HEAVY FIGHTING AROUND ST. QUENTIN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9620, 28 March 1917, Page 5

HEAVY FIGHTING AROUND ST. QUENTIN

ttnited Press Association—Copyright. (Received March 27, 9.33 p.tn.) LONDON. March 26. Great battles in France are in course or development with immense possibilities. french critics are exhilarated, declaring that the greatest event since tho Battle of the Marne may he expected immediately. Tho Prussian War Minister, General von Stein, in giving as an excuse for tho retreat the insufficiency of guns, claims that Germany does not lack ammunition, and is prepared to meet offensives imperturbably. America’s intervention does not trouble Germany, because an American Continental army is impossible. The “Vorwaerts” urges Herr von Bethmann-Holwegg to offer peace to Russia, adding: “The outlook of tho war has suddenly changed. Wo no longer fight Ozarism and its Allies, but an alliance of the world’s democratic-ally-governed peoples which asserts its will to tear down in Germany tho last bulwark of reaction-” HINDENBURG’S LINE OF DEFENCE FIERCE FIGHTING FOR HIGH GROUND. Australian and New Zealand Cabin Association. (Received March 27, 10.20 p-m.) LONDON, March 26. Mr Philip Gibbs states that tho enemy has now reached Hiodenburg’s line of defence extending from Amis past Oambrai and St. Quentin to Laon. Tho French are fighting heavily around St. Quentin, threatening to turn the enemy lime. Tho Germans are fighting determinedly near Boaumctz lo Cnmbrai in their efforts to prevent us from bolding the high ground overlooking their main defences. We took Boaumctz unopposed on Wednesday. Tho Gormans retook it on. Thursday, but we drove them out, and they again attacked un~ availingly on Friday. Tho German command called for volunteers for this operation, but without result. As a consequence companies specially trained for assaulting troops wore ordered to take Bcaumetz. They tried and failed. Wo took LagnicoUrt this morning. It was occupied by four companies of Germans. SEVERAL ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED CAPTURED POSITIONS ENTIRELY MAINTAINED. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, March 26. A French communique states: Our firo stopped a counter-attack. We repulsed several fresh enemy attacks at night on tho Essigny-Benay front, between the Somme and tho Oise, and serious loss was inflicted on the enemy. Wo entirely maintained the positions captured yesterday, and continued tho advance south of the Oise, in spite of tlic state of the ground and tho bad weather - . •

French air squadrons dropped a ton of bombs on tho factories at Thionvilla and Briey, and also on the railway stations of Conflans and Montmedy. A RECORD OF PROGRESS High Commissioner’s Cables. LONDON, March 26, 2.45 p.ra. French official report: During the night the Gormans repeatedly renewed attacks on the Essigny-Benay front, but wore arrested by our fire and counter-attacks. Serious looses wore inflicted on tho enemy. AVe maintained tho positions taken yesterday southward of tho Oise and have continued our advance, despite tho state of tho ground and bad weather. LONDON, March 26, 4.50 p.m. French official: South of the Oise wo made important nrogress in the Couchy forest in spite of the difficulties of the, ground and a lively resistance on the part of tho enemy, occupying Folcmbray awl La. Fluoille. North of Soissons equal progress was made in. tho region of Vregny. LONDON, March 26, 10.5 p.m. British offioial: This morning wc captured the village of Lagnieourt, north of the Bajpaume-Cambrai road. During tho afternoon tho enemy made determined counter-attacks, but was driven off. A third attack was caught in the open by our artillery and was not developed. A GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT FRENCH SUFFER HEAVY LOSSES, Admiralty—Per Wireless Press. LONDON, March 26. A German official report states: We attacked tho French who had advanced across the Sommc-Crozct Canal, inflicting heavy losses. Three attacks east of tho Ailette resulted in a check to the Froncli advance north of the Aisne. An air squadron attacked Dunkirk, and calmed several fires. The communique claims that eleven Allied aeroplanes were brought down on Sunday. LIFE IN OCCUPIED TERRITORIES TREATMENT OF CIVILIANS BY GERMANS. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. (Received March 28, 12.55 a.m.) LONDON, March 26. An Englishman living lininterned at Roubaix, Lille, Brussels and Antwerp since