NIGHT SHIRT RAIDERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4473, 14 February 1917, Page 5

NIGHT SHIRT RAIDERS.

AMUSING INCIDENT ON BRITISH FRONT. TROOPS CHARGE OVER THE SNOW. CLAD IN LADIES’ NIGHTDRESSES.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable As-sn.) (Received Feb. 13, 5.30 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 13. Mr Philip Gibbs, official correspondent on the British front, humorously explains recent German communiques’ reference to British snow-shirts. He says the troops in the front were recently enlivened by curious stories of officers -shopping in the French villages and buying up ladies’ night-dresses, and soon the Canadian trenches echoed with laughter as hundreds of brawny men were donning the nightdresses in the bright moonlight. They went out into snow-covered No Man’s Land, and many of their white robes were stained red before the adventure ended, hut the Germans, on glimpsing the fantastic figures, quickly surrendered or were slain and the so-called Pierrots returned lightheartedly, bringing prisoners. The Gordons carried <# out a similar successful raid, wearing white smocks and whitepainted helmets.

THE GERMAN RETIREMENT. KEEN INTEREST IN FRANCE. (Reuter’s Telegram.) PARIS, Feb. 12. The newspapers pay great attention to the British advance, characterising it as of real importance. They suggest that the British should definitely ascertain whether the German retirement is wholly forced or whether it represents some new tactical device. BRITISH MAKE FURTHER PROGRESS. LATEST OFFICIAL REPORTS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. (Reuter’s Telegrams.) (Received Feb. 13, 6.45 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 13. Sir Douglas Haig reportsWe made further progress yesterday in the neighborhood of the Beaucourt-Pui-sieux road, and occupied 600 yards of trench without difficulty. A counterattack southward of Serrc Hill was caught in an artillery barrage and easily repulsed. We entered the enemy’s line in a number of places. We exploded an ammunition dump southeast of Armentieres.

A French communique reports intermittent reciprocal artillerying in 'tlie Bezange sector of the Vosges.