ENEMY AT BAY.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15860, 27 March 1917, Page 7

ENEMY AT BAY.

PLANS UPSET BY RAPID PURSUIT.

RETREAT FORCED BY FOOD SHORTAGE.

ALLIES SECURE MUCH VALUABLE WAR MATERIAL.

FRENCH PROTEST TO NEUTRAL NATIONS.

THRILLING STORY OF BRITISH HEROISM IN MESOPOTAMIA.

(3rd TEAR—239th DAT.)

THE WESTERN THEATRE.

ENEMY AT BAY. SURPRISED BY RAPID PURSUIT. FRENCH HOLD COMMANDING POSITION. (By Cable—Press Association—Copyright) (Renter's Telogram*.) (Received March 26th, 5.5 pjn.) ) LONDON, March 25. A message from French Headquarters states:—"The enemy apparently miscalculated the rapidity of the French pursuit, and this has already cost him [heavy loss. We have forced tiio Germans to turn at bay. Large masses of enemy infantry are now engaged on the whole front from St. Quentin to the Ailette river." The correspondent describes the excellent commanding position which the advance has established. A FORCED RETREAT. GERMAN SOLDIERS UNDERFED. EATING CATS AND DOGS. ("The Times.") (Received March 26th, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 25. "The Times" Headquarters' correspondent says:—"There is evidence that the retreating Germans are underfed. They are eating cats and making sausages from dogs. They are extremely short of medical and surgical necessities, and numerous deaths have occurred in their ranks from poisoned wounds. This affords an additional demonstration that tho Germans were forced to retreat. | "The British are now passing weUj built, dugouts, trenches and gunpits. I Vast quantities of valuable material has been secured miles behind the surrendered line." RESTORING COMMUNICATIONS. THOUSANDS AT'WORK NIGHT AND DAY. (Renter's Telegram*.) (Received March 26th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 25. The British Headquarters' correspondent comments on the growing resistance of the Germans, and adds: —"Behind the recovered territory many thousands are toiling day and night restoring, communications and clearing .away the ruination left by the Germans. Especially speedy work has been done by the Royal Engineers in building bridges sufficient to carry tho heavy transport." FURIOUS FRENCH SOLDIERS DRIVE BACK THE ENEMY. HEAVY LOSsis" INFLICTED. (Ausw»!i»a mj«l N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received March 26th, 8.50 p.m.) LONDON, March 26. A Frcnch communique states: — "We continued our offensive from the Somme to the Aisne. Tho struggle is stubborn owing to the vigorous defence, but our soldiers, inflamed bv the sight of the destruction wrought by the enemy, everywhero drove back the Germans with heavy losses. "Between the Somme and the Oise we threw back the enemy beyond an important position between Cassies and Assigny le Grand, known as Hill 121. A violent counter-attack on the Assigny lo Grand front was broken. "South of the Oise at various points j wc penetrated the enemy's line at Lower Coney forest and reached the outskirts of Folembray and Coney le Chateau. The Germans at Folembray! were caught by our atrillery. and dis- | persed with great losses. "North of Soissons we increased our gains and repulsed counter-attacks. "Artillery is active on the Craonne and Verdun front." ( ORGY OF HORROR. HINDENBERG'S OWN ORDERS. GERMANS SICKEN AT WORK OF ! DESTRUCTION. (Received March 26th, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, March 25. Three hundred women, children and aged men died as a consequence of i

hardships, brutality and starvation immediately preceding and during the German retreat. There were 150 victims at Chauncy alone. The. destruction of property in the large towns lasted for three weeks. Some of the Germans admitted that the work sickened them, but they were carrying out Marshal von Hindenburg's orders. FRENCH GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATES. WELL APPEAL TO NEUTRALS. PARK, March 25. The President, M. Poincare, accompanied by the Ministers for War, the Interior, and Labour, with Senators and Deputies, visited Noyon, Guiscards, Ham, Nesle, and Roye. The Premier, M. Ribot, announced that the Government is collecting evidence in order to protest to neutrals against Germany's barbarous acts in the evacuated territory. | PEOTEST TO NEUTRALS. THE STOLEN SECURITIES. ALLIES "WILL NOT RECOGNISE .VALIDITY. j (Beutei's Telegrams.) (Received March 26th, 9.55 p.m.) PARIS, March 25. It is officially announced that France is protesting to neutrals that the Germans unjustifiably and 1 barbarously devastated the evacuated 'territory with the aim of ruining for many years one of the most fertile regions of Franco, j Neutral Governments are requested 'to warn banks against dealing in the securities stolen by the Germans from recaptured districts, as the Allies will not recognise the validity of such dealings. BRITISH POSITIONS IMPROVED. (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) (Beater's Telegrams.) (Received March 26th, G.S p.m.), LONDON, March 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"Wo improved our positions west of Croiselles. We entered enemy trenches north-east of Loos and ejected raiders who entered our trenches west of Hulluch. "There have been many fights. Eight German machines wero brought down, while four of ours are missing." CONSOLIDATING GAINS. LONDON. March 25. A French communique states :— "Wo progressed north of Grand Serancourt and St. Quentin. "We advanced appreciably north of Chauny, on the east bank of thq Ailotte, and consolidated our positions there and in the region north of Sois&ons. "We seized portions of trenches east of Melancourt Wood, west of the Meusc. "Yesterday's prisoners bolonged to seven different regiments. "There is great mutual activity in aerial bombing. The Germans bombed Dunkirk and Calais, but effected small damage." ENEMY BOxMBARDS SOISSONS. LONDON, March 25. A French communique states: — "There was littlo change during the night north of Soissons, which the Gcrman long-range guns are bombarding. "There was lively artillery action last night at Berrv-au-Bac," Rheims, and in Alsaco." ■ PRINCE CARL WOUNDED. PARIS, March 25. King Alfonso telegraphed to Prince Leopold of Prussia that Prince Friedrich Carl received a serious bullet wound in the stomach in a recent aerial fight. A recent German communique s'oated that Prince Friedrich Carl of Prussia was missing since ho flew over she enemy lines. THE ENEMY VERSON. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.; IX3NBOX, March 25. A wireless German official report says:— "South-east of Ypres w© advanced and found the trenches destroyed and evacuated. "Our protecting troops gave way, in accordance with instructions, at Beaumetz and Roisel, eastward of the Crozat Canal. "We repulsed the French at Vrigny and pierced the French lines at SouperCerney. "Aeroplanes destroyed seventeen Anglo-French machines." TREATMENT OF PRISONOUS. BERNE, March 25. Despite Anglo-French warnings, Germany is enforcing threats of reprisals. A large number of prisoners have been sent to the war zone. The Interna-

tional Red Cross is endeavouring to induce Germany to cancel the movement. GOOD FRENCH ADVANCE. SENSATIONAL MESSAGES CONTRADICTED. (Auatrslian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received March 26th. 10.45 p.m.) LONDON, March 26. Latest messages from the British and French fronts show that there is not tho least justification for the sensational messages published to-day that a set battle has commenced and the heaviest fighting is in progress. Tho French have advanced appreciably during tho past twenty-four hours, and lrava now driven "tho Overmans back to a line three miles south-west of St. Qucntin, whero they are expected to try and hold the line Grugies-Urvil-lers-Ceri?y-Mov. NEW ENEMY OUTPOST LINE. MAIN ARMT STILL OUT OF REACH. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received March 27th. 1 a.m.) LONDON, March 26. The "Morning Post's" correspondent at British Headquarters states: —On Monday enemy detachments were holding a new outpost lino on the front St. Quentin-Cambrai. The German light artillery was mildly shelling a few ruined villagos, which they thought were occupied by British cavalry. Our cavalry and cyclist patrols are constantly moving among the villages of the St. Quentin region, occasionally inviting contact with Germans, but never oontinuing the engagement. The British advance east and south of Bapaume has not brought the troops to the main German Armies, though they are everywhere within striking distance of a fairly strong outpost line. The Germans are still unwilifitig to make a determined stand if severely pressed. Tho weather is now ideal for cavalry work, a keen wind with bright sunshine affording exceptional facilities for air observation.