THE WESTERN THEATRE.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15793, 8 January 1917, Page 7

THE WESTERN THEATRE.

ENEMY RAID AT LOOS

SOME BRITISH MISSING

(By Cable. —Prees Afesocia'.iou. —Copyright.; (Australian and N.Z. Cab'o Association.)

(Reutor'e Telegrams.i (Received January 7th, p.m.) LONDON, January tj. Sir Douglas Haig reports :--"An enemy raiding party entered our lines southward ot i/oos. After heavy light-

iag the enemy was speedily driven out, • leaving a number of dead. Some British, are missing. "Wo successfully exploded a mine northward of Givonchy, and bombarded trenches opposite Lesbcrufs. Ciueudecourt. westward of Gomiuecourt. and in the neighbourhood of Hill 150." A COUNTER RAID. DISTINCT BRITISH SUCCESS. (Australian and X.Z. Cable Association.) i Ron tor'b TVlcpramsJ (Received January 7th. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, January 7. >ir Douglas Haig reports:— "We seized and cousoliduted two posts north of Beaumont-hamel, and successfully raided a wide front south-east of Arras. We penetrated as far as the third line, destroying ' many dug-outs and doing much damage to the enemy's delenccs. "Our aeroplanes bombed a number of places of military importance be- \ hind the lines with good result*." THE GERMAN CLAIM. AdmiraJty jwr r:v^«. LONDON, January A German nie.ssa.ee states: -- "Wo penetrated the fourth line eastward of Ixxv.. indicting sanguinary losses on the English." AERIAL RAIDS. (Australian ami X.Z. CaW«> Anfociation.J (Rcutcr'ri ToU^ranid.) (Received January 7th. .*>.•*> p.m.'* LONDON. January <1. A French connnuninue says: — "Aerial bombardment* of aerodrome*, railway stations, hutments, bivouac?, and ammunition dumps, mostly on the tsomme front-, were carried out.*' ' FURTHER RAIDS. LONDON. January •*>. A French communique states: — "There was lively reciprocal artillery action at Douaumont and Yaux. "Twenty French aeroplanes bombed aerodromes at Matigny, \ aucourt, Kleys ami Be.rnes, railway stations at Rouilly, Atise. and Yillecourt, and a cantonment at Roye." SIGNIFICANT RENEWALS. MELBOURNE, January 6. Private advices from Paris state that the British Government has renewed v.ntil 1918 the leases of certain building* and land occupied in Franco, the leases of which expired at the end of December. THE ENEMY REPULSED. (Australian and N.Z. C&blo Afi«ociation.) (Bfiut«r'« Telegrams.) (Roceived January 7th, 11.30 p.m/) LONDON, January 7. A French communique says:— "There were violent artillery duels in the region, of Paschendael. "We successfully bombarded the enemy organisation on the Somme front. "Enemy coups-dc-inain on the Buthe-le-Mcsnil, Maisons in the Champagne, and Arrancourt were frustrated."

A GERMAN OFFENSIVE,

EXPECTED NEXT MONTH

NEW YORK, January The Paris correspondent of the "Nelr York Times" expresses the opinion that, tho Germans will attempt a blow in the West early in the year. M. Gustav H«yve warns "the nation, to prdparo Mr an onslaught in February. It must be ready to resist then, it conies later, all tho hotter. _ H« anticipates a sudden attack with picked troops, heavy artillery, automobile cannon, and probably tanks. It is iafe to assume that after capturing tho first British tank, the Germans b<oan reproducing it. He docs not think the Germans hnvo large manoeuvring bodies of troops available.

AMERICANS WITH,THE ALLIES

LONDON, January 5. Tho "Evening Standard" estimates -

that nearly 50,000 Americans arc fighting with the Allied armies. Some are millionaires, and Harvard men, including tho two brothers Thaw, of Pitteourg, who aro lien tenants in tho French Army. THE NEW ZEALANDERS. A SERGEANT'S ADVENTURE. ("Th« Times.") LONDON, January 5. "The Times" correspondent at tho British Headquarters supplies the following story in connexion with recent trench raids: —When tho others were preparing to leave the German trenches a New Zealand sergeant was buried in the debris. " His cries were not heard. After remaining concealed for two hours, he boldly emerged, and tried to find the British trenches. Ho encountered a jeeonnoitring patrol of five Germans with levelled revolvore. He •shot the non-commissioned officer dead. The others hesitated, and then laid down their arms. The sergeant, who had boon reported as missing, triumphantly returned with his prisoners, and was congratulated by his officer. He replied : j "It was not I who found tho silly Germans. They just came along to • be caught."