FRENCH MAKE PROGRESS SOUTH OF THE OISE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16500, 28 March 1917, Page 7

FRENCH MAKE PROGRESS SOUTH OF THE OISE.

CAPTURE OF TWO VILLAGES NORTH OF SOISSOfIS. MANY GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACKS HEAVILY REPULSED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. • Australian and N.Z. Cablo. (Received 7 p.m.) LONDON, March 26. The latest French communique states: "South of the Oise wo made important progress in the Couchy Forest in spite of the difficulties of the ground and a lively resistance by the enemy. We occupied Folembray, south-east of Chauny, and La Flueille, north of Soissons. Equal progress was made in the region of Vregny." ' LONDON, March 26. An earlier communique states: " During the night the Germans repeatedly renewed attacks on the front from Essigny, seven miles south and west of St. Quentin, to Benay, but were arrested by our fire and counter-attacks. Serious losses were inflicted on the enemy. We maintained the positions taken yesterday south of the Oise, and continued our advance, despite the state of the ground and bad weather." The French advance north and south of the Oise has made them masters" of a considerable area of country, in which there has intermittently been severe fighting during the whole period of trench warfare. The Germans dug themselves deeply into country which lends itself to protracted defence, and which in parts is scored with quarries and caves. The French have advanced through the Forest de l'Aigle and tho plateau bordering it, and taken many villages in a district valuable because of its numerous woods. Carlefont, south of Noyon, recently captured, is only a large village, but it is. the hub of several roadways traversing the valley cf the Lower Aisne, and going, for example, to Noyon and Chauny, both of which are now in French hands, and again towards St. Gobain and Laou. Tergnier, south of St. Quentin and west of La Fere, which was recently captured, is an important railway centre, and it is the junction at which the railway line from Rheims and Laon meets the trunk line of the main German communications coming down through Cologne, Nam or, Le Cateau, and St. Quentin.