WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 28 June 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

FRENCH REPORT. IMPORTANT FORTRESS CAPTURED. Received 8.55. LONDON, June 27. The High Commissioner cables: French official reports state there has been lively artillery work in the region of the Monument at Hurteboise. The Germans Have not attempted new counter-attacks against the positions we took on Monday. The latest information shows that the positions captured includes the Dragon Cave, over one hundred metres wide and three hundred deep, whcih had been transformed; into a veritable fortress, with numerous openings for machine guns' and emplacements. Nine machine guns were captured and much other material. BRITISH REPORT. Received 8.55. LONDON. June 27. General Haig reports: Our artillery this morning prevented the development of a counter-attack northwest of Fontaine and Les Croiselles. We successfully raided westward of Oppy. Our fire stopped a raid southwest of La Bassee.

BRITISH .ADVANCE ON TWO MILES FRONT.

LONDON, June 27,

"We extended our gains southwestward of Lens and captured positions astride the Souchcz river on a twomile front to a depth of a thousand yards. We occupied the village of La Coulotte.

Sir Douglas Haig reports: We gained all our objectives during last night's operation north-westward of Fontaine lez Our losses were slight. We drove off two strong counterattacks. ■ ...

BIG THINGS EXPECTED IN FLANDERS.

GERMANS MOVING BACK

AMSTERDAM, June 26

Fresh German troops have reached Flanders and are proceeding to the Ypres, Dixmude and Ostend districts. Citizens have evacuated Menin. The German supreme command has left Courtrai for Ghent. (G-hent is about half-way between Courtrai and Antwerp.) There are indications that the Germans expect an early British offensive. IN THE LENS SECTOR. GREAT CHANGE IN SITUATION. * GERMAN RETIREMENT COM--MENCES.

LONDON, June 2<>

Mr Philip Gibb says: During the past two days a great change has developed in the situation found. Lens, The enemy arc retreating from the suburbs round the city. The retirement Aas been caused by our artillery ever since the capture of Vimy Eidge, when the enemy, in panic were prepared to abandon Lens. But we were not forcing the pace. They drifted back with their guns and held a maze of cottages and works surrounding the city. The Prussians holding the suburbs fought well, counter-attacking sometimes very fiercely, but our high explosives caused constant wastage of their ranks, new prisoners describing life there as hellish. The enemy were unable to repel our constant raids, preceded by terrific bombardments. In a

recent raid at Hulluch the British stayed 2A hours in the German trenches leaving many dead. It is pretty clear that the Government command believed that worse was coming and feared the losses would be more frightful than they could afford at the present time. Their resolve to withdraw was hastened and made definite by Sunday's sudden storming of Hill (i 5, dominating the trench svstem on the western side of the city. Waves of English, following artillery work, took possession of the western slopes of the hill without opposition. The Germans remaining on the other side crept back to the ruined streets of Lens and disappeared in shelters below the shattered houses. JSIGNS OP IMPENDING .RETREAT. LONDON. June 27. Mr. Gibb adds: Early this morning the enemy fell back from La Coulotte under pressure of our patrols. They blew up craters at Avion and all crossroads just as they did eastward of Bapaume and Peronnc before the March retreat. The enemy have blown up several streets on the westward side of city and elsewhere are systematically destroying blocks of houses as they did in all the French towns from which they were preparing to retreat.

AMERICAN TROOPS IN FRANCE. ARRIVAL OF SECOND CONTINGENT. Received 5.55. . PARIS, June 27. The second contingent of American troops have arrived. MESOPOTAMIA. COMMISSION'S REPORT. DEPLORABLE" INCAPACITY AND CARELESSNESS. LONDON, June 27. The report of the Mesopotamian Commission, constituting another historic war document, has been issued in a Blue Book of 188 pages. It deals comprehensively with the operations through the various stages of the advance on Bagdad and incidental happenings. It examines at length questions which have given rise to public criticism. The main report, embodying the findings, conclusions and recommendations, are signed by all the commissioners except Commander Wedgwood, M.P., w-ho presented a dissentient report.

The commissioners find that the expedition was a justifiable military enterprise, but the division of responsibilities between the India Office and the Indian Government was unworkable. The scope of the expedition's objective was never sufficiently defined in advance.

The commissioners criticise the commander-in-chief, or representatives' failure to periodically visit Mesopotamia. The advance on Bagdad in October 1915 was an offensive movement based on political and military miscalculation. It was attempted with tired and insufficient

forces. Inadequate preparation resulted in the Kut disaster. The weightiest share of responsibility for this untoward advance lies, it is held, with Sir John Nixon, whose confident was the main cause of the .decision. Others responsible, in order of sequence; Were" the Viceroy of India (Lord Hardinge), the Coniman-der-in-Chief of India (Sir BeaueWmp Duff);, the Military Secretary t| the India- Office (General Barrow),;'' Mr. Austin Chamberlain' (Secretary of State for India), war committee of the Cabinet. The Commission points out that the last two are responsible as political heads, who cannot secure complete immunity through adopting expert subordinates' wrong advice. The general armament and equipment were quite insufficient to meet the needs. The whole system of commissariat was badly organised during the period of the Indian Government's responsibility, though there was no general breakdown. The Simla authorities bestowed meagre attention, and gave illiberal treatment to the expedition's want during The

supply of reinforcements was insufficient. In connection with the advance on -.Bagdatr and the Kut relief operations, the Indian military authorities insufficiently realised from toe first the paramount importance of river and railway transport in Mesopotamia. Their responsibility was grave. Sir John Nixon was responsible for recommending the 1915 advances with insufficient transport and equipment. The transport shortage at the beginning of 1916 rendered the Kut relief operations fatal. Dealing with the medical provision, the Commissioners declare that this was insufficient from the beginning, and ultimately resulted in a lamentable breakdown after t-he battles of 191516. and most lamentable severe suffering. INCIDENTS OF THE WAR. GERMAN PROPAGANDA WORK. HUGE SUMS EXPENDED. Received 8.55. PARIS, June 27. Le Matin states the Germans are spending £BO.OOO monthly in Spain in propagandist work. The total expenditure throughout the world in this direction is estimated at £16,000,000 per annum.

BRITISH SOCIALISTS' REFUSE

TO ATTEND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.

Received 8.55

LONDON, June 27.

The British National Socialist party have declined the Rusian Workmen's and Soldiers' Cuoncil invitation to attend the International Conference on the grounds that the conference is attended by enemy Socialists who supported attacks on Belgium, France, Servia and Russia, and still justify the German atrocities. The conference cannot serve the cause of peace or Socialism while the German armies are still in possession of the invaded territories.