WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 17 April 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

THE BREACH AT LENS

A CLEVER MANOEUVRE

LONDON, April 15

Mr Philip Gibbs, telegraphing to the Daily Chronicle, states that he was an eye-witness of the attack on the southern suburbs of Lens. The troops swarmed over the open ground in scattered groups, and took cover on the embankment, where other afaacxers joined them. After waiting half an hour, they doubled on the left and led by an officer who was well the sunken road, and ascended the slope. They suddenly changed their direction again before reaching the crest, disappearing down a long straight street. The correctness of the manoeuvre was immediately proved. German shell plasired the embankment where they had previously assembled. Other troops crept up, steering erratically in short rushes, until they reached the same street. Lens was being breached at last. The view showed the British shell tire falling heavily about the church and the enemy's troops and transports iciieating hastily.

THE GERMAN STORY

LONDON, April 15

A German official communique says: In consequent of the removal of our line northward of the Scarpe only minor engagements, in which the enemy suffered heavily, wore fought. From the Scarpe lowland to the Arras-Cam-bria railway violent fighting proceeded yesterday. British massed divisons attacked several times, but were sanguinarily repulsed. An artillery duel continues in the Western Champagne, and between Soissonns and Rheims. The French, British and Americana lost 21 aeroplanes and two balloons.

BROKEN FOR FOUR MILES

LONDON, April. 15

Router's correspondent at British headquarters, telegraphing on April 15, says that the latest British captures include great pyramids of slag near the mouths of coal pits at Lens, which the Germans converted into fortresses. Altogether; the German,-■, front was broken for'another four miles.

BRITISH IN LENS. LONDON, April 15. A message from Mr. Philip Gibbs says that the southern suburbs of Lens were successfully captured. The British, avoiding a direct assault on the hill, crept round on the left, and gained the high ground on the northwest, whence they captured the Bois de Raiumont. The enemy, recovering from his first panic, sent back troops to the trenches and machinegun redoubts in the western suburbs, finding that there was insufficient time to prepare rearward positions between Drocourt and Queant. Meanwhile two thousand women, children, and old men, unable to escape in the interval, are now taking refuge in cellars, enduring the agonies of bombardment. The Germans quitted Lie-vin-;in. such haste that we captured vast quantities of bombs, trench mortars, and shells. The German coun-ter-attack at Lagncourt is clear evidence of the enemy's anxiety for this position of the line. The village faces the important Bastion of Queant.

COLONEL REPINGTON'S REPORT

AN OFFENSIVE OF RECORD MAG-

NITUDE

LONDON, April 15

j Colonel Repington writes: The exj tent of the front, the numbers en- ' gaged, th e armament and the equipment of the new offensive surpass all records. Hindenburg apparently thought that by withdrawing some ten miles and devastating the intervening space, he would give the submarines time to harm us, gaining further time by further withdrawals. This might hav e 'succeeded had he not inaccurately gauged our offensive ca-' pacifies. The transfer of German troops from Russia to France &as begun. The Germans are already as thick as peas on the British front, indeed thicker than anywhere else numbering sixty divisions.

THE KEY TO VIMY VICTORY

LONDON, April 15

Reuter's headquarters' correspondent states on unimpeachable authority that the victory of Vimy Ridge was directly associated with a pretty little model on a wonderful scale of reproduction in plasticine of the neighbourhood of the Ridge, whereon the clever artist, furnished with a mass of aerial photographs and information gathered by' local inhabitants, worked for months prior to the attack, and wherefrom the staff officers most carefully instructed £B e Canadian and British officers and non-coms.' selected for the assault. Every detail of the ground was reproduced with amazing fidelity, greatly assisting the operations. t k -, *,.«=

-V-A-.ju j.i.fe.

MUCH BOOTY CAPTURED,

BAVARIANS SUFFER SERIOUSLY

NEW TERRITORY TAKEN.

Received 11.26

LONDON, April 1(5,

Field-Marshall Huig reports the capture of Villeret during the night, southeastwards of Hargincourt, and further progress northwestwards of Lens. Full particulars of the booty captured at Licvin and at Souchez river is unavailable, but it is exceedingly large, including a six inch naval gnu and thousands of rounds of ammunition of all calibres, besides transport material.

The Bavarians sustained heavy losses in recent fighting, more'than r o'ne-thir*3 of the prisoners taken being Bavarian.

GERMAN COUNTER ATTACK,

IN 'AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME i i

WHICH TOTALLY FAILED.

Received 5.45,

PARIS, April 16

The Petit Parisien states that four German divisions participated in count-er-attacks on the Bapaumc-Cambrai read, attempting to recapture important points, it was the most ambitious programme undertaken for months. Hitherto, they merely attempted to stop the Allied advance. Fighting Avas extremely fierce, and when Lagnicourt was partly lost important reinforcements, supported by formidable artillery, rushed into the flame and smoke, captured tha village, and reestablished our line.

A GRAPHIC DESCEI?TIOjS t

LONDON, April l(i

Correspondents give a graphic description of the attack on Lens. It was evident on Friday that the enemy were quitting the town in the speediest manner, but Saturday's events showed that they still maintained a ring of strong maehine-gun redoubts. Consequently, when the attackers from the south disappeared near Bois Friaumont, the utmost caution was necessary. The troops wriggled through back gardens until they reached another street behind the wood which was attacked from the north. The German machine-gunners were nonpiussed. The British meanwhile had posted machine-guns which enabled them to snipe entire crews from

new vantage points. The enemy on Sunday threw their entire weight on the inner defence in the desperate hope of checking the advance until the guns and stores were removed and the destructon of the mines completed. Everywhere the same methods were used which sought to hamper the pursuit south, pioneers exploding craters and -c v\»«.ds, and blocking

streets with the debris, of houses

IMPERAL QUESTIONS DIS

CUSSED.

DOMINIONS' CONFERENCE PROS ABLE.

Eeeeived 9.5.

LONDON, April 16

The Manchester Guardian states it is prr-tablo the Imperial Conference will recommend the Dominion Governments to hold an Imperial Convention after the war. GERMAN CONSULATE .MOBBED. AUTHORITIES SUPPRESSED DETAILS.

Received 9.35

BUNOS AYRES, 'April 16

The Germans used firearms in resist ing the mobs who attacked the Con sulate. Serious casualties occurred in eluding at least five killed. The authorities suppreitoicd detaiis.

TURKS INTERN U.S. GUARDSHIP.

AMSTERDAM, April 1(5

A telegram from Constantinople reports that the American guardship Scorpion was ordered to leave harbour within twenty-four hours. She failed to do so and was interned.

GENEKAL CABLES

TERRIBLE WEATHER IN ENGLAND WORST FOR SIXTY YEARS. LONDON,, April 1(5. There is a heavy snowstorm in England. The weather is colder than for sixty years past. Farmers are anxiously awaiting sunshine for cereals and root crops. Work is five weeks behindhand on many farms.