FRENCH BRILLIANTLY SUCCESSFUL IN THE CHAMPAGNE.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13859, 20 April 1917, Page 6

FRENCH BRILLIANTLY SUCCESSFUL IN THE CHAMPAGNE.

NEW POSITIONS AND MEN AND MATERIA!. CAPTURED

BRITISH MAKE FURTHER PROGRESS ON THE ARRAS FRONT, (Australian and New Zealand Cable Association,) ... LONDON, April 18. A French communique say's: In the region south of St. Quentin there has been-great mutual artillery, activity,,,,. South.of the Oise and east of the lower TJruck forest; there"ha,Ve'been numerous patrol engagements. Between Soissons and' Auberive we' • carried out night operations in detail, securing considerable advantages. To the west a brilliaiit action gave us the village of Craonne and the complete position'of Chivy.' 'North-east of ' these places we carried the whole as far as the approaches to' Bray-en-Laomiais, into 1 which our patrols penetrated. In the sector of Yille-aux-Bois, which we captured, we have taken '. several fortified works, and also the woods east of that place. ' In the Champagne counterattack,son our position on both sides of Mont Cornillet stopped short-by--our fire,'resulting in bloody enemy losses. The artillery duel is violent. On a great ■ part of the attacking front the enemy had withdrawn their'heavy and field artillery to the rear; nevertheless we captured twelve guns, including three heavies, a considerable' quantity of machine guns, and numerous^ trench engines, . .have .taltqii..l4,ooo. prisoners since the 16th instant: ■

(Australian 'and Now Zealand Cablo Association.) LONDON, April 18.

A wireless German official message states: Artillery .action is again intense in the sectors around tlie Arras battlefield. We repulsed French attacks on tlio lleaulncr ridge, the Oraonne heights, north-west of Villc-aux-Bois wood, near LegodotCourcy, and on the Aisne-Marne, Canal, We checked fresh attacks in the Champagne, though they were preceded by a very strong artillery preparation over a twenty-kilometre front'.' Our counter-attack regained a portion of the wood between Moronvillers and Aiiberive. Wo took 500 prisoners. During Monday's lighting we destroyed'twenty-six armoured curs and brought down eighteen aeroplanes. The High •Commissioner reports :—,•••

LONDON; April 15 (0,45 a.m.)

Sir Douglas Ilaig reports: During the night'we made progress south-eastward and eastward of Epchy, and this.morning captured Yillers-Guislaiu, taking some prisoners. We have also improved our position in Lagnicomi Heavy rain is falling.

(Australian and Hew Zealand Calilo Association.) Received April 20, 1.30, a.m. ...

PARIS, April 19. It is estimated that the Germans on tli.e AYcst Fj'ont' have lost 100,000 men in eight days.

ANGLO-FRENCH GRADUALLY EXTENDING FIGHTING FRONT!

REMARKABLE SUCCESS OF NEW TACTItiS. '

(United Service.)

LONDON, April 18,

It will probably be weeks before a decision is reached in the present mighty battle, though the strategic effect is already considerable.

Le Matin says that Marshal von Ilindenburg, w,ho was preparing attacks on Riga and Italy, lias been forced to frantically rush troops westward.

M. Marcel Hutin, writing in the Echo de Paris, describes the episode of the French occupation of the southern slopes of Moronvillers. The position was regarded as impregnable, but the' attack compelled the Crown, Prince to bring up 200,000 reserves, and even then the second German position was carried in the face of a most desperate resistance. Time after time' the enemy's counter-attacks were decimated. Router's correspondent at Headquarters estimates that there are two million men engaged in the offensive. He says: The extension of the French attack in the Champagne illustrates afresh the value of the new tactical method practised by the. British at Arras, namely, the constant enlargement of the front as the attack progresses, with great strength in the wings, so that when the objective is reached there is no danger of a salient inviting an outflanking attack. The method enables better contact among the troops to be maintained, and facilitates the work of the artillery. ' ■'• '

THE TRAIL OF THE HUN IN RE-OCCUPIED TERRITORY,

POLICY OF INSPIRING RESIDENTS WITH TERROk , and New Zealand Cable Association.) • - ; PARIS, April 18. •The Commission investigating German atrocities in. reconquered France reports that systematic methods (vere followed to reduce the citizens to servitude. Women and ; girls .were • raped, and liomcSj towns, industries, trees, and implements were-. ' destroyed with the evident object of inspiring terror. In soir.e places the invaders wrecked beds, and chests, and everything, available was carried away. Loathsome unprintable acts were done on the altars of some of the churches. IR BONAR LAW'S SIGNIFICANT UTTERANCE. "LONG NIGHT OF SORROW AND ANGUISH DRAWING TO. CLOSE." ' 1 ■ • >■■' C (Australian and New Zealand Gable Association.) , LONDON, April 18. : Special significance is atfaclicd to Mr Boiiar Law's recent statement in the House of Commons that:. ''lt is,believed that, the long night' of sorrow and. anguish which has desolated the world is drawing to j a clos6.'' • ' ; ' r '