WASTERN FORNT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 12 April 1917, Page 5

WASTERN FORNT.

THE BATTLE OF ARRAS,

FORMIDABLE DEFENCES,

PRISONEBS .EQUAXj .AN .ENTIRE

DIVISION,

Received 6.35

PARIS, March 11

Marcel Hun tin, referring to the Amis battle, mentions that the formidable nature of the fortifications including extensive wire entanglements, armoured cupolas, machine-gun shelters, guns >ot every calibre manned with an extraordinary number- of well selected troops, indicate Prinoe Rnpprceht’s determination to maintain the position at all costs. Over one hundred battalion mayors and commandants were engaged in the battle. The prisoners taken are equal in strength to an entire division.

ARRAS COMPLETELY RELIEVED

Received 10 a.m

LONDON, April 11

The capture of the village and height eff Monchy le Preux and La Bngere completely relieves Arras from German operations.

12,000 PRISONERS,

TAKEN BY THE BRITISH

PARIS, April 10

The “Petit Parisien” states that by Monday evening the British had taken over 12,000 prisoners. THE GERMAN STORY. BRITISH ADVANCE ADMITTED. HEAVY LOSSES SUSTAINED. LONDON, April 10. A German official communique states: The battle of Arras continues. The English, after several days artillery activity, attacked on Monday following • a violent.,increase of fire on a twenty hard figjitingjpenetrated ' our positions on the roacl’sVaaiating from Arras, but failed-to break fhrohgh. Two of bur divisions suffered, considerably in stubbornly resisting a superior enemy. “We penetrated beyond the third English line south-eastward of Ypres. A French attack at La Faux, in the Oise sector, failed.

BOMBARDMENT OF RHEIMS. CITY, TO BE EVACUATED. PARIS, April 10. The Germans fired 8,000 shells on Rheims on Sunday, causing 25 fires. The bombardment continues.

Civilians have been warned to prepare for evacuation.

DETAILS OF THE BATTLE OF VI MY.

1 Received 10 a.m

PARIS,- April 11

Le Journal’s- correspondent .states the Vimy battle began in the moonlight, and was fought in three stages, the slopes were captured within seven minutes. The fight for the crest lasted an hour, and then the battle commenced for the Plateau, which -was conquered in broad daylight. GERMANS GLAD TO SURRENDER. LONDON, April 10. Hundreds of Germans were hiding in deep tunnels pierced through the hill. As the Canadians surged up with bayonets the Germans screamed,, running forward os from a landslip. Their chief desire was to escape the barrage of their own guns, which was falling fiercely on the trenches, though too late to damage our men, who were already beyond. German prisoners were glad to pay for their gift of life by carrying back Canadian wounded. The Canadian escorts had to guard such enormous numbers of men that the prisoners themselves directed late comers to the barbed wire enclosures. The officers were bad tempered because the men bolted and left them in the front trenches. The officers admitted the horrors of the bombardment, omc had boon foodless for four days because they were boxed in by onr barrage. VALUABLE WORK BY AIRMEN. LONDON, April 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Valuable aeroplane work was done in many cases The airmen machine-gunned hostile reinforcements. Bombing expeditions against a largje railway station hit three trains.

The brilliant success of the opening day of the offensive astonishes experts, but it would be a mistake to regard the success as easily won. We had most valuable superiority in heavy; gunis, whose new shells arc more devastating that the Germans expected, but much of the success is due to the heroic Canadians. Experts pronounce the capture of the Vimy Ridge as the greatest British victory so far.

THE NEW OFFENSIVE.

FIVE MILES EAST OP ARRAS,

GERMANS LOSE MORE POSITIONS

PRISONERS NOW EXCEED 11.0 00.

OVER 100 GUNS, 60 TRENCH MORTARS AND 163 MACHINE-GUNS CAPTURED.

LONDON, April 10

Sir Douglas Haig reports: Our operations have been continued energetically to-day, in spite of., heavy snowstorms and generally unfavourable weather.

We reached the outskirts of Monchy-le-Prex, five miles east of Arras, and have cleared Farbus and Far Ims Wood (about a mile south of Vixny Ridge)’?'

