WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1918, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

SUCCESSFUL BRITISH RAID. 3XEMY DISPERSE!. AMIfUXITTOX DUMPS BOMBED. Ans. and X.%. Cable Assoc. and Renter. Received Jan. 13, p.m. London, Jan. 12. •Sir 'Douglas Huig reports: We successfully raided trendies oast of Loos. We repulsed ft raid south of Armentieres, and dispersed working parties south of Moneiiy le Pmix. Irlostilc artillery is active norlli-east of Ypres. Our aeroplanes dropped two tons of bombs on ammunition, depots in tlie vicinity of C'ourtrai and at other targets.

RAIDS REPULSED. ACTIVITY OF ENEMY ARTILLERY. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. Received Jan. 14, 12.25 a.m. London, Jan. 13. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We repulsed three raids south of F.ens. Hostile artillery is active south-west of Cambrai, and in the neighborhood of Lens and Messines.

GERMAN EXPEDIENTS. IMMENSE UNDERGROUND HANGARS. CONSTRUCTED IN BELGIUM. Received Jan. 13, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Jan. 12. L'Eclio de Beige states that the Germans in Belgium have constructed immense concrete underground hangars, from whence aeroplanes emerge in full flight up a gradient.

■ A GERMAN REPORT. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received Jan. 12, 5.5 p.m. London, Jan. 11. Wireless German official: An enemy surprise attack south-eastward of Ypres broke down. There is violent artillery fire from the English batteries between Moeuvres and Mareoing. TANKS AND SUPER-MONSTERS MOTORS OF TREMENDOUS POWER. 1 Washington, Nov. 24. American army officers who have returned to Washington from France know the British were planning to use tanks on an unprecedented scale in the Arras offensive, and kept the secret. One of these officers described the tanks to-day as monsters of a size undreamed of before their first successes in the war gave a high British commander the "hunch" for this week's tank dijive. The new British tanks, according to the American officers here, are equipped with motors of tremendous power, and their caterpillar treads arc longer, enabling them to straddle stretches of entanglements. The giant tractors are more heavily armored and carry more guns of all calibres. Tanks for the American army are expected to be as effective in every way as those used by the British in their great drive, although no details of construction, or as to the number of machines being 'built were available, Secretary of War Baker refuses to discuss the subject. There is every reason to believe, however, that substantial progress has been made in producing fighting machines that embody all that officers have learned of the war engine. It is an open secret that some American officers have not up to this time at least; regarded the tanks as highly desirable for the American forces in view of the difficulties of transportation and the ponderous character of the tank equipment. There also has been som? question heretofore as to their actual military value. British experience in the past and at present is believed to have made it certain, however, that tanks will do their share on the American lines when a sector in France is taken over by General Pershing.