WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

THE CAPTURE OF IRLES. A BRILLIANT ATTACK. ENEMY SURRENDER AT SIGHT. Received March 12j 6.30 p.m. London, March 11. Mr. Philip Gibbs states that Irles is a village standing on high graund beyond Pys. It was captured by a brilliant attack on the morning of the 10th. Before the attack, British howitzers swept the place so that nothing could live above .ground. Our men followed close upon the hurricane of shells, one force working from the south and another swinging northwards in order to cut ofi the enemy's retreat. A third party attacked the German fusiliers holding the sunken road with machine-guns. There was little fighting, for when the enemy saw the Britishers they surrendered quickly. ENEMY ATTACKS CRUSHED. A. & N.Z. Cable Association and Router. Received March 12, 6.40 p.m. London, March 11. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports: Our artillery crushed attempts to attack on the west and north-west of Lens. -There is artillery activity on the Somme and the Ancre, at Arrnentieres and Ypres, and also southward of Arras. FRENCH SUCCESSES. London, March 11. A French communique says: We made several successful coups-de-main on the German trenched in the regions of Laa■signy, Canny4ur-Metz and north of the Bois-du-Jury in the Woevre. We captured prisoners in fairly considerable numbers. There is reciprocal artillery work in the sector of.Maisons de Champagne. An en&my attempt on our small posts in the region of Largitzen, Alsace, failed. BELGIAN FRONTIER CLOSED. London, March 11. The Belgians have closed the Belgian frontier. FRENCH WHEAT SUPPLIES. Paris, March 11. The Chamber, by 296 votes to 1, passed a vote of confidence in the Government, following a three days' debate on food supplies, in which the chairman of the Agricultural Committee said that experts estimated that in 1917 France's wheat deficit would be 120 million bushels. The deficit of overseas supplies for France, the Allies, and neutrals was estimated at 200 million bushels. A TYPICAL GERMAN REPORT. London, March 11. A wireless German official message says: After infantry fighting at Irles our rearguards withdrew to our main position. French attacks between the Avre and Oise were unsuccessful. We repulsed with heavy losses a renewed French attack on Bill ISS on both sides of Champagne Farm. ■ ENEMY OPERATIONS FAIL. Aust and N.Z. Cable Asn and Reuter. Received March 12, 8.15 p.m. London, March 12. A 'French official report states that there is the liveliest reciprocal artillerving north of the Aisne. Attempted enemy coups-de-main • north-west of Rhcims, on the right of the Meusc, failed completely. '