Hard fighting occurred agaih this afternoon at the northern end of Yimy Ridge, in which we gained further positions and took a number of prisoners and machine-guns. In the direction of Cambrai, we advanced our line north of the village of LouvcraL

Such counter-attacks as the enemy attempted at different points along our line wore unsuccessful.

Tile number of prisoners .taken by us since tiro opening now exceeds 11,000, including 235 officers. W,e ailso captured ovten 100 Iguns (among which are a number of heavy guns of S-iuch calibre), 60 trench mortars, and 163 machine-guns. Aeroplanes performed valuable work yesterday. THE GERMAN VERSION. LONDON, 'April 10. Wireless German Official. —British attacks, after strong artillery fire on the south bank of the Scarpe failed. BRITISH TROOPS’ GREATEST VICTORY. OUR GUNS SMASHING RETREATING GERMANS. LONDON, April 10. Mr Philip Gibbs, telegraphing on the 10th inst., says; The battle of Arras is the greatest victory the British have yet gained. A staggering blow has been dealt to the enemy. As the Germans are retreating our guns are smashing them all along the roads. The Canadians, during the night,, won Hill 115, which was the last point of the Vimy Ridge where the Germans hold out in a pocket with machine-guns. By morning, the whole ridge was in oun hands. The Canadian attack on Monday was astoundingly successful. It was carried out by the high spirited men with joyous confidence of victory. They marched out at, dawn, cheering and laughing, through the mud and rain. They followed close upon the artillery barrage, and by 6.30 had taken the first goals, including the front line systems above Neuvillo St. Yaast and La Folie farm to Thelus, where the resistance was fiercest. THE TRENCH OFFENSIVE, French communique.-—North of tke Oise there was reciprocal artillery fire. •South of the Oise we destructively bombarded German organisations east of Coucy.

TANKS DO WONDERFUL WORK..

LONDON, April 10.

An extraordinary feature of the fighting was the use of a variety of new inventions, including tanks of a new model* which are considerably faster than the old, and they move in battalion instead of singly. ENEMY RETIRING AT DOUAI. TERRIBLE EFFECT OF BRITISH FIRE. LONDON, April 10. Mr Beach Thomas says: The great battle continues without cessation. Describing the advance of the British, he says: No shell pitched among them, so clean was the heavens swept by aerial observations and so muddled were the German gunners. We saw our field guns galloping into the enemy villages, and a little later spare horses coming in the opposite direction with German guns. We saw the Germans literally hoist with thein own pitard, our liquid fire descended like gilded rain on the heads of the terrified enemy. As the prisoners came down, good natured Tommies, filling their water bottles, jokingly inquired after “Kaiser Bill” and * ‘ Hindenbcggar. ” All records of curtain fire were excelled at Vi my. Airmen reported that trains and lorries were hurrying forward strong supports for a counter-attack. Quickly e v ory available heavy gun was directed on the new target. A unique spectacle followed. The advancing Germans were cut off by fire curtain/ and no more was seen on heard of them. The present position is that they are up against Hindehburg’s line from south of Arras to St. -Quentin, have turned his line east of Arras, and broken his whole defensive system north-east of Arras above the Scarpe. The enemy arc retiring to their reserve line before Douai.

HAIG’S DESPATCHES.

OPERATIONS DEVELOPING SATIS

PACTORILY.

Received 11,

LONDON, April 11

General Haig reports' the situation is developing favourably, In accordance with the general plans. We captured in the early morning the village and heights of Monchy l e Preux and Le Bergere, and progressing satisfactorily elsewhere. NEW ZEALANDERS DO NOT TAKE PART. LONDON, April 10. Mr Massey spates that the New Zealanders did not anticipate in the big offensive.

Ov! FRENCH COMMUNIQUE.

Received 11.

LONDON, April 11

A French communique states there is artillery activity on the Somme and Oise. Grenade fighting occurred during the night towards Maison do Champagne, also, a somewhat violent artillery duel is proceeding at Boisee Pietre.