WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

THE ENEMY'S PLIGHT. I EFFECT OF ITALIAN SUCCESS. I SWITZERLAND OVERRUN WITII PEACE AGENTS. \ Received Sept. 3, 8.15 p.m. 1 n Paris, Sept. 2. ] Le Matin says that despite the ap- ( parent successes of the Central Powers \ nrainst Russia the enemy is in a mos.t t ilillieult position. Their class lias ] been sent to the front, the displacement \ of troops in order to support tiio Italian front creating serious gaps in the cast, l Hence Switzerland is overrun with pro- i pagandists on behalf of peace, seeking ( to get in touch 'with the Allies. \ ] AN ENEMY ATTACK. ! ( SMASHED BY FRENCH ARTILLERY. J i Received Sept. 3, 10 p.m. Paris, Sept. 3. A French communique says: There was the liveliest reciprocal artillcrying at night on the Aisne. Our fire completely smashed another enemy attack on the po.-.itions wo captured on the 31st, north-west of Hurtebise. The attackers were unablo to reach our lines. NEW GERMAN LINES. CIVILIANS FORCED TO WORK, Received Sjpt. 3, 10 p.m. Amsterdam, Sept. 3. The Telegraaf says that practically the \vi; le male population of Bruges has been ordered to help to strengthen the new Geim.in lines between Bruges, the Ostend canal and Yser canal. RAIDS REPULSED. CONSIDERABLE ARTILLERYJNG. Received Sept. 3, 9.30 p.m. London, Sept. 3. Sir Douglas TTaig reports: We repulsed | raids north-west of Lena and south-west , of La Bassee. The artillery of both sides is active eastward of Ypres. Our aeroi planes bombed aerodromes and railway i stations on Friday night. The weather i hindered flying on Saturday. A French communique says: There is considerable artillery at Hjrtebise, in the direction of Maison-de-Champagne, and in the Verdun sectors at Hill 304, Samogneux and Beaumont. GERMAN PLUNDER RECOVERED. Paris, Sept. "2. When the Germans retreated from the Somme they abandoned a number of cases in the village of Ereher, which contained valuable golden and silver chalices, bowls, vases, and pictures stolen in Belgium and the north of France. A WITHDRAWAL AND RECAPTURE. 1 . Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. ? Received Sept. 3, 5.5 p.m. • London, Sept. 2. '' Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy f hfeavily bombarded and attacked our ad- ' vanced posts south-west of Havricourt. which they failed to reach the previous •' niglrt. We were compelled to withdraw, t but recaptured the post 9 later.

THE MESSINES BATTLE. PRAISE FOR NEW ZEAL ANDERS. . GENERAL GODLEY ENTHUSIASTIC. Wellington, August 31. In the House this afternoon, the Minister for Defence read the following address, issued to the First New Zealand Infantry Brigade by General Godlev on the 15th June, after the battle of Messines:— "To the First New Zealand Infantry Brigade came the honor of capturjng the key to the whole position attacked by the Second Army. In this they had succeeded when they captured and consolidated tho black line forward of Messines. As they had been. thr. original brigade to leave New Zealand, he had asked General Russell to give them this to do, and they had done it well. He was eure that no body of troops could have done the work better or more completely. The dash of the brigade, and the manner in which they had attacked were attacked, were absolutely all that could be desired, and he had no hesitation in saying that the battle of Alessines had set the seal on what they had already done on Gallipoli, aud at the tSomme. Their casualties testified to tlxe severity of the fighting they had to do. He greatly deplored the loss of their gallant Brigadier, who was killed at the moment of victory at the head of the brigade he had so gallantly led to the top of the hill. He was a greet loss to the force and also £0 New Zealand and the Empire. There was no finer man. He was sjure tliey all felt how much they had lost in his death, and in the deaths of other brave officers, non-com-missioned oflicers and men who l>ad failen in that great victory. In conclusion he would like just to tell tb. m liovr proud he was to have had a hand in the raising of the first brigade and in bringing it from New Zealand. He -was sure also that everyone in New Zealand would be proud to hear what had been done once more by the original brigade. Personally, he wished to think them from his heart for what they had done for the corps."