ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 22 March 1917, Page 5

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

BRITISH PROGRESS CONTINUES. i'OUETEEN MORE VILLAGES CAPTUBED. LONDON, March 20. Sin Douglas Haig reports: Despite less favourable weather, considerable progress has been made on the greater part of the front of our advance southward of Arras. A further fourteen villages have been cleared of the enemy We have now passed a general line through Canizy, Estireeneha, Nurlu, Velu, and St. Leger. We drove off a counter-attack southward of Aims. We raided north-eastward of Neu-ville-St. Vaast, bringing back prisoners. Our aeroplanes bombed with good results an important ammunition depot. CAUSE OF SLOWING DOWN. LONDON, March 20, A Headquarters ’ correspondent attributes the slowing down of the German retreat to the equinoctial gales, which are roaring across Northern France. A GEEMAN COMMUNIQUE. ‘i - LONDON, March 20. Wireless German official.—Cavalry engagements were abandoned in dison both sides of the Somme and Oise. There were heavy enemy losses. - We repulsed violent attacks on the bank of the Meuse. We downed thirteen aeroplanes. HINDENBUEG’S LURE. LONDON, March 20. Major Moraht writes in the “Tageblatt” that every German should be pleased with the retreat, for it means that Hindenburg is lurdng the English and French in order to inflict unprecedented losses. FRENCH PUSHING ON. ABOUT FOUR MILES FROM ST. QUENTIN.

THE FRENCH ADVANCE. BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT. LONDON, March 20. A French communique states:—There was little change last night. Our advanced elements progressed slightly and continue to maintain cantact with the enemy. Our advance has become more difficult owing to the destruction of all means of communication, and bad weather. Th e artiileuy struggle in the Champagne has ended. We Heavily repulsed attacks between Avocourt Wood and Hill 804.

LONDON, March 21. French, communique.—B’etween the Somme and the Aisne our troops made fresh progress, proceeding to ocupy the reconquered one. Our cavalry north of the Somme advanced as far as the outskirts of Roupy, seven kilometres from St. Quentin, where we gave chase to an enemy cavalry patrol. North-east of Chauny our infantry occupied Terjgnier and crossed the St. Quentin Canal. Some lively skirmishes with enemy detachments terminated our advance. | ff During several days’ pursuit our losses on the whole front have been insignificant. We have everywhere found evidence of systematic valdalism, mostly without military object. Aviators report that the historic ruins of the Castle of Courcy were destroyed by an explosion. The Germans, when evacuating Noyon forcibly carried off fifty girls between the ages of 17 and 25. SHARP REARGUARD ACTION. EVIDENCES OF HASTY RETREAT. Received 11.5. PARIS, March. 21. A sharp engagement was fought with the German rearguard machine-gunners at Cloisilles. Open patrol fighting and long range sniping took place elsewhere. • Fibes are observable at a distance from Bapaume, some apparently on the outskirts of Cambrai. Many places bear evidence of a hasty retreat, and considerable ammunition was left at 'Achiet le Grand. A German general order was discovered which explains the system of destjiytion to be observed, including the burning of houses, felling trees for barricades, pollution of wells. A notable feature of the advancers the almost entire silence of the Gemian artillry.