FORWARD IN PICARDY.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 13 March 1917, Page 5

FORWARD IN PICARDY.

MEANING OP GERMAN RETREA’i

LONDON, Feb 27

Mr. Filson Young, Daily Mail correspondent at headquarters, says that the whole enemy hue between Gomnie court and Warlencourt (8| miles): is in a state of flux. We are pursuing, and our patrols are constantly going forward, sometimes encountering slight opposition by machine-gun fire, but steadily making good tiie new positions, from which the enemy will be dnven further back.

The British troops have their tails up, realising that this, the first German retreat since the Marne, is an open admission of the superiority of the British artillery, and the necessity to give ground in order to c stiorten the line, economise the forces, and postpone defeat. The German retreat is a chessboard move—brains against force. But we have brains also, and are not likely to fall into any traps. Chessboard tactics cannot compensate Germany! for the tremendous loss of prestige! the withdrawal entails, ut is impossible to forecast the extent of its continuance. They have strong natural defensive positions 'on the Bapaume Ridge, and then from Cambrai to Arras. The possibility icreases that our continued pressure may compel the evacuation of Bapaume and the wi.. drawal to.,the latter line. The prisoners exhibit w’aning confidence. Reuter’s' correspondent at British headquarters telegraphs that a patrol on the morning of February 24 firs, discovered the retirement of the Ger man line in the Ancre Valley. The first intimation that anything unwonted had occurred w-as early on Friday, when a number of fires were observed in the enemy lines in front of Pys, due to the deliberate firing of the outs. The Germans merely obstructive tactics, but did not light rearguard actions.

The correspondent compares the advance movement with the busiesi days of the great Somme push. Definite resistance was offered at ci point only, the hill commanding tin Boom ravine. In the direction of Miraumont the capture of Serve gives the British a most important dominat ifig position for further operations. Thg famous tumulus, the B'uttc do Warlencourt, was also occupied. Tins tvas a sort of German Gibraltar, be ing fought over inch by inch, and taken, lost, and re-taken. Round it art the bones of more soldiers thr.r around almost any other outlying potion on the Somme. An unwonted quantity of ammunition was used by the enenty, for the simple reason t h there was no time to remove his shells. French commentators are delightcf at the Ancre advance. SpeddJlaTliig on th e reasons, they agree that the enemy is taking advantage of the mud to reach new lines west of Bapaume The Matin states that the coming film weather will settle all (foubts. for P'c , beginning of the great operations i , doubtless in sight. The Echo de Par' says that the German supplies akrthe Arras railway and south of Achie* : le Petit will be rendered extreme!' - : precarious.