WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 14 April 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

BRITISH INFANTRYMEN’S EX-

PLOIT.

CAPTURE A GERMAN BATTERY

Received 9.5

PARIS, April 13

Lo Journal recounts the exploits of twelve British infantrymen who penetrated the enemy's line on Monday night, dug in,, slept till morning, and then discovered a German battery fifty metres away. They bombed the artillery men and seized the battery.

FURTHER FRENCH PROGRESS,

THREATENING ST. QUENTIN,

Received 10.39

LONDON, April 12,

A French official report states: —Between the Oise and the Somme we attacked in the morning German positions southwards of St. Quentin. Despite stubborn resistance by the enemy we captured several lines of trenches between the Somme and the La Fere-St. Quentin road, taking prisoners and machine-guns. We also progressed eastwards of Croucy and Laville, and captured prisoners and war material.

IN ST. QUENTIN SUBURBS

GERMANS FIRING THE TOWN

ITS DESTRUCTION ORDERED

Received 11.40.

PARIS, April 13

Wood, a correspondent, giving details, states that the French have reached the suburbs of St. Quentin. He asserts that the capture of St. Gobain and St. Quentin, according to French strategists, means breaking the Eindenburg line. Germans arc believed to be engaged in sacking St. Quentin, as there are many fires,, , i( _ o, , : Prisoners assert that Prince Eitel Frederick, has ordered the entire .destruction of the town. TERRIBLE WEATHER CONDITIONS WAITING FOR GUNS TO COME UP LONDON, April 13. Correspondents at British headquarters state that snow and rainstorms continue. The wind sometimes reaches 60 miles an hour, but the infantry are eager and enthusiastic to continue attacks. The artillery is showing wonderful skill. The new conditions of field warfare arc very different from shooting at fixed targets, the range of which is accurately known.

The momentary pause in the advance is duo to the infantry having reached the limits of the area of devastation caused by smaller guns. Sin Douglas Haig 'niust have time to move up the artillery; The enemy still, holds the fortified villages of Givenchy-en-Go-hellc and Petit-Vimy, which ktop progress towards Lens.' The Germans have prepared a second line, running north and south of Queant, supplementing the Hindenburg line.

GERMANS TOO LATE. LONDON, April 13. Mr Beach Thomas, describing the offensive, says the enemy was bringing 17-inch howitzers to complete the ruin of 'Arras, which was saved by a week’s margin.

HINDENBURG’S PLANS.

DISCUSSED BY FAMOUS CRITIC

LONDON, April 13

Professor. Bidou, the famous military critic of the “Journal des Debates," in an article “Land and Water," discussing the 1917 campaign says: It is obvious that Hindenburg is preparing an offensive* retreats being favourable preliminary to. Hindenburg’s offensives. He hopes to resume war movements, which have been suspended on the Western front for 21 years. The Germans are training troops at the rear, where trench warfare plays quite a subsidary part. They are also greatly developing medium artillery, which is both powerful and mobile, at the expense of artillery in position. The alarming pulveration of the Gorman positions on the Somme showed that no position was safe from British artillery. Troops in shelters had no time to come out and meet assaults. Whole units were thus captured. The Germans now realise that men must be withdrawn from fortresses, The Germans intend to refuse battle and to yield ground when the offensive is disclosed. This will gain

several weeks before a new attack is possible. The. German medium artillery veill reach perfection in June. If he can avoid defeat until then Hindcnburg intends to take the offensive with masses of men created by deducting the fourth regiments from divisions, the reorganisation of which produced thirteen new divisions armed with extremely powerful artillery.

ON A WIDE FRONT. MANY GERMAN POSITIONS CAPTURED. HUN EFFORTS ENTIRELY FAIL Received 2.20.

LONDON, April .13

Field Marshall Haig reports an attack at night in the region between St. Quentin and Cambrai. Aftor sharp fighting we captured the enemy positions on a wide front, from northwards of Hardicour.t and Metz on Centre and now hold Sart Farm, Gouche" Wood, Gouzeaucourt and Millage W r ood. The same night a successful raid was made southwestwards of Loos. The enemy’s dugouts were bombed and considerable damage was done to the defences.

In the neighbourhood of Ploegstrcet machine-gun fire, and failed to reach a hostile raiding party came under- our our trenches.

THE NSW BRITISH LINS,

PARIS, April 13

The ‘‘Times” headquarters correspondent says; Our line now runs below Givenchy south-easterly for 500 yards south of Vimy village, then southeastterdy past Fampaux, Monchy, and Gucmappe to Heninel, where it strikes the Hindenburg lin e to south-east of St. Quentin.

TWO MORS STRONGHOLDS CAPTURED.

LONDON, April 12,

Sir Douglas Haig reports; We stormed the villages of Hcninel and Wancourt, with the adjourning defences^ We crossed the Cojeul river and occupied the heights on the cast bank. We made further progress northward of the Scarpe and eastward of Vimy Ridge. Our gains reported this morning, northwards of Vimy Ridge, were secured and the positions strengthened. During the fighting on Monday and Tuesday we took prisoners from all infantry regiments of six German divisions.

The aerial squadrons on both sides have been active. We downed 15. Six of ours, are .missing.