SNOWFALL IN THE WEST

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 88, 13 April 1917, Page 7

SNOWFALL IN THE WEST

IMPEDING BRITISH OPERATIONS

SUCCESSFUL GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACK

{AW3TRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION AND BEUTEB.) v . .. " LONDON, 11th April. Sir Douglas Haig reports : A heavy snowfall all day rendered observation impossible, and impeded our operations. We beat off two counter-attacks on our new positions near Monchy-le-Preux. Prisoners taken at Monchy-le-Preux state that they -were ordered to hold the village at all costs. Further south we penetrated the neighbourhood of Bullecourt (one and a-half miles east of Croisillesjj talcing prisoners. Large enemy forces counterattacked, and forced us back on our own lines. Our artillery inflicted heavy losses on the attacking troops. . ■ The High Commissioner reports:— ■ .LONDON, 12th April, 3.15 p.m. British Official.—Sir Douglas Haig reports: The weather continues wef and stormy. Early this morning we captured two important positions on the enemy's lines, northwards of Vimy Ridge and astride the River Souchez. A number of prisoners were taken. During the night two hostile attacks on our new positions ait the northern end of Vimy Ridge were driven off by our machine-gun fire with heavy Ger- ; man losses. ■ . . Some progress has been made southwards of the River Scarpe,, AWKWARD GERMAN SALIENTS (AUSTBALIAN-NBW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) {Received April 13, 8 a.m.) LONDON, 11th April. Experts suggest that the Germans were obliged to employ large forces at Bullecourt,- because eight miles from that place the line still bulges westward towards Arras, and is in danger of being pinched out. The salient north of Vimy Ridge and south-west of Lens is also dangerously narrow. SITUATION FRAUGHT WITH TREMENDOUS r POSSIBILITIES LONDON, 11th April. Router's correspondent at Headquarters states : "The splendid success of the offensive at Vimy has created a most interesting tactical situation, fraught with tremendous possibilities. The enemy has been forced back on the pivot of his previous retreat in manner which creates a dangerously sharp salient." THE GERMAN CLAIM > (AT7STBAMAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION AND BETJTEB.) LONDON, 11th April. A German wireless official report states : Near Fampoux, northwards of the Scarpe, English infantry attacks, and several cavalry attacks near Roeux, failed. The fighting near Monchy and Wancourt (two miles further south) was in our favour. ' ENEMY FAITH IN HINDENBURG LINE (ATJSTBALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) "< LONDON, lltb.. April. ' The Vossische Zeitung describes the British offensive as the commencement of decisive operations, and declares that the Germans may rely on the strength of the uncompleted Drocourt-Queant, or Woden, line, which links up with the southern, or Seigfried, line, forming what is known as the .Hindenburg line. , [Drocourt is-five and a-half miles south-east of Lens. Queant is five miles south-east of CroisiUes. Woden is the Anglo-Saxon name of the deity called • by the Norse Odin—"the mighty warrior." Siegfried, the hero of various German legends, slew the dragon, and then rendered himself invulnerable by bathing in its blood. In the end death came to him. He was treacherously killed by Hagen, who learned that-Siegfried was mortal between the shoulders.]