WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 March 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

PERONNE TAKEN. London, March 18. Peronne has been captured. CWSELLES TO FOLLOW. Paris, March 18. Sir Douglas Haig's successes are considered the prelude to the capture of the important junction of Croiselles. The Germans are e.vpected to yield considerable ground in the Arras district. FRENCH ADVANCE CONTINUED. GERMANS STILL RETREATING. REPRISAL FOR BURNING BAPAUME. London, March 8. A French communique states that on the whole front between Andeehy and the Oise, the enemy is refusing battle, and has abandoned, under our pressure, the powerfully and. scientifically fortilicd lines that he had. occupied for two years. Our advance to-day continued rapidly. Our patrois entered Roye, -pursuing the enemy, who blew up the cross-roads. In the streets, SOO inhabitants, whom the Germans had. no time to remove, gave our troops an ovation. Wo also occupied Lassigny and reached and passed north-cast thereof the Roye-Noyon road at several points. Prisoners were taken during the pursuit, but have not yet been counted. There is severe artillerylng at the Champagne on the right of the Mouse. As a reprisal for the burning of Bapaume a French aeroplane to-day bombed Frankfurt-on-Main.

A RAIDER DESTROYED. THE CREW PERISa London, March IS. A French communique states that at 5.50 this morning the Zeppelin L 39, which had liown over the region of Paris, was hit at a height of ISSOO metres above Compcigne by our antiaircraft guns and fell afire in the town gardens. All the crew perished. Neither the fall of the airship nor the explosion of her bombs did any damage.

ENEMY IN FULL RETREAT. USUAL OUTRAGES PERPETRATED. London, March 18. Mr. Ciibbs states that the Germans arc in full and rapid retreat to new lines many miles in the rear of the abandoned positions. Thes' are laying waste villages and the entire countryside, poisoning wells with arsenic, burning bridges, and mining roads. Our cavalry patrols have gone far ahead, and the infantry are pushing forward. ALLIES EVERYWHERE PRESSING. STRENUOUS ACTIVITY. Received March 19, 5.5 p.m. London, Marc hl9. A correspondent at Western headquarters says that favored by line weather and drying ground the Allies are everywhere pressing the retiring Germans. There ia strenuous activity behind the lines, eclipsing the busiest days of the Somnie offensive, while the spirit of the troops is one of demonstrative enthusiasm. IMPORTANT FRENCH PROGRESS. London, March 18. A French communique says:—We made important progress between the Avre and the Oise and secured the whole ground between our old lines and the Royc-Noyon road from Damerey to Lagny height. The pursuit continues north of the Noyon road. We brought down 10 enemy aeroplanes. PRESSING THE ENEMY. ■i' V.. Reuter Service London, March 18. A correspondent at headquarters reports that the rapid hardening of the ground and the fine weather are responsible for the activity on the Somme and Anere. There was much fighting to-day, patrols pressing the enemy rearguards everywhere. The sharpest conflict was at Bapaume, where the British fell on the enemy before he could clear away. His covering troops began to withdraw immediately we advanced. The rapidity of their retirement showed that the German main army had fallen back a considerable distance. The fall of Peronne is impending, as the place is quite untenable by, the enemy.

RESIGNATION OF FRENCH CABINET. London, March 18. The French Cabiuet has resigned. RESIGNATION RATHER THAN RECONSTRUCTION. Paris, March 18. .Le Petit 'Parisien states that General Lyautey's resignation precipitated a crisis. MM. Painlcvo and Noulens refused office as War Minister, whereupon M. Briand resigned rather than reconstruct the Cabinet. PARTIAL REPATRIATION OP BELGIANS. Rome, March 17. , The Corricre d'ltalia says tnat Germany is accepting the Pope's request to the extent of repatriating 13,000 out of 65,000 Belgians, but intimates that repatriations must now cease.