WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 December 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

BRITISH IMPROVE POSITIONS. TWO FRONTS KXTEXDED. London, December 2". 'llie Pnti-Ii have extended their front •in the Soinme and simultaneously (he British line in the Ralkans was leniHliI imd and is now. actually longer than (he British front in France. , . 1 THE MOVEMENT DESCRIBED. A SEVERE AXD AXXIOUS TIME. OPERATION'S SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED, Received Dee. 2S. R.HO p.m. London, Dec. 27. The Paris .Journal's correspondent supplies the first news of the British extension of their front on Die Soinme It was a busy Christum for the Tommies. who were entering the French lilies in the stillness of a cold night. Hundreds and hundreds of convoys of food, munitions, and material for shelters moved over the roads to the war trenches, and thousands and thousands of men's shadowy fori;i_s pressed silently awl secretly over the. thoroughfares within a few yards of the enemy. Our guards at the trenches redoubled their vigilance, and experienced a severe and anxious time during the movements involving an exchange of duties between the two allied armies, the process being accomplished Willi the utmost order and success and the. operation being completed on Christinas night. Soon the names of celebrated T'rer.eh woods and villages will again be mentioned, with added glory."though no longer in French but in British communiques. The extent of the sector taken over not yet been disclosed

A DRAMATIC SURPRISE GERMANS THOROUGHLY DUPED. BRITISH CHRISTMAS BOX TO THE FRENCH | KecciYed Dee. 28, 10 p.m . Lopdon, Dec. 28. The Paris Journal'? dramatic disclosure has caused a sensation in London. It explains the prolonged bombardment of Iho Ypres front, where General Sir Douglas Haig persuaded the Germans that an attack was imminent. The enemy were completely duped, and while boasting: that they had repulsed a British attack south-east of Ypres. on both sides of Wieltji and north of Ypres, the great transfer was ell'ec-U'd without a mishap. The extension represents a.British Christmas box to their French allies, who have long liec-n hoping that Sir Douglas Ilaig would be able to increase his responsibilities, for whereas the Brit-ish-Belgian line in November extended for 04 miles, the French were holding .')GO miles on the Somme. The French regiments are composed of men of over J"), and they have held the line at Verdun. without leave, since August, 1014, spending winter in the trenches.

TRENCHES BOMBARDED. ENEMY LINES RAIDED. Received Dee. 2D, 1.20 a.m. London, Dec. 2S. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: We searched and bombed a few hundred yards of trenches and dug-outs northwest of Lens, greatly damaging them, without suffering any casualty. Our positions northward of the Somme and near Le Sara'were heavily shelled at intervals. We successfully bombarded enemy defences and trench mortar emplacements in the neighborhood of Hullugh, and westward of Mcssines there were a number of air-fights, one enemy aeroplane being destroyed and five damaged, while three of ours are missing. A Paris communique states: There has been marked artillery activity on some of the sectors south of the Somme, where an enemy battery exploded. We successfully, fired several mine; in the region of Hauvraignes, south of Avre, and then raided enemy lines, capturing prisoners.

HUN TYRANNY AT LILLE. nines Service. Received Dee. 28, 8.30 p.m Paris, Dee. 27. Refugees from Lille state that the town has been Germanised. French residents have been pillaged and turned out by German officers, whose families are occupying the best houses and hotels. All bronze and copper has been seized and sent to Germany.