WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 March 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

BAPAUME TAKEN. Reuter Service. Received March 18, 5.5 p.m London, March 17. Headquarters announces that Bapaume has been taken. A STIFF FIGHT. THE TRAIL OF THE HUN. DESTRUCTION AND PILLAGE. CONSIDERABLE ADVANCE MADE. NUMEROUS VILLAGES TAKEN. Received March 18, 11.45 p.m. London, March 17. ' Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Bapaume was captured after stiiV fighting with the German rear-) guards. The. town was systematically pillaged by the enemy, who destroyed private houses and public buildings. They carried off or burnt everything of value. Our advance proceeded rapidly to-day astride the 'Sommc. Southwards of the river <\ve entered the enemy's positions on a ld-mile front. We occupied Fresno, lAorgny, Villiers, Cavbonnel, Barleux, Eterprigny, and La Maissonette, Northward? of the river, in addition to Bapaume, we hold Le Transloy, Riefvillers, Bilnieourt, Achiet-le-Grand, Achiet-le-'Betit, Ablainzeville, Buequoy, and Essarts, also Quesnoy Farm, 1500 yards north-eastward of the last named, and gained western and north-western defences of Monchy-au-Bois. We earned out successful raids eastward and northward of Arras, reaching our support line.

BRITISH ADVANCE CONTINUED ENEMY ATTACKS BEATEN'OFF. SUCCESSFUL RAIDS. Received March 18, 5.5 p.m. London, March 17. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports: The advance northward of the Sommc has been continued over nearly the whole of St. Pierre Vnast Wood, also the trenches extending a thousand yards southward and two thousand vards northward. We beat off an attack north-east of Gommecourt, and carried out successful raids at Arras and in the neighborhoods of Souchez and Vermelles, inflicting many, casualties. )

FRENCH PROGRESS. ON BOTH BANKS OF THE AVRE. A. & N.Z. Cable Association and Reutcr London, March 17. A. French communique reports: We continued to progress on both banks of the Avre, where we took prisoners. There is severe artillerying between Soissons and Reims. VIGOROUS FRENCH PRESSURE FURTHER PROGRESS MADE GERMAN ATTACK SMASHED. BRISK STRUGGLE EAST OF MEUSE. NUMEROUS AIR FIGHTS. Received March 18, 11.15 p.m. London, March 17. A French communique stales:—Our detachments are continuing to vigorously press the enemy, and we made further progress north of the Avre, and between the Avre and the Oisc on a front of more than 20 kilometres, and to a depth at certain points of more than four kilometres. A German attack north-west of Bgrry siu Bac was smashed by our fire. Some of the enemy fractions .wliich. succeeded in entering a portion of our trenches were driven oufi immediately with the bayonet. We substantially progressed by means of grenades in the region west of Maison de Champagne, and taptured several portions of trenches. Lively artillerying continues throughout this sector, and in the direction of Auberive. A brisk struggle developed east of the Meuse region at the Fermo des Chamboches. Several enemy attempts on one of our trenches wcro finally repulsed after serious advances and retirements. The Germans sustained appreciable losses. We made several successful raids west of the Meuse. in the Cheppy Wood and Bois le Pretre. and near Remenouvelle, west of Pont au Mousson, also at Sudelkopf in Alsace. We , took prisoners. There have been numerous air lights. Eight enemy aeroplanes were brought down.

RAID BY THREE ZEPPELINS. TRIFLIXG DAMAGE DONE. P.«elTed TUtt-Kk m, 12,30 a.m. 'Paris, March 18. Three Zeppelins participated in a raid. They crossed our lines under cover of darkness. Aeroplanes drove thorn off. Anti-aircraft guns picked tlieni up over Compaigne, where they dropped bombs, resulting in inslswlicaut Jamoga.