WAR NEWS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 28 June 1917, Page 3

WAR NEWS.

MONDAY.

Russian Morale—*' Gratifying Improvement—French Repel Many Attacks—Venizelos Returning to Athena. The failure of the attempt to conclude a separate peace with Russia through the Swiss Foreign Minister, who has since resigned, has led German newspapers to despair of detaching Russia. General Brussiloff, the Commander -in - Chief of the Russian armies, reports a gratifying improvement in morale. The Italians are continuing their attack on the western end °f the Asiago Plateau, in the Trentino, and. repulsed counter-1 attacks. ~ y>**'wr~* important road north of t^&isne, known as the Chemindes Dames, has been the scene of a severe struggle. The Germans made a series of assaults on a ,->, front of over a mile with large forces of special troops. The occupation of Thessaly has been completed without incident, and the French are now

organising the gathering of the \ harvest. [M. Venizelos has arJ rived at Piraeus, the port of ~ Athens, where he received an enthusiastic welcome.

TUESDAY

Russians Amazons—Early Despatch to Front—Roumanians Ready to Fight—Plot against Norwegian Shipping.

The first battalions of Russian women soldiers will go to the front in a fortnight. They ha.ye issued an appeal for action, which is a strong protest against the treason and cowardice of peacomongers.

The Roumanian Army is described as being a better fighting organisation that at period of intervention. It is waiting for Russia to give the signal to strike.

The New Zealanders have held their gains east of Messines, and have taken part in daring patrol work. Many individual acts of gallantry took place during the capture of Messines. A West Coast miner advanced through the British barrage, although wounded, and put seven machine guns out cf action.

Great excitement has been created in Norway by the discovery of depots of explosives and infernal machines. It is suggested that many Norwegian ships have been sunk by these means. Many German agents have been arrested.

WEDNESDAY New Greek Cabinet — Venlzelists and Others—Line Drawing nearer Lens—British on Belgian Coast. The Premier of Greece; has resigned. The new Cabinet will consist of Venizelists and others. The Provisional Government which M. Venizelos established at Salonika is moving to' Piraeus, the port of Athens. The British have made another move towards Lens. Fighting astride the Souchez River southwest of the town resulted m successive gains, one oa a front of a mile and a-half. Advance posts have been established near Warnetori, south-east of Messines The Germans opposing the British are showing signs of great nervousness. False night alarms continually cause their batteries to break into needless discharges of shells, and bold British raids are increasing the tension.

British troops are now holding the sector on the Belgian coast among the sand dunes below Ostend.

An Austrian communique mentions a revival of Russian artillery activity in a sector east and |, in-east of Lemberg.

THURSDAY

Pressing into 'Lena—British Gain of Ground—Greek Cabinet Reconstruction —Norwegian Demand on Germany—Mongolia Sunk.

The British have gained further ground towards Lens. The enemy is falling back on new defences round the city proper.

M. Venizolos has been summoned to form a new Cabinet in Greece. He proposes that the army fighting the Bulgarians should remain at the front, but has no intention of mobilising the Greek people against their will.

In consequence of the discovery of the bomb plot Norway has 1 demanded the recall of the German. Ambassador.

The P. and 0. Co's steamer Mongolia was sunk by a mine off Bombay on Saturday while on a voyage to Australia. The passengers were landed at Bombay, but the mails were lost.