WESTERN FRONT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 50, 28 February 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT

SUCCESSFUL BRITISH BOMBDRCPPiNC .(Bee. Feb. 28, 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 27. An Admiralty report states that aircraft on Monday night dropped' many ■tons of bombs on Oostabker aerodrome and Bruges lock with good results. Two further raids were made on Tuesday on Engel (north-west of Thourout) dump and Abeel e aerodrome. All our machines returned. ARTILLERY DUELS. 'Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter.) LONDON, Feb. 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports hostile artillery activity at Flesquieres (southsouthwest of Camlbrai) and l Ypres. A French communique says there is ■marked reciprocal artillery action north of ithe Chemin-des-Dames (Aisne) and on both 'banks of the Meuse (Verdun), especially at Hill 304, the Mori Homme, Beaumont, and Chambrettes. BRITISH AIR RAIDS. LONDON, Feb. 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports : —Our night fliers dropped 1200 bombs, chiefly on aerodromes at Ghent, Tourriai and Courtrai, and billets at Douai and St. Quentin. RAIDS REPULSED. (Rec. Feb. 28, 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We repulsed raids north-westward of St. Quentin and Bullecourt and- eastward of Vermelles (south-west of La Bassee). There was reciprocal artillerying north-eastward of Ypres. AMERICAN FRONT FIRST EXPERIENCE OF GAS. A SURPRISE ATTACK. (Australian and N.Z. Gable Association) (Bee. Feb. 28, 11.25 a.m.) NEW YORK, Feb. 27. Th e United Press correspondent at the American front states that the first gas attack against the American forces was -made on Tuesday. The Germans hurled 100 gas .projectiles with suc'i suddenness that several Americans were unable to utilise/ their masks. A second gas attack followed almost immediaTety, but the Americans replied with 'heavyffi e and held all their positions.

Five Americans were killed ar.d 50 taken to hospital. ,

FRtNCH EVE BY Af HERE READY ARMY'S UNCONQUERABLE SPIRIT ,'ftectcr's Telegrams.) LONDON, Feb. 26. French Headquarters' correspondent says that as the shadow of the expected German offensive looms larger it is comforting to know that the French are readv everywhere to meet it whenever it falls. Behind; fch e French front winter has been a time of methodical preparation. Unnumbered miles of trenches have been dug, roads and communications improved, and fresh monstrous .growths of wire placed in every road and field where a German advance is conceivable. Artillery and munitions ar e ready in quantities th e Germans have never before encountered. But a surer and stronger defence- is. the unconquerable spirit of th e French army. They are ready and better prepared that ever before. GENERAL FOCH CONFIDENT. NO GERMAN SURPRISES. POSSIBLE NEAR EASTERN OFFENSIVE. a*i N.Z. Cable Association NEW YORK, Feb. 26.

In the course of an interview witn General Foch, Mr Charles Grasty (special correspondent in London of the New York Times) asked if the Germans would! have new gasses. General Foch replied: "No. They -will have tanks, but -we can outmatch them. The Germans may 'begin an offensive in Roumania or Macedonia, working towards Italy. Th e Teuton numbers will not make for superiority. They had' three to our in the Yser campaign, when we were almost without artillery or munitions, yet they failed. Italy "is solid. Her danger is past, while the British and French are readyto help. They believe that th e Tta'ian army -will hold its own." Italy" ITALIAN FRONTIER CLOSED'. (Australian and N.Z. Gable Association) PARIS, Feb. 26. The Italian: frontier is closed.