WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 March 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

THE BRITISH ADVANCE. FEEBLE RESISTANCE- ENCOUNTERED. GERMAN SCAMPER AT BAPAUMIS. London, March 10. The Morning Post says that nowhere in the re-conquered territory have the British encountered effective opposition or serious delay. The new Briitsh front swung round with almost startling speed and was still advancing on Sunday night beyond villages which the day before wire well ahead of the battle front, The British cavalry went through the breath at Achiet-le-Grand on Saturday and bivouacked at nightfall miles beyond the limit of the British bombardment' in the Somme battle. The Germans at Bapamne .maintained a, semblance of resistance until the infantry charged up the slopes outside the town, The defenders then scampered away; at the same time the German cavalry, which had hovered about the fields beyond Bapaume, escaped. ENEMY HARD PRESSED. GREAT SALIENT GONE. Renter Service. London, March 1!>. A correspondent at. headquarters says:—On Monday we continued to press hard on the enemy. Whatever the Gorman tactical scheme may be it- is certain wo have forestalled Mm and are hustling him in a degree he did not anticipate. Patrols have crossed the road and railway at many points, and, although we cannot yet claim to dominate these important roads, the Germans certainly are off them. In other words, the great salient has practically gone.

Tift FLEEING ENEMY. ROADS CLOSELY PACKED. SYSTEMATIC DESTRUCTION AND OPPRESSION,

Eeutor Service. Received March 20, 8.15 p.m. London, March 19. A correspondent at the French headquarters states that the enemy is falling back more rapidly before the French than the British. All the roads behind the fleeing foe are closely packed day and night with transport columns and guns, while everywhere on the horizon smoko clouds tell of preparations for further retreat. Destruction ia proceeding systematically. An example is the village of Candour, where they 'burned farms and waggons, and destroyed machinery, everything useful being carried off by boys approaching military age. Besides the Mayor and Deputy-Mayo:, they not only seized all the people's produce, but the American relief supplies, forcing everybody to work iu return for three-quarters of a pound of bread daily; POWERFUL ENEMY ATTACK. , SMASHED BY THE FRENCH. SLIGHT GEE MAN SUCCESS AT ONE POINT. Received 1 March 20, 8.30 a.m. London, March 19. A French communique states: —After violent bombardment, the Germans last evening powerfully attacked on the Avo-couyt-Mort Homme front. Our barrage and machine-gun fire smashed the waves of assault on the greater part of the fiont before reaching our lines, and inflicted heavy losses. Tn the direction of Hill 304,"and on the edge of Avocourt Wood, where enemy parties succeeded in penetrating our lines, on a front of aboyt 200 metres, there was lively hand-to-hand fighting, the enemy being partly driven out.

FRENCH ADVANCE PROCEEDS. 100 VILLAGES RELEASED. Loudon, March 19. A Frem-h communique says-.—Light detachments Rre keeping in close touch with tiie enemy. Wo have continued to advance without interruption, and have reached the Pkim-Xesle railway, east of Nesle, at several points. We occupies Guiscard, north of Noyon. We advanced our patrols along the National road of St. Quentin and captured the second German position cast of the Oise. We ha.vo liberated about 1 hundred French townships and villages during the last three days. The enemy had shamefully devastated and-pillaged mjuy localities. A thou-, sand inhabitants whom the had been unable to drive away welcom<' cd us.

FRENCH CABINET TROUBLES. Paris, March 19. M. Desehapel has declined the Premiership, and M. Ribot has been invited tc form a Ministry. NEW ZEALANDERS PROBABLY TAKE PART. Wellington, March 20. It is almost certain that the New Zealand Division was in the recent advance of the British, following the fall of Bapaume and IPeronne. If so the Division would go into action at full strength, possibly at more than full Strength. Certainly if the Division lias not already been strengthened by the use of the accumulated reinforcements, it soon will be. Detailed information ia not available, but it the effective strength of the New Zealand army in the field is increased any additional troopd are to remain part of the New Zealand Division under .Major-General BusstU, •