GERMANS REACH HINDENBURG'S LINE OF DEFENCE.

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

GERMANS REACH HINDENBURG'S LINE OF DEFENCE.

FROM AREAS TO LAON, PAST CAMBRAI AND ST. QUENTIN FRENCH THREATENING THE LINE AT ST. QUENTIN. BRITISH SEIZING HIGH GROUND OVERLOOKING DEFENCES. Australian and N.Z. Cable. ■•; (Received 10,20 p.m.) !l; LONDON, March 28. , Writing from British' headquarters, Mr. Philip Gibbs says: " The,-■' -enemy has now reached the Hindenburg line of defence from Arras, ■ •past Cambrai and St. Quentin, to Laon. ' The French are fighting / heavily round St. Quentin, and are threatening that town and the enemy's line.; '"■ ;■'"-'• : ;■ \> ;,- "The Germans fought determinedly near Beaumetz, six miles north-east of Bapaume, and south of the Bapaume-Cambrai road, in an effort to prevent the British holding the high ground overlooking their main defences. We took Beaumetz unopposed on Wednesday. The Germans'retook the village on Thursday, but the British drove them out. The enemy again attacked, without result, on Friday. The German command called for volunteers for this operation. There were none. Thereupon companies of men specially trained for assault were ordered to take Beaumetz. They tried and failed. The British took Lagnicourt, a village north of the BapaumeOambrai road, this morning. It wa-s occupied by four companies of Germans."

Cambrai, towards which the British are advancing, is tho centre of distribution for a wido district. It is well equipped with factories and warehouses. There is also a great railway junction, with six lines equipped for the heaviest traffic, while numerous roads meet in the town. Tho loss of Cambrai would cut not only tho great feeder line from Cologne through Maubeuge, but also sever the line from Mete and Sedan to Lille and Ostende, running parallel with the old front. Tho Bapaume ridge was the last natural obstacle covering Cambrai. Miles of level agricultural country now face the British. St. Quentin likewise stands on one of the main arteries of Europe. . There is a largo canal traffic, besides railways, which link the. Champagne front with the north-west. The whole district is a veritable network of railways,