WESTERN.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLV, Issue 6852, 13 April 1917, Page 3

WESTERN.

aiRTHER POSITIONS 'SBred- by British.

Aftffislioflßcial statement says: Onr operation have been continued IIV Today, w spite of SfSXonn. and generally untU\As weather, we reached the f"7S» tfMdnchy le Preux, five flarffigbtirtg occurred again this rftonoonat the northern end of the CWin wHch *c gained furSosUionsHudtook a number of prisoners and machine guns. Fr a the directiw of Carabrai we .Iwneed onr line noith of the village fLoureral. Such counter-attacks «the enemy attempted at difterent ; poiats along our trout were unsuoCeihe number of prisoners taken by ossiace tre opening of our attack yesterday monricg now exceeds 11000, including 233 officers. We also captured over 100 guns, among vfiichan a number of heavy guns of eight inch calibre, 60 trench mortars, \ni 153 machine gunv Aeroplanes, performed valuable work yesterday. ■ The High Commissioner reports :— London, April 11, 12 4 pro General Haig states that the situation is developing favourably in accordance witb plan?. The village and heights of Monchy le Preux la Boergere were captured early this morning. Satisfactory progress was made elsewhere*on the fcattlefront. British Smash Their Way Through Formidable Works. 'Australian and N Z Cable Assoc.. J Bee April 12 9 45 p m London, &pril 1) Mr Philip Gibbs, correspondent at British headquarter?, in a further acteimtof Monday's attack emphasises tbeßtifr fighting that- took place at BlaigJ» \fliw© the defences were exK&tioiu&ty stooflg, and "the troops of oWEngWsitt Tegvments smashed their way through a perfect nest of formidable wfirfcs wi-h the, assistance of bnkvvhioh knocked out the macbice guns. The Scottish troops' " attack on the famous •■ Hallway Tri

twjjle waa held up at the time by michinp gin's} and here the enemy's works were not destroyed. Meaawhiiethe Britibh barrage srill moved ahead. Word was scut to the rear >nd the barrage crept back, coming perilously close to the ScotSj but not overdose. The gunners showed marVtilloujj accuracy and found jthe triapgls aud reduced Ihe defences. The Swts surged forward over a chaos of timber and barricades and reached their goal,' •

Artillery ing in St Quentin Region London, April 12 * A French official statement says—

Thqre is active artilleryiog in the Si Qucntin region. The enemy sooth of ()ise, after a sharp bombardment drove bjick one of our detachments Dorth*east of Everneuilsousoouey, but'a couater attack promptly ejected the Germans,

German Version Admiralty Per "Wireless Press London, April 12 A German official statement says JSfear Eampoux, northwards of Scwpe, Ae English infantry attacks sa& sererftl cavalry attackb near jtoeia failed. Fighting near Monchy WaßcoftH favoured us Twenty Thousand Prisoners Captured «< Marcel Hutin, writing in the «io de Paris, referring to the Arras kUfe, says that the formidable nature ouhe fortifications, including exten- *«* wire entanglements, armoured copolas, machine-gun shelters, and fl»8 d every calibro manned by an \ «ti«ordiftary uumbei of well selected "WMndioate Prince Kupprecht of 7*^^ determination to maintain «»position aUU costs O'er a hundred battalion majors were engaged in battle, Tiie prisoners equal the Jjaglhof an entire division, twenty ™*m& men.

*<$** W«* and Stormy *«»Higa Cowraisssouer reports: Loudou, April 12 IL > UI Hai * rcPorts :—llie weaJfWnUQoea vet and stormy. Early JWi morning we captured two imporpositions oa die enemy's lines r^ « Timy Ridge astride the Jjiw Sanchez, and secured a number rPn^nets. Duriug tbe night two attacks on our new positions J*«J nortlwrn eud of Vimy Ridge b2»n Q°ftby maehi°e guafire, "' s r ybßraian losses bciug inilicted. JJ» progres* was .made southwards *"»HwcrScarpe., T£ Troops Achieve Success * ' &iti Ch official statement says : ' SJwfc of the Owe after artilattacked eastwards of the r^^QcyLavillc aud Quiueya^^a Hveiy combat the !*<£fe fa"twv«d« certified to,-~" i*4""^^ 6 ana wraugle and donbt - (MjZg ht to wrangle and argue about. ***»SEH? ni J COU8I> 8» bwßchiti?. or cold, kJS. tae druggists where " Woodwa " '" assure, . **Woods Peppermint Cvre.

enemy was driven as far as the borders south-west of the high forest of Coney. Several important points in the field are in our hands, despite enemy resistance. There are numerous dead on the ground. Prisoners were brought in.

Heavy Losses Inflicted on Germans The High Commissioner reports . London, April 11 A British official message says: Heavy and continuous snow greatly impeded our operations This moruing two German counter attacks on our new positions in *'ie neighbourhood of Mone.hy le Preux were beaten off. Prisoners stated they were ordered to hold the village at a'> costa. At Bodie our troops penetrated the Herman positions in the neighbourhood of BalJecourt and were counter-attacked by large enemy forces, which were forced back on their own lines. Our artillery inflicted heavy losses on the attackers.

Consternation in German

Empire Australian-and N.Z. Cable Asaoc. \

Kec Aprill2, 12.5 p.m. London, April 11. Kerintts from Cologne show that the Ar..io ~i.ieat has produced consternation in the Empire. The newspapers are not allowed to publish the British reports of the victory, and the public only has the German communique concluding with the words, "If Germany has to evacuate France and Belgium the occupied territories will be turned into a desert."

Extent of German Surprise Australian and N.Z. Cable Assoc Rec April 13, 9.10 a.m. Paris, April 12.

M. Marcel Hutin, the French correspondent, says a General commanding a Bavarian infantry division ragefully tore up hia report, asking Prince Rupprecht for reinforcements, when the British "Tommies" entered his shelter and took the General and his entire staff prisoners. The incident indicates the extent of the German surprise.

Crown Prince Deprived of Command Australian and N Z Gable Assoc, Rec April 12, 9.20*p~m"~"~

Amsterdam-, April 11 German deserters report that the Crown Prince has been deprived of hia command and recalled to Berlin. Falkenhayn is chief commander iu Flanders, his headquarters being at Theilt.

Greatest Victory British Have Yet Gained ; London, April II Telegraphing today, Mr Phillip Gibbs says ;—" The battle of Arras is tho greatest victory the British have yet fjtiiued. It is a staggering blow to the ene-ny. As the Germans are retreating, our guns are smashing,'them along: the roads. During the night the Canadians won Hill 145,. the last point of Vimy Bidge, where the Germans had held out in a pocket with machine-guns. By morning the whole ridge was in our hands."

French Penetrate German Line Australian and N.Z. Cable Asaoc. and Keuter.

Rec April 13, 12.5 p.m

Londou, April 12. f A French communique states: The artillery struggle continued fairly violent] during the uigfat between the Somme and the Oiee, notably in the region of Urvillers. Our reconnaissances penetrated the German line at several points north of the Aisne. Our line is now completely re-established.

form.