WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 24 June 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

GERMANY'S TERRIBLE LOSSES. * REVEALED BY PRISONERS. PARIS, June 22. • The examination of prisoners reveals terrible losses on the part of the Germans in the recent offeiTsiv.es. The 253rd Battalion only mustered thirtyfive men per company after the Momdidier battle. Thirty men in each company were killed by French aviators flying low. Other units lost 75 per cent. All machine guns lost twothirds, of their officers. After'the battle Von Hutier reprimaned the officers of the 108th Division, which lost 3000, saying the losses were excessive, and blaming the non-coms, for not maintaining discipline. He added that if they could not do better they must abandon hope of breaking through to Paris and Calais. r: ..THE EVACUATION OF PARIS. .•NOT A PANIC MEASURE. :xs&s.*)'<* - -:■■;•••■•' PARIS, June J2&^' 1 The Government is determined to fclbok ahead more effectually than In Therefore all Pa'risiens whose work do** s not kee P l^ ' tlie ,<Jity ' are being invited to leave the capital. this is not a panic measure, but a f artion of Paris _being besieged, still less • ..invaded, though there is,the possibility of its being shelled by long-rang?* and other new guns.

ON THE BRITISH FRONT. SCOTTISH TROOPS', SUCCESSFUL RAID. 1 LONDON, June 21. 'At 11.40 this morning Sir Douglas Haig reported: In a raid on the night of the 20th, northward of the Scarpe, Scottish troops penetrated trenches, inflicting heavy casualties. The enemy's garrison was destroyed in a numher of dugouts. Low clouds and Tain have greatly hampered flying. LONDON, June 22. At 9.35 this evening Sir Douglas Haig reported: Nothing doing beyond raidqac.. -VfUlestroyed one aeroplane. Two of ours are missing. BRITISH OrriCIAL REPORT. Received 9 45 a.m. LONDON, June 23. ports: We completely repulsed a strong local attack delivered after heavy bombardment in the evening westward Of Merris .We prisonered a number in successful Taids in the neighbourhood of Marlancourt and at Bucquoy. There is ' 'active' 'hostile artillerying in the neighbourhood of Aveluy Wood

HUNS' DIRtV TACTICS INj THEI AIR. USING POISONED BULLETS. Received 10.45 a.m. NEW YORK, June 23. The "Sun's" correspondent at the French front reports that Allied aviators slightly Wounded by bullets in air fights have died within 24 hours. Cir r cumstances indicate German fliers use poisoned bullets. Hospital surgeons sutoort this suspicion. British and aviators declare that since the Cferinah aviators .have .been losing heavily they have adopted foul tac'tlcs. . ;•_.'•: i',!i'•;,-' •'■'•' -i

COLOURS PRESENTED TO POLISH LEGION. Received 11.10 a.m. PARIS, June 23. President Pcincare presented colours to the Polish Legion on the West front, which consists largely of volunteers from America. CONDEMNED BELGIAN PRISONERS. HUNS' AWFUL BRUTALITY. Received 9.20 a.m. LONDON, June 23. M. Jodin, in the "Ame Beige" (Belgian "Soul"), a periodical secretly published in Belgium, describes the sequel to the trial of many civilians at Charleroi, the sentence, was not announced to the nineteen. condemned men, but the families were summoned by telegraph and, informed that '". six would be shot next morning. Perhaps their relative might be one,'They vainly implored to be allowed to know the truth...and allowed to visit the prisoners. ' They wept and, lamented. The butchers desired the cells to echo with the sobs and prayers of all connected, directly or indirectly, with the sentences, and be compelled to suffer.while awaiting the morning's bloodshed. The wives and children stood all night at the prison gates, alternating between infinite despair and senseless hope. Dawn brought certainty, and the fusillade did its work. Only then were the ! names of the siz announced,.' j