THE WAR

Levin Daily Chronicle, 26 April 1917, Page 3

THE WAR

-4 . vAustial a-New Zealand Cable Service)

THE WESTERN FRONT. London, April 25. Correspondents at British Headquarters say that on St. George's Bay they witnessed terrific fighting. Many troops woro red and white favors in honor of tho anniversary. The centres of the struggle are at Gavrelle and Gemappe. Gaprelle is important because it form the southern end of the famous trenches running north through Oppy. Until Gemappe was taken progress between Cojeul and Sensee was impossible. German prisoners state they had to win back the ground or retire behind the Droucourt-Queanfc line. FORTY AEROPLANES BROUGHT DOWN. , (United Service). London, April 24. The battle is reaching extraordinary intensity. The Germans are counterattacking in masses without regard to the cost in lives. Forty German aeroplanes were brought down on Monday. Tho War Office regards Tuesday's German communique as the most encouraging yet received, indicating the state of mind of the German army and people and the anxiety at headquarters concering the situation. FIOHTHNiG AT GAZA.

London, April 24. An Egyptian official message says:— Reinforced Turkish forces hold a strongly entreached position from Gaza towards Bersheeiba. The organization of the positions gained fronting the Turkish main line is proceeding satisfactory. We blew up an ammunition dump. MAIN BODIES COLLIDE. * London, April 24. Mr Phillip Gibbs says the enemy's resistance is the most desperate since the Somme. Tho Germans are willing to make dreadful sacrifices to defend the northern approach to Hindenburg's line. A battalion of Rhinelanders was annihilated at the chemical works at Famponx.

The Germans are fighting desperately to regain the ke" 7 to the position at Moncliy. Airmen discovered 4000 Germans in flie Bois Dasart intending to attack the •British. The batteries filled , tlie wood with gas shells. The German casualties were horrible. Tho Germans are fighting witli better spirit tli an in the Vimy battle, • no doubt because fresh troops have only just been flung into the fighting line. The second phase of the battle of Arras is in our favor. We have captured many prisoners. Our losses are much lighter than those of the Germans. "We are*, now confronted with the main German army. "We are no longer fighting a rearguard action but standing to batt'e and fighting hard. Mr Phillip Gibbs adds: The iHindenburg line is not a German myth, but a very real thing, running through Droeourt and Queant. Its defences are not yet finished. Pioneer battalions, following armies of forced labor, including French civilians and Russians prisoners. are working day and night upon the trenches and emplacements. The General Staff has ordered the Germans to Ho'd forward positions to the death to enable the completion of the defences. Fresher troops were rushed up on Monday to relieve battalions already broken in the British at-t-eks. These reinforcements wero in some cases'flung back. Our line regained ground after the Scotchmen took Gemappe. In the evening a second Scottish attack captured many prisoners.

Received This Day. 9.5 a.m. > HORRIBLE DETAILS. (United Service.) London, April 25. Mr Beach Thomas reports that terrible encounters rage across the bare, undulating country beyond Arras. Troops aro marching, charging, manomvr.ing iand fighting in the open. The Germans never before used greater numbers of troops. In the counterattack, Monchy was the centre of a storm. Monday's counter-attacks at Sartwood and Vertwood were shattered and broken by a terrific concentration of British heavy artillery. The miserable remnants of Germans in Sartwood did not dare to debouch, but the Germans in Vertwood persisted despite the bloodiest losses, and succeeded in driving us back a Few 'hundred yards. Later we re-attacked and forced a German storming party from the most important places, while the enemy emptied shells into'.'Monchy blowing up the village till only a few skeleton houses remained. "We captured Gavrelle village after a slight resistance. The Germans surrendered easily, but afterwards they dvuirledj away masses of freslh troops in vain attempts' to re-capture the villages. Two battalions unable to face the shell firo bolted across the open, where a creeping barrage almost annihilated them. The sternest fighting was at

Guemappe, where fierce counter-at-tacks temporarily drove us back. Subsequently we renewed the .battle, and ' regained tlhe village. We found every cellar blown to picces by shell-fire. The Germans never lost more men since the Battle of the Somme. Their fatalities from shell-fire were unusually high. Fighting continues fiercely, the Germans bringing Guards and ether picked troops, massing batteries, and . pouring shells on the Scarpe river to arrest the advance. The .battle fronts are without definition; no straight continuous lines or regular trenches. The enemy is endeavouring to conceal his losses by removing or concealing his dead. Orders found 011 captured men at ©ouaumont (demanding more French civilian workers from German commandants of certain villages) proves that slave labor is definitely incorported in the German army system.

(Received This Day, 11.35 a.m.) JOFFRE IN U.S.A. Washington, April 25,

Washington is preparing a cordial reception to General Joffre and party. | The cruiser whereon they came was met by American destroyers. A member of the Commission says the purpose of the visit is to extend tho principles of the Allies' conferences, which have been held in various capitals, to America. The latest conference will. consider military, economic, and financial questions." The French Cabinet has finch confidence in General Joffre that M. Viviani did not give him written instructions. General Joffre is prepared to explain tlhe exact military situation, and presumably to indicate wherein America best can help. The' commission is prepared to discuss the advreableness of an expeditionary force to Europe. M. Vivani said : "We agree with great emotion; the first democracy of the world wherewith Franc? shares ideals is tlhe United States."

A LOAN TO GREAT BRITAIN

The U.S..A. will loan the British 200 million- dollars immediately out of the 250 millions just raised. lit is expected that the first issue of a loan of two pillions will be made, giving subscribers four months in which to pay ■bonds, by instalments. The Government is considering a scheme for making financial advances to Italy and [Russia. UNRiEST IN PETROGRAD. New York, April 25. The New York Wo'lcl' newspaper's Petrograd correspondent says that a mob led hv PrngrsiTnan, a Socialist, who said that America was tli? enemy qF Socialism, threatened the American Embassy. Soldiers dispersed the crowd,. German agents circulated a report among the Russian soldiers that laud was being distributed, thus causing a number to leave the front. Consequently, Mr Guichoff. War Minister, has, issued a denial reassuring the soldiers.