New York, May 29 A Herald dispatch from British Headquarters state German wounded say the Hindenburg line is a fairy tale. They were blind fools, Isd blindfolded. An Amorican Plot

(Received May 30, at 9.15 a.m.) Washington, May 29 An extraordinary plat against conscription has been revealed. Government announces eleven arrests at the leaders’ headquarters in Texas, Virginia. A society was formed in Virginia for the ostensible purpose of a co-operative buying organisation. It has its headquarters in the mountain fastness. The members are bound to a secrecy oatb. The movement has been backed by Germans, They planned to murder certain registration officials and rebel against Unitdjft States. They obtained rifles. A conspiracy was also unearthed in the middle west. I.W.W. influence M suspected. ™ The authorities announce the men indicted were dealt with promptly and threaten the sternest punishment in the event of recurrences of plottirg.