WESTERN FRONT

Taihape Daily Times, 3 November 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT

AEROPLANES VERY BUSY. READYING UP ROULERS. OFFENSIVES IN PREPARATION. eceived 8.50. LONDON, Nov 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports taking advantage of the change of weather. On Wednesday ours and the enemy aeroplanes were in the air all day. Visibility was not very good, hindering artillery work, but many photographs were taken and much bombing was done by our machines. Aeroplanes co-operated successfully ia an infantry raid north-eastward of Loos, firing several thousand maohi no-gun. bounds, bombing '.froogfs, and communication trenches. Five tons of bombs were dropped on Roulers causing fires and explosions, and on many billets further on. Five and a-half tons were dropped in the night on aerodromes in the neighbourhood of Courtrai, aerodromes at Gontrode, railway stations at Roulers, Thourout and Courtrai. RUMOURS FROM RUSSIA. RUSSIANS ARE WORN OUT Received 8.50. PETROGRAD, Nov 2. Kerensky is reported to have said that Russia entered the war early and is now worn out by the strain. Russia claims that other Allies ought to shoulder the burden of war. BRITISH IMPROVE POSITIONS. GREAT ENEMY ARTILLERY FIRE. i i Received 11.10. LDITDON, Nov 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports that the British slightly improved their position southward and westward of Passchendaele and south-eastward of P.oelcapelle. The Lincolns, Herts, an? Lancashires successfully raided eastward of Vermelles and eastward of Shrewsbury 1 Forest. ; ■ ■ There" is great activity of hostile artillery eastward of Ypres. ! "'•'.'

HEAVY ARTILLERY WORK. - Received 10.50 -J .-.>■; LONDON,., November 2 A Belgian communique reports • a violent artillery struggle,. . especially bcfore Dixmudo. We ■.secured several direct hits on enemy batteries. ■ A French, communique . states that there is a somewhat violent artillery duel north of the Aisne, in the region of Maisons de Champagne, and on the right bank of the Meuse to" the north of Bezonvaux. ',. _ . j IN FLANDERS. | LONDON 3 Nov 1. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We dispersed a concentration in the neighbourhood of Passchendaele. LONDON, iToy 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Hostile artillery has shown considerable activity eastward and northward of Ypres. Ours carried out concentrated bombardments of positions in the battle area. BRITISH CAPTURES DURING OCTOBER. LONDON, Nov 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Our captures in France during October were 9125, includirig~242 officers. We also took 15 guns, 431 machine-guns, and 42 trench mortars.