WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 January 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

\ ENEMY'S STRONG ATTACK. BEATEN BACK BY HiENCH. Received, Dec. 30, 7 p.m. Paris, Dec, no. A French communiqrte sw.tcE that after an intense bombardment the Germans strongly attacked a front over three kilometres from Itii: 301 to east of Dead Man Hill. Tlim attack was broken by our fire. Only some fractions of the enemy penetrated the trench south of Dead Man Hill. EXTENSION OF PRONT. LIVELY SATISFACTION IX FRANCE. Received 31, 5.3 p.m. London. 'December 30. The Scotsman says the extension of the British front was received with the liveliest satisfaction in France. It is regarded as the most effective example of the working of the united command. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: We undertook a successful raid east of I.csars. Tlie trenches were found greatly damaged. We repulsed a raid east of Arnienticres. There was intense reciprocal artillerying south of the Anere and Bcrlcs. The Leader says General Sir Douglas Haig s report conclusively proves that the Allies linve the power to.win a complete and final victory. Paris, December 30.

A communique pays:—The French raided an<l wrecked <Jenran trenches between the Oise and the Aisne. The Hermans violently bombarded positions between the Mouse and Avocourt. Aviators bombed different (iermun munit«on works, including Neunkirchen.

GREAT WESTERN OFFENSIVE. PLANNED FOR 1917, Received Jan. 1, 7.25 p.m. London, Dee. .11. The newspapers, reviewing the I'JIC operations, predict a great Western offensive in l!) 17 over a larger front, and employing the new taeties which were perfected at Verdun, enabling attacks to lie conducted with fewer casualties than to the defenders. They contend (Ihat tiie new tactics, which'have not iieen fully disclosed, have solved the problem of trench wartare, making victory certain.

Lord Sydenham write.- that the Germans have learned tlitit safety is no longer to be found in most elaborate defences, but in the combination of artillery, infantry, and air service being pc: fected. The supreme importance of il):; a:r service was strikingly manifested at Verdun. There will be many more guns, amply supplied with shells in l!)lj, And if t'he lesson* of the past are turned to full account, we can attack on a far larger scale, with the certainty of success.

SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS Received 1, 1.r,0 a.vii. London, December 31. We successfully exploded a mine north-west of Nauville St Vaast and ellectively bombarded positions in tlie neighborhood of Serre and shelled places o c military importance east of Arras. We destroyed a. bridge across the Lnies, east of Le Telloy. A .French eoinmuni(|uo states that there lias been a qiuet dav, with mutual artillerying left of the Meuse.