GERMAN THIRD LINE PENETRATED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16283, 17 July 1916, Page 5

GERMAN THIRD LINE PENETRATED

STRONG DEFENCES BROKEN.

RAPID MOVEMENT OF GUNS.

SUCCESSES ON EASTERN FRONT.

GERMANS HARD PRESSED

The new advance on the British front in France is progressing favourably. The British have captured the two villages of Bazentin-le=Petit and Longueval, on the enemy's second line, and also Trones Wood. They are fighting eastward of Longueval, and have penetrated the third system of German trenches. The secondline German trenches were carried at small loss. Over 2000 prisoners were taken in 24 hours, making the total taken by the British since the Somme offensive began 10,000. Large quantities of material have also been captured. A feature of the attack was the rapid transference of the British guns, this preventing the Germans from fortifying the rear positions.

French reports state that the locale of the British advance is the pivot of the German battlefront. and its most strongly, defended point. It is considered increasingly probable that the Germans will have to retire to new positions. A Times correspondent, writing from Petrograd after visiting General Evert, says that the Germans are snatching remnants from everywhere to stave off a rupture of their front. The Germans fear the turning of their position on the Dvina, thus threatening East Prussia. Masses have therefore been concentrated at the threatened point, but the corres= pondent says that the numbers of the Russians must tell in the end.

South of Pripet the Russians hemmed in an Austro* German force on three sides, and took heavy toll of them as they rushed to escape through a narrow opening. The panic amongst the enemy was so intense that the Russians occupied a valuable strategic position which had long seemed impregnable.

The Grand Duke Nicholas organised a vigorous thrust in Armenia, along the valley of the Euphrates, where the Russians, in a few days, advanced 25 miles. The Turks already have lost practically all the ground they gained in their recent offensive.

The Italians in the Tofana region, at the northern extremity of the Venetian Alps, blew up and captured the summit of the Castelletto Mountain. This commands the road to the Dolomites.

Serious riots have occurred in the German towns of Cologne and Aix-laChapelle. In the former town 20 citizens were killed and 40 injured.

King Ferdinand of Roumania conferred with the Russian Minister at Bucharest, and later received other Entente Ministers.