THE AUSTRALIAN RAID.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 May 1918, Page 5

THE AUSTRALIAN RAID.

fiEAVY CASUALTIES LYFLICJSD. IMPORTANT FRENCH GAI.YS. Received May 21, 11.40 p.m. London, May 20 Router's Headquarters correspondent states that the Australians captured at Ville-sur-Ancre exceeded 400. The casuilcicrA mffictefii Wert very heavy. The Germans were forced back from an awkward little salient they had created, and are now probaibly back upon the railway. Over thirty machine guns were taken between Ri'bemont £nd Dermacourt. The heavy fighting mentioned in previoos despatches related to tdie> French attack on a front of from 3000 to 4000 yards, apparently pivoting on the Locre hospice, and extending eastwards. It is reported that the operations succeeded. Over 300 prisoners were collected. Every yard of ground the Alliw take in this locality represents an important gain, inasmuch as it pushes the enemy from the chain of hills running west of MontKemmel. AERIAL ACTIVITY. ENEMY POSITIONS HEAVILY BOMBED. Received May 21, 11.40 p.m. London, May 20. Sir Dougla3 Haig, in his aviation report, says:—We bombed, on the 19th, enemy railway stations, aerodromes, dumps, and billets, dropping over seventeen tons of bomibs. Severe fighting occurred eastwards of the lire, where large hostile formations attacked our bombers. We brought down 27 machines and drovq down three. Twelve of ours are missing. -i There was vigorous mutual night bombing. Our night-fliers dropped 15 tons of bombs on Chaulnas. Bouai, Don. and Marcoing railway stations, and the St. Denis-Western aerodrome.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. SEEDS OF DISCORD. SOWN IN SWITZERLAND. Paris, May 20. It is officially announced that France has offered Switzerland 850,000 tons of coal monthly at 150 francs a ton against the German demand of 180 francs. The Swiss Government orginally welcomed the offer, but ultimately, under German pressure, refused it and made fresh arrangements with Germany. Notwithstanding this, France still keeps the offer open, in order to avoid the factories closing, with the resulting misery for the workpeople. France denies Germany's assertion that she is threatening an economic war on Switzerland

GERMAN RAIDERS REPULSED. New York, May 19. General Pershing's communique states that German raiders were repulsed on the Picardy and Lorraine fronts. Three more enemy aeroplanes were brought down.—Press Assoc. BRITISH LINE ADVANCED. London, May 19. British headquarters correspondent says that our line has been advanced over useful g*ound in the direction of Dernacourt. Considerable losses have been inflicted on the Germans, two hundred being taken prsoners.—Reuter Service. PERFUMED GASES. New York, May 19. The United fPress correspondent states that the Germans are perfuming various passes, endeavouring to conceal their deadliness. Various new gasscs have smells resembling r.pples, bananas, pineapples and oranges in place of the formerly distinctive odours, readily distinguishable by the gas experts, who have now warned the Americans to beware of fruit smells.—Press Assoc.