ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 26 March 1917, Page 5

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

BRITISH SUCCESSES. LONDON, March 24. Sir Douglas Haig .report patrol encounters in strength at a number of points between Etreifrens. Beaumetz, Le Cambrai and Beurains. There was successful raiding eastward of Arras and bombardment of trenches south-east of Loos and east of Yermelles We reached the enemy's second line east of Arras. We entered ifrenehps eastward tof Ncuvillc St. Vaast. Wc dispersed an attack in the neighbourhood of Richebourg la Yaet. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We have occupied Roisel, seven miles east of Pe.ronne. Strong enemy detachments attacked positions in the vicinity of Beaumont. They obtained a footing, but a counter-attack drove them out. SUCCESSFUL FRENCH OFFENSIVE LONDON, March 24. A French communique says; Between the Somme and the Oise our troops, with determination and dash, carried out a completely successful offensive. Despite desperate resistance, the enemy fg driven back on a wide front for a tance ranging from two to four kilometres north and cast of St. Quentin canal.

Northeast of Tergincr we pushed detachments as far as the heights doxninaing th valley of the Oise. The Germans caused floods in this region. The town of La Fere is inundated. South of the Oise we continued to cross the Ailette. In the region north of Soissons we considerably progressed towards MargivaL . Two enemy attacks north-west of Rheims failed unden our barrage. The enemy losses were considerable judging by the number of bodies hung up in the entanglements. LA FERE FORTS CAPTURED. SEVERAL MORE VILLAGES TAKEN LONDON, March 25. French communique.—North of the Somme we drove back the enemy to the outskirts of Saoy into previously pnepared trenches. Following up our successes between the Somme and the Oise we attacked the enemy, who disputed every foot of ground. We drove them back a kilometre north of Grand Seracourt and Gibencourt. We seized the west bank of the Oise between the suburbs of La Fere and north of Vandveil, two advanced forts of La Fere falling into our hands. South of the Oise, despite floods, we progressed considerably on the east bank of the Ailette. We captured several villages and threw back the enemy rearguards in the forest of Coney. FURTHER IMPORTANT PROGRESS. PARIS, March 24. Another communique says: East of St. Qeuntin Canal, during extended operations, we progressed very appreciably at certain points.

We readied the western bank of the Oise, north of La Fere. We progressed on the eastern bank of the Ailette. Our fire stopped enemy attempts against small posts in the direction of Berry an Bae, also east of Eheims and west of Morthomme. LONDON, March 25. Enemy resistance in the Fnench sector is energitically increasing. XAISER CONGRATULATES HINDENBURG. LONDON, March 24. The Kaiser, in a message to Hindontrg, says: The movements on the front France were most important for the general situation on our Western Front. You and Ludendo.rf decided on the measure,, thus creating a new base fen inrther warfare. 4

BIG BATTLE PREDICTED. PARIS, March 24. There are indications that Prince Rupprccht’s army are hastily establishing themselves on lines between St. Qeuntin and Cambrai, the approaches to which are barred by two systems of advanced trenches. The British, profiting by frost and arc bringing up artillery by leaps and bounds. Newspapers opine that it is possibly the eve of a big battle. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. I LONDON, March 24. I German official.—On both sides of the | Somme and the Oise, the enemy is fcelj ln £ forward hesitatingly, and is fne- | quently entrenching, being seriously [ hampered by our measures. We repulsed the French westward of La Feno, on the Ailette plain, Neuville and Marginal. We stormed and took Russian positions between Solyomtar and Czobamos valleys. , THE TRAIL OF THE HUN.

GERMAN BESTIALITY IN EVACUATED DISTRICTS. LONDON, March 24. Mr Beach Thomas, describing the reoccupied districts, says: The residents’ faces and gestures depict weakness and illness. They toll painful stories of the invaders’ last brutalities. Villagers were assembled while their homes were burned. They were enslaved latterly, and were almost starved. There was high mortality owing to lack of milk and other necessaries. The retreating Germans indulged in a saturnalia of bestiality, breaking open coffins, scribbling obscenities on churches and defiling sacred places. PARIS, March 23. Newspapers relate heartrending stories. Famished children were found wandering ghostlike among the ruins of homes. Soldiers supplied the inhabitants of some districts with the first food they had had for days. They had no meat since September and no milk for a year. They never received a quarter of the rations and supplies sent by the American relief fund. There is appalling devastation everywhere. On the line of retreat at Chauny,, 1800 out of 2500 houses were destroyed, including churches and public buildings. All males between the ages of 14 and 60 were carried off. The enemy herded the women and children and the feeblest inhabitants of thirteen surrounding communes in a certain quarter of a town then trained guns on this quarter, killing and wounding many. It is officially confirmed that the Germans are poisoning wells with arsenic.

KAISER’S CHARACTERISTIC LETTER. AMSTERDAM, March 24. German official. —The Kaisen sent a letter to the King of Bavaria stating: We owe the brilliant carrying out of the great army movements on the Western front firstly tothe successful action of your son Rupprecht. The whole performance deserves the highest appreciation. Historically it will be a page of glory. It is my extraordinary joy to inform you thereof. MINISTERIAL PARTY VISITS RECAPTURED TERRITORY. Received 11.50. PARIS. March 25. President Poincare, accompanied by the Ministers for War, Interior, and Labour, with Senators and Deputies visited Noyon, Guiscard, Ham* Ncsle, and Roye. Premier Ribot has announced the Government is collecting evidence in order to protect, neutrals against Germany’s banbarous acts in evacuated territory.

CAUSE OF THE RETREAT. Reuter's Headquarters correspondent states that inhabitants who were left behind state that the Boches were talking a good deal latety. They know more of the true situation than is generally believed. They did not conceal apprehension of another great British offensive. Indeed, one possible reason for the retreat may well have been the dubiety of the high command as to whether the men would face another b'omme. THIEVING GERMAN OFFICERS. LONDON, March 24. The "Daily Mail's" Paris correspondent says that on the eve of their departure German officers robbed Noyon Banks of £700,000 worth of securities, jewellery and cash. FRENCH COMMUNIQUE Received 11.15. LONDON, March 25. A French communique states there is little change north of Soissons,. which the German long nangc guns are bombarding. There is lively artillcrying at Berry au Bac, Rhcims, and Alsace.