ON THE FRENCH FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 March 1917, Page 5

ON THE FRENCH FRONT.

ENEMY OPERATIONS FRUSTRATED. Reuter Service. Received March 1, 8.20 p.m. London, March 1. A French official report states that the artillery is active on both sides of the Avre. Enemy attempts to reconnoitre in the region of Roye broke down under fire. IRONWORKS BOMBED. London, Feb. 28. The Admiralty reports that naval aeroplanes raided the ironworks at Bre-bai-ii. south-east of Saarbueken. There were several air fights. MESOPOTAMIA. . THE GREAT STROKE OF STRATEGY. HOW THE RIVER WAS CROSSED. GALLANTRY OF INDIANS. FEAT BELIEVED IMPOSSIBLE. ■Received March 1, 5.30 p.m. Times Service. t London, February 28. Mr. Chandler (war correspondent), describing the great stroke of strategy in crossing the Tigris at Shuniran, while the attention of the Turks was deflected by the attacks at Sannai Yat, says that pontoons were launched at t'hree points at dawn, when a British regiment effected the northernmost crossing and surprised the encmj'. The first boat was a few yards from the north bank before shots and a sharp machine-gun fusillade began, but the pickets, after an hour, surrendered. Two Ghurka regiments crossed downstream, being strongly opposed by ma-chine-guns, which swept the river. The Turks attacked with grenades, and the landing became a bombing match. Eventually the Ghurkas established a footing ashore and held on under intense artillery firej finally linking with the British. Although the artillery swept the Tiver banks, the bridge was completed in eight hoursA The river is 3-10 yards wide, and the current five knots an .hour. A prisoner admitted that the feat was believed to> be impossible. INDIA PRACTICAL LOYALTY. WAR GIFT OF A HUNDRED MILLIONS. Received March 1, 7 p.m. London, February 28. The Government has gratefully accepted India's offer of £100,000,000 towards the general cost of the war DEFENCE BILL PASSED. Simla, Feb. 28. The Legislative Council passed i\w Indian Defence Bill, which is now law. ~ -, . GREECE. GREEKS MUTINY. Lausanne, February 28. There was a mutiny recently in the Greek internment camp at Gorlitz. The soldiers accused General Hatzoppoulos of having betrayed them. They said he had promised their return to Greece, via Monastir, instead of which they were deported to Germany. General Hatzoppoulos, fearing the consequences, left the district. RUSSIA. • GERMAN POISON GASEXTERMINATES POPULATION OF VILLAGE. Petrograd, Feb. 28. The Nbvoc Vremya publishes an appalling story of German poison gas exterminating the entire population of a Galician village. The Russian troops posted in the village had barely time to put on masks before the attack was launched. The Russians readily repulsed this, but the civilians were wiped out. The women, driven mad with terror at the sight of the oncoming greenish vapour, bringing certain death, killed their children with their own hands to save them from the torture. Some took refuge in the church, but the fatal eloud killed them. The Russian soldiers who returned after the fight were confronted with a ghastly spectacle, the bodies of men,; women and children being in attitudes testifying to the unspeakable sufferings the victims had undergone. SEVERE FIGHTING, London, Feb. 28. A wireless Russian official report says. —The*enemy attacked on both sides of the Jacobeni-Kiinpolung high road, and occupied the heights two miles south of Valeputna. A counter attack recovered a portion of the heights.