WAR NEWS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 25 October 1917, Page 3

WAR NEWS.

MONDAY.

Zeppelins Shot Down — Four or more Destroyed — Action with German Sea Raiders — Russia's Riga Squadron Endangered. The Germans have again used airships for a raid on England, with results disastrous to the airships. Six or seven Zeppelins attacked the eastern counties, dropping bombs, and 27 persons were killed and 53 injured. Four of the Zeppelins were brought down, and it is believed a fifth was also destroyed. Two heavily-armed German raiders succeeded in eluding the British patrols on a dark night, L and attacked a number of mer- ■ _ chantmen, convoyed by two ■^British destroyers. The destroywere sunk after a gallant V « ht 'and the Germans then sank ■ ?u Ye N9,rwegian, one Danish, and B tnree bwedish vessels, all unV armed, and, without attempting m to rescue passengers or crews, turned for home. .The naval action in the Gulf oi Kiga has developed to threaten the whole Russian squadron in the Gulf. Nineteen or twenty warships are bottled up in Moon X bound, and the exits held by German squadrons.

TUESDAY Riga Naval Action—Russian Warships Escape—Activity in Meso-potamia-British Airmen Bomb German town. The majority of the Russian warships which were reported to be bottled up in the Gulf of Riga nave escaped to the Gulf of . Finland. Two attempts at fraternising by enemy troops on the Russian front were stopped by Russian fire. British airmen have carried out a series of destructive raids behind the enemy's lines. One i raid reached as far as Saarbruken in the south of the Rhine province. The other places attacked were for the most part on the front. Heavy toll was taken of the enemy's aeroplanes. Of the four Zeppelins which were brought down after the raid on England, one of a new type was, captured in an undamaged condition. Their loss has caused cons^rnation in Germany. rW^.:O«'? Germans report the bom- •#*»'■" bard ment of Ostend from the sea. Renewed activity in Mesopotamia is reported. The British conducted -successful operations - north-east of Bagdad, and drove the Turks back by an enveloping movement.

WEDNESDAY Gains on Ypres Front — German Landing on Baltic Coast—Another Zeppelin Brought Down—Heavy Enemy Submarine Losses. Local operations north-west of Ypres resulted in the recapture of the ruins of the brewery near Poelcapelle. Progress was also made near Houlthulst Wood, .', farther north, where the French co-operated successfully.* Two counter-attacks were repulsed with heavy enemy loss. German troops have effected a landing on the Baltic coast, north of the Gulf of Riga. A British submarine attacked an ememy Dreadnought in the Gulf of Riga, and sank a transport. A Russian destroyer which was sinking under gunfire, blew up a German torpedo'boat. Another Zeppelin has been brought down in Prance, while two which were seen diifting north-east of Marseilles are regarded as doomed. Thus eight airships out of a squadron of 11 which set out to raid England are ■ accounted, for. :T\ British shipping losses have j# been greatly reduced since April, JL and,the number of German submarines destroyed in 1917 are more than three times the num- ■ be;Jfor the whole of last year. " ,P- French Advance—Line Carried For--v^ ward- Two- Miles — Over 7500 sJsS| -Prisoners Taken — Two British W* Naval Units Sunk. \ The French attack north of - the Aisne has yielded important results. Their attack carried them forward two miles and aquarter over some crests as far as Ghavignon. Several villages were stormed, also a ravine, and the French now look down on Laon Plain. Over 75000 prisoners and 25 guns were captured. Another attack has been made in the region of Poelcapelle, north-east of Yyres, resulting in the capture of strong redoubts Further north the British arid 'French entered the southern defences of Houlthulst Forest and established themselves well over the boundary. A British destroyer has been sunk by a collision. The armed merchant cruiser Orama, former- ;- ly an Orient liner, was sunk by a i" t torpedo.