THE WESTERN THEATRE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16119, 25 January 1918, Page 7

THE WESTERN THEATRE.

AERIAL ACTIVITY.

BRITISH RAIDS ON GERMAN

TOWNS

(By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright.) | (Australian and Is.Z. Cable -association.) (Router's Telegrams.) | LONDON, January 23. j Sir Douglas Hiaig reports : — | "There wore succesalul en- i counters last night, eastward of Ypros. Th© enemy raided, one of our posts southward of St. Quentin. There was' hostile artillery activity at Cambrai'"Our aeroplanes, during the night, dropped over 200 bombs on aerodromes near Courtrai, and on billets at lloulers and Rumbeke. "We also raided Germany, and dropped two tons of bombs on the stool, works at Thionvillo, tho railway siding at Bernsdorf, and the Arnavil'e junction." ENEMY RAIDS REPULSED. (Received January 2oth, 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, January 24. Sir Douglas Haic reports:— I "Wo dispersed a small party making i an effort to approach our positions west of Yillers Guislain.. "Another party, which succeeded in entering our trendies north-west of La Bassee, was cjected, leaving prisoners in our hands. "Tlio enemy also raided our sap west of La Bassee. "There is hostile artillery activity between St. Quentin and the Scarpc, and in tho neighbourhoods of Mossines and Zonnebeke." GERMAN SUCCESS IN BELGIUM. (Received January 2oth, 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, January 24. A French communique states:— "An important raid, after an intense : bombardment, enabled the Germans to gain a footing in an advanced element in our lino east of Nieuport, a town in Belgium." A GERMAN REPORT. | Admiralty per Wireless Press. j (Received January 24th, 8.10 p.m.) J LONDON, January 23. j A German oificial report states:— "We. beat back, after violent hand-to-hand fighting, a Frcnch. attack north of Souain, north-east of Avocourt." ENEMY" LEADERS DISAGREE.

(Australian and 27. Z. Cable Association.) WASHINGTON, January 23. The correspondent of the Chicago "Daily News" on the French front says that serious differences are reportod .between Marshal von Hindenburg and General von Ludendorff. It is believed that von Ludendorff is opposed to a big offensive on the West front. GREAT OFFENSIVE IMMINENT. NEW YORK, January 23. The Paris correspondent of the Now York "Times" says that Fiance :s awaiting confidently the great German offensive on the West front, which is believed to be imminent. This-will be i-he decisive, and perhaps the final, battle of the war. M. Joseph Roinach. and other, writers are of opinion that Nancy will be one of the principal enemy objectives. It is known that tiie Germans are heavily concentrating forces in Lorraine, but France has perfected her defences, and an enemy attack is doomed to failure.