The War News.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 9 November 1916, Page 3

The War News.

FRIDAY. Russian Progress — Roumanians Recover Ground — Attitude of German Socialists. The Russians are working their way - round Halicz, the south-eastern gate of Lemberg, and both sides are bracing themselves for a great blow. The Roumanians have cleared the enemy from their Moldavian frontier, which constitutes the northern sector of their Transylvanian line. They have also driven the enemy back in the .^Campulung district. -"■ The British forces holding the right flank of General Sarrail's army have been active against the Bulgarian invaders in Eastern Macedonia. A British and French conjoint attack near Lesboeufs yielded both the allies some gains. The French heavily repulsed a violent attack on Sailly-Saillisel. Herr Schneidemann, the leader of the German Socialist majority has withdrawn his support from Dr. Bethmann-Hollweg, Imperial Chancellor, whose mainstay he was. The immediate issue was the recent debate in. the' Reichstag on the military arrests of civilians when the Government refused to redress grievances. SATURDAY. Italian Successes—sooo Prisoners Captured—Germans Evacuate Fort Vaux — Battle on the Russian Front. After bombarding the Austrian second line on the Carso Plateau furiously for three days, the Italians have advanced at several points east and south-east of Gorz iv the direction of Trieste. They captured 4731 prisoners and several guns. From Berlin comes an official admission that the Germans have evacuated the ruins of Fort Vaux north of Verdun. A great battle is reported to be raging on the Southern Russian and Roumanian fronts, covering 500 miles. It is described as perhaps the most important yet fcught in the war. Greek volunteers are fightingl with the allies on the Struma front, and have taken a village from the Bulgarians. Mr Hilaire Belloc estimates the German troops at 5,00,000, with reserves of over 1,000,000. He states that Germany has expanded her field army in 1916 at the expense of 1917. MONDAY. Heavy Austrian Losses — Greeks Fighting Greeks —Struggle in the Carpathians. The Italian offensive on the Carso Plateau, north-west of Trieste, has yielded 10,000 prisoners in two days, and has resulted in a maximum advance of three miles and a-half. The Italians quickly carried two lines, one of which was considered impregnable, "and are attacking a third. The first day of the attack cost the Austrians 15,000 men, onethird of whom were made prisoners. After the German withdrawal from Fort Vaux, north of Verdun the French pressed on and gained a portion of the village of Vaux. An extraordinary situation has arisen in Greece. In consequence of submarine attacks on transports carrying volunteers to the army of M. Venizelos at • Salonika, the Venizelists occupied Katerina, about 35 miles south-west of Salonika, a station on the railway line to Athens, so that Greek volunteers could come by railway and be received there. The Roumanians have advanced in \he Vulkan Pass, towards - -^^c south-west of their Transyl" v^; 3biian frontier, but have lost 'M^paund at another point. TUESDAY Gains on the Somme — Italians Pressing Onwards — Roumanian Situation Improves. Between Lesboeufs and SaillySaillisel the French advanced several hundred yards in the direction of Transloy, and captured the greater part of Saillisel village. The British advanced their centre on a front of 1000 yds, and Secured the high road in the rieigVqou rh'qod 'of "V^rlericqurt Hill. rj?he French have recaptured the whole of Vaux and Bamloup villages, north of Verdun, thus restoring their front to the line held before the German offensive commenced. Mr Stanley Was.hburn states that the Roumanian situation has greatly improved. The Roumanians are offering a stub-

THE WEEK'S SUMMARY.

born defensive in the valleys, and there is reason to hope that supports will arrive in time, The Italians have extended their gains on the Carso Pleat ea, north-west of Trieste. Their advance represents a gain of two miles on a front of three miles and a-half. The Austrian casualties in the first two days of the offensive numbered 39,000. WEDNESDAY Rain Hampers Enemy—Success in Dobrudja—French Gains in the West—Attack on German Dreadnought. The Roumanians have compelled the enemy to fall back in Dobrudja. In Predeal Pass, on the Transylvanian frontier, the Roumanians have retired a little. The heavy rains which have ; fallen on the Transylvanian front have proved providential for the Roumanians. The French continue to make progress in the northern part of St. Pierre Vaast Wood, on the Somme front, where over 600 prisoners have been taken in two days. The Germans rfave made violent counter-attacks against the positions won by the British and French on the previous day. The German losses in the recent fighting on the Somme front have been enormous owing to the bad direction of the German artillery, which poured projectiles on its own infantry. A British submarine fired torpedoes at a German Dreadnought off the North Sea coast of Denmark. The Dreadnought Avas struck, but the extent of the i damage is not known. A German submarine was stianded off the Danish coast, and blown up by the crew. THURSDAY A N French Attack—Somme Wedge Widened —Russians win Positions An attack delivered by the French during a heavy rainstorm on a front of four miles south of the Somme yielded important gains. The French captured the villages of Ablaincourt and Pressoir, and reached the outskirts of Gomiecourt. The Somme offensive had, up till November 1, yielded 92,971 prisoners, of whom 41,605 were taken by the French. The allies also captured 173 field guns, 130 heavy guns, and 91 machineguns. The Russians have had successes near the northern frontier of Roumania. It is estimated that the recent Italian offensive on the Carso Plateau cost the Austrians 25,000 casualties, A certain liveliness is reported from the Adriatic. Italian tor-pedo-boats entered the Austrian base at Pola, and attacked a,, large warship.