WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 February 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

BRITISH CEASELESS PRESSURE. enemy withdrawing. PATROLS ADVANCE THREE MILES. GERMAN STRONGHOLDS GAINED. NEW' PHASE OP WEAKNESS REYE.^/ED. AMMUNITION WASTED. Received Feb. 2G, 11.40 p.m. London, February 23. Mr. Philip Gibbs, war correspondent, reporting from headquarters 011 February 25, says that the enemy is steadily withdrawing from many positions between Hebuturne and the ground south-west of ISapaume. Our strong patrols pushed on in the Abandoned country and penetrated in some places three miles be. yond the former line. North-west of Serre, south of Jules, beyond Miranmont and Pys, we gained a number of German strongholds, which we were expecting to win only after heavy (ightiii~, the enemy yielding to the ceaseless pressure of our men and guns, by escaping to a new line of defence along the liapaume ridge. This is the most notable movement since the autumn of 15)10. The. 'Germans' strategical retreat reveals a new phase of weakness in their defensive conlitions.

The retreat did not surprise our generals, as after the battle of Boomravine 011 February 17 there were several signs that the enemy contemplated a withdrawal from Miraumont and Petit Miraumont. On the morning of February 24 several fires wore burning on the German front lines. The enemy's Held batteries for several days had been liring an abnormal amount of ammunition, and it seemed that thev were getting rid of their supplies from their forward dumps before withdrawing their guns.

FURTHER BRITISH ADVANCE. I

SERRE OCCUPIED. SUCCESSFUL RAIDS. FRENCH ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. Received Feb 27. G. 5 p.m. Aust. and N.Z. Cable Assh and Renter. London, Feb. 25. Field Marshal Sir Douglas* Haig reports that the enemy has to yield ground along the Ancre. Small bodies of troops have advanced over a wide front and occupied Serre ami other important points eastwards, meeting with little opposition. We successfully carried out raids eastward of Vierstraat on a five hundred vards front, inflicting casualties. We also carried out raids eastwards of Armentieres, and drove out the raiders who reached our trenches north-east of Ypres. There has been considerable artillerying across theSomme. A French communique reports that our artillery lias been effectively active in the region of Mort Homme, and that there has been intermittent artillerying at Lorraine and the Vosges.

GERMAN REPORTS. AN INGENIOUS SUBTERFUGE. London Feb. .25. A wireless German official message says: We repulsed several local British 'attacks southward of Ypres and between Armentieres and Arras. The Hague, Feb. 25. A German headquarters correspondent, referring to the raiding, says _the enemy is not using his storming troops for raiding, and suggests that he is no lonper 1 able to count on his regular rank and file going over the parapet. The storming troops consist of picked men, specially trained, who, according to the.army regulations, are only employable in important offensive tactics. SPIES WITH FORGED. PAPERS. London, Feb. 25. The Paris correspondent of the Daily Telegraph states that the French authorities arrested on the frontier three men who accompanied M? Gerard and professed to belong to his suite. Mr Gerard denied all of them, All carried forged papers GERMAN RULE OF BELGIUM. Amsterdam, Feb. 25. The German Governor of Belgium, besides closing the schools, has ordered all shops to,close at 6 o'clock, and restricted the lighting of hotels, theatres and restaurants. FRENCH RAIDS. London, Feb. 25. A French communique states that twi, successful raids on enemy posts were made in the Forest of Apremont and north of Badonvilles. BELGIAN RELIEF SHIPS SAIL. Received Feb. 30, 5.30 p.m. London, February 25. The sailings of the Belgian Relief Commission's vessels have been resumed via the northern route, Germany grant- ■ ing a safe conduct. Arrangements have ' not yet been made for releasing the relief ships in British ports.