GREAT SWEEP ON 45 MILES OF FRONT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3032, 20 March 1917, Page 5

GREAT SWEEP ON 45 MILES OF FRONT

SPLENDID ADVANCE IN 24 HOURS OVER SIXTY VILLAGES CAPTURED IV High f'omuniM.loner reports: Uiijjpn, Marrli ii, jl.'Jfj p.m. A. British official report, ft?.tn?,: "We hare occupied Necle, Chaulnes, asd Petonne. "Pressing back IV. enemy rearguard, our f.mops have advanced several raiWs dunng the past, 'Jl hours, to a depth reaching ien miles in places on e. front of approsimately io mile;., from the south of Ohaulner, to the neighbourhood of Arrao. b "During this period, vi taken, brsidrr; (ho towns mentioned, over 60 villages." Tho Press 'Association dispatch covering Ihe abovo message adds: "Two German raids reached our trenches nortli-easfc nf Vermellea. There is great aerial aelivi'.y." "IW FULL AND RAPID RETREAT" RETREATING ENEMY I'OLSONING THE WELLS, By Telegraph-rrcss "Aesociation-Oopyiisrht London, March 18. MY. Philip Gihbs writes: "The Germans are in full and rapid retreat to HOT.- lines many miles in the rear. They have abandoned positions and aro laying waslo villages in the entire countryside, poisoning wells with arsenic, burning bridges, and mining ro»ds. Our cavalry patrols have gone far away, and tho infantry is pushing forward."—iVus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FINE WEATHER AND HARD FIGHTING London, March 18. Reuters correspondent afc Hoadqnarters, in a message dated 18th instant, states: The rapid burdening of the ground and fino weather are responsiblo for the activity on the Sommo and the Ancre. There was much fighting today, our patrols pressing the enemy rearguards everywhere. The sharpest conflict, was at Bapaume, whore tho British came upon, the before they could clrar away their covering troops. 'Cho Germans began to withdraw immediately wo advanced. The rapidity of thoir retirement showed that the German miiin army lias fallen back a considerable distance. —Eeuter. The "Times" correspondent at Westorn Headquarters etatea that favoured with fine weather and tho drying of tho gronnd, we are everywhere pressing tho retiring Germans. Tho strenuous activity behind the lines eclipses tho busiest days of the Sommo offensive. The spirit of the troops is ono of demonstrative enthusiasm.—Tho "Times." IMPORTANT JUNCTION EXPECTED TO FALL 1 Paris, March 18. I Sir Dougla? Haip's successes are considered as the prelude to the capture lof tho important junction of Croisilles (eight miles south-east of Arras). The Germans aro expected to yield a considerable extent of ground in the Arras I district.—Aus.-N.JI. Cable Assn. IN THE WAKE OF THE GERMAN RETREAT ANGLO-FUENCH CA.YALRY ON THE MOVE.

(Rce. March 19, 9.15 p.m.) London, March 19. Mr. Pliilip Gibbs, in a- dispatch dated Sunday, states: "The British entered Pcronno to-day. That statement alone is sensational enough, but it does not stand alono. The whole of the old German line from the south of .Urns in Chiiulnes, one vast fortress, built by the labour of millions of

j men, witb thousands of machine-guns, redoubts, and forests of barbed wire, bus slipped away, and the enemy is now in rapid retreat to new lines a many j miles away, laying waste the country-side as he goes. Scores of villagOß 1 nnrth-cast of Bapanme and cast of Peronno aro burning. The town of Atnois, ', liKo a flaming lord), is visibln for miles. Others are smouldering ruins, i from which tho volumes of smoko roll. No homesteads or farms remain. Only black ruins and devastation. Tlib enemy is adopting war's malignancy io tho nlmosl.. Poisoned wnlls prevent the cavalry from drinking. A number havo Ikm'ii tested, and liavo heen found to contain arsonic. Tbo bridges over Ilin waierways havn been burnt, mines beneath cross-roads havo opened I'liiirtuiiiis praters, high cxplosivo traps aro scattered in tho path of our ' patrol*. II is impossible io giro our PXaofc lino, it tho present moment our ; I'iivalrv patrols aru aver llin hills and far away, and our infantry patrols aro forward. Only our aeroplanes know their exact whereabouts. The? '. imvr lvjiiiul Hnsqupnos, Bam-ourt, ]?avri6ul, and Bapigniea. Our cavalry ! hai-n penetrated cast, of Aohiot-10-Gnind, tnrning tho German line. Tho ■ .-ai-alrv li.'ivm :ilmi ircnnnoitrcd tlio crossing of tho Canal Dunoit), ftb.-'iit j Tito Angln-l'Vciicli cavalry patrols aro far to tlio south, noar Is'psla. Tlif (iVnuans arc. cniplo.vinfr a ravalry screen behind their rcarguartls. Tacy i Vrro jwn on SalniHav north of Papaume and south of Roye. Our troops I his morning passcri Klcrpipny, and also reached Misery and MarohalpoL. "There. « ; 's some on Saturday niphfc around Peronno. Our p.i.l rnls, dospito Hie .iciivities of the Knjpcns aud tho machine-guns, and some slK'Uins. ponotr»tc<l Mont St. Quontiu, tho chief defence of Peronnej and PiTtnred other neighbouring villajtes in' the morning. Later in tto day l.bo mounlnd men entered Peronno. Tbo enemy had gono, and his dug-outs we io liurnius. A portion of tho town -was smouldering, but Peronno was ~„• iiiirrlv nV'-tro'-i'il Manv hnnsrs stj|| s |, ; ind. Tho enemy seems to have (| iiiii-'! I'^rii"! 1 •■" Saturday aI, an uppoiulcd time. Thn whole of his hn* v.a;. lirnifT I'ea.vilv until 10 n'clocl.. Theteal'tor not a fliot wan fired. Ho Bad abandoned tho great defensive worts on Hie famous Bapaume ridge."— .Cable 'Assu.