NOYON EVACUATED.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1918, Page 5

NOYON EVACUATED.

FREQUENT COUNTER-ATTACKS. RETABD THE GERMAN THRUSTS. Received March 27, 7.10 p.m. Paris, March 26. A French communique says: Noyon was evacuated at night time in a most orderly manner. We are strongly holding the right hank of the Oisc. The battle continued violently in the evening of the 25th. The enemy at night time multiplied liis attacks along the entire front from Noyon to Chaulnes. Our artillery is well established in the region of Noyon, and effectively supported the infantry, whose resistance and frequent counter-attacks are retarding the thrust of the Germans, who are suffering very heavy losses. BRITISH NEW POSITIONS. OVER 700.000 GERMANS ENGAGED. Received March 27, 10 p.m. London, March 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Fighting died down at night. Our troops established themselves in a new position eastward of Roye and Albert. A continuance of fighting northward of the Sommc is expected, but it has not yet developed. Attacks were reported to be developing this morning against the AngloFrench southward of the Somuio in the neighborhood of Roye and Chaulnes. The enemy losses in the western theatre are severe. Over seventy hostile divisions (over 700,000 men) have now been engaged'in the battle. THE SIXTH DAY. BRITISH AND OVERMANS FIGHTING LIKE TIGERS. ALLIES' RESISTANCE DAILY INCREASING. GERMANS'' STRIVING TO BREAK THROUGH AT THREE POINTS. Received March 27, 7.10 p.m. London, March 20. The United Press correspondent says that the sixth day of the monster battle finds the British' and Germans fighting like tigers across the Pozicres ridgo. There is furious fighting in every direction, the enemy ceaselessly throwing masses towards Albert from the high ground around Montauhan. Here the British in machine-gun position are resisting stubbornly. Further south the Germans are thrusting desperately weftward from Nesle and attempting to drive in a wedge, but their progress is slow The Allied resistance is daily increasing. The enemy is violently striving to break / .through at three points—southward of Arras, Albert and towards Noyon. Each sector is the scene of very heavy fighting, night and day. The Germans are fighting madly towards the Valley of the "Bloody Ancre " The weather is fine, favoring the Germans. For a few hours the barometer fell in the afternoon and clouds came up, but the wind veered to the northward, clearing up the sky. The airmen are profiting, however, by the sunshine and starlight. During the past four days' fighting over 200 German machines have been downed. Some 120 were seen to crash, many aflame, and 83 fell uncontrollable. Our low-flyers are ceaselessly harassing the German attackers and vigorously bombing the advancing waves. Newspapers generally complain of the brevity of the British communiques. The Pall Mall Gazette says the reticence irritates our allies as well as ourselves. It urges the War Cabinet to abandon the exasperating tradition of handling the truth in the spirit of a discreet nursemaid. ON THE WHOLE FRONT. THE BATTLE CONTINUESAus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. , Received March 27, 10.40 p.m. London, March 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports: There has been local fighting at different points north of the Somme. Hostile attacks south of the Somnie have pressed us vigorously since the morning with fresh divisions against Noyon und Roye. There was a new attack this afternoon in the neighborhood of Chaulnes and between Chaulnes and the Somme, also to the north.

The battle is continuing on the whole front south of tho Somme.

Our troops at all parts of. the battlefront for the past six days have shown the utmost courage, the following divisions having displayed exceptional gallantry: The Eighth, Eighteenth, ThirtyL flrßt, Forty-first, Sixty-first, > Sixty-third and Sixty-sixth,