CAPTURE OF VIMY RIDGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1917, Page 5

CAPTURE OF VIMY RIDGE.

A GREAT BRITISH VICTORY. »

FEATURES OF FIGHTING.

EMPLOYMENT OF PRISONERS,

IN THE FRENCH SECTORS

BRILLIANT FEAT OF ARMS,

United Service. Received April Hi, 8.35 p.m. London, April 10.

' An extraordinary feature of the fighting was the use of a variety of new inventions, including tanks of a new model, which arc considerably faster than the old ones and move in battalions instead of singly. The brilliant success of the opening day's offensive astonished experts, but it would be a mistake to regard it as easily won. We had a most valuable ■superiority of heavy guns, whose now shells were more devastating than the Germans expected, but much of the success is duo to the heroic Canadians. Experts pronounce the capture of Viiny ridge as the greatest British victory so far. Jlr. Massey, Premier of New Zealand, states that the New Zealanders did not participate in the big offensive.

AN AGREEMENT.

Received April 11, 8.30 p.m. Paris, April 11

France has decided not to employ prisoners within 30 kilometre* of the firing line, and Germany has agreed to similar treatment.

RECIPROCAL ARTILLERYING,

Received April 12, 1 a.m.

London, April 10. A French communique states that north of the Oise there was reciprocal artillerying with that south of the Oise, which destructively bombarded the German organisations east of Couey and south of Ailette. The enemy violently bombarded positions at Neuville-sur-Margival.

BRITISH BRIGADE'S WORK.

London, March 30. Mr Beach Thomas, correspondent of the Daily Mall on the Western front, states that recently a British brigade dashingly attacked a machine-gun position near Croisiles against a hail of bullets. The cavalry charged several machine-gun positions and captured the guns. Individual feats of Red Cross men are unparalleled. Some bearers carried the wounded for six hours without rest, The enemy's retreat is more burned than he likes. He is holding farm and village fortresses under the direct orders of Hindenburg, who reviewed the line three weeks ago.

Among the defences in the villager were found roomy panelled dug-outs, with three staircases, and as many as 37 steps. Roadside fortresses were also dicovered, with wall built of heavy iron girders, in double bands, with Gft of sandbags between. The Germans tried but failed, to destroy these defences. The Germans call their new positions the Siegfried line.