12,000 PRISONERS TAKEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 230, 27 September 1915, Page 5

12,000 PRISONERS TAKEN.

An attack, which bears every impress of being the first stage of the "big spring" so long expected in the West, was made on Saturday, French and British co-operating in a huge attack upon the German lines. The attack was signally successful, and resulted in the capture of a large area of ground formerly held by the Germans in Northern France and in the Valley of the Aisne. The main British attack was directed upon a five-mile line of trenches stretching a little to the west of south from La Bassee, towards Lens. Along this front an advance extending up two and a-half miles was made. Further to the northward an important advance was made on the road from Ypres to Menin, northward of Hooge. The French advance was concentrated on a front of fifteen miles to the northward of Rheims. The French position formerly ran along the bank of the Suippe, but a two and a-half "mile advance straightened the line to the Aisne, and also gave them 12,000 prisoners, besides guns and machine guns. Bulgaria has notified Greece that her mobilisation is not directed against Servia or Greece, but is intended to prevent an Austro-German advance to the relief of Turkey through Bulgaria. Russian reports indicate the progress recorded against the Austro-German forces on the flanks continues, the battle being. particularly severe in the Kovno-Dvinsk region. The enemy - was expelled fror , Vileikei, south-west of Vilna, while several .villages were takA round Lutzk, at the other end of the line.