IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 2 March 1917, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Received 9.40. NEW YORK, March 1. Lord Sumner, of Shepstone, delivering the Rhodes lecture in London, said the union should come from the Dominions. It was not wise for the Home Government to use pressure to induce such a union beyond the desires of the elements concerned. He dwelt on the desirability of a regular Imperial Conference,

ON THE WESTERN FRONT. ENEMY’S RETIREMENT IN THE BAPAUME SECTOR LONDON, February 28. Some French experts anticipate a strong German resistance west of Bapaumc. Others expect a retirement to the Arras-Cambrai line after a delaying battle in the Bapaume section. The Matin states that the enemy is established along a new line of hills west and south-west of Bapaume. THE GERMAN RETREAT. GOMMEGOURT OCCUPIED. Received 8.40. LONDON, March I.

Mr Philip Gibbs, on the 28th, writes that the Germans abandoned Gommccourt during the night, and we took possession of the salient which follows the line of the park surrounding the famous chateau. The entry into Gommecourt was strange, remembering how waves of London men on Ist July, 1910, assaulted the almost impregnable position, and held the lines with the highest valour, until forced back by massed gunfire, which threatened them , with annihilation., In order to make the present retreat possible, strong posts of Germans, with machine-guns, held out in the neighbourhood of the woods till the last. Throughout the night the enemy kept up a heavy fire of high explosives upon Wcrre, Miramount, and Grandecourt, using up reserves of ammunition. Many heavy guns remain on their railway mountings behind Bapaumc. doing double duty by quickfiring. After the capture of Thillog, the enemy retired to Loupart Wood, Achiet, Le Petit, and Bacquoy, which were strongly defended by thick belts of wire. Evidently the German retirement was due to fear that if they stayed in their old lines our attack might break his armies. They were lucky to have foggy weather to aid thein retreat. Beyond Bapaume the Germans hold the country by scattered strongholds in the villages and woods, and will find themselves in Trouble unless they are very ji.ick to escape.

STIFF HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING. Received 10.50. ... t Ijjd T”' ' LONDON, March 1. A correspondent with the British headquarters states nothing is left of Gommecourt except the foundation of the chateau, where enormous subterranean looms were dug, each sufficient to house -half a battalion. The German. rearguards consisted of selected men, including the guards each regiment in the sector contributing 30 to 50 men, with half a dozen noncoms, under one officer. There is stiff street fighting at Puissieux, but the Germans are unequal .n hand-to-hand fighting with our men. There is also a stern conflict at .Nightingale Woo.], where men fought from tree to tree, and the initiative and resource of the North Countrymen caused serious losses to the Germans. A FURTHER SUBSTANTIAL ADVANCE. LONDON, Feb 28. Sir Douglas Haig reports: This morning we captured a portion of a trench north-east of Sailly Saillisel, , occupied Gommecourt, and captured the villages of Thilly and Puisseux-au Mont, with their trench systems adjoining. We pushed our line a 1000 yards north-east of Gommecourt. During a raid in the neighbourhood of Clery we reached the second line. We also entered positions northast of Arras and south-westward of Lens. We repulsed a raid north-east of Armentieres.

THE GERMAN REPORT. LONDON, March 1. German official: The British were repulsed between Le Transloy and Sallly. Fighting continues at two points in our first line trenches. UNEASINESS IN GERMANY. AMSTERDAM, Feb 28. There is uneasiness in Germany over the British advance on the Ancre. Newspapers are not allowed to comment on the German retreat, which informed circles consider is a bad omen for the coming offensive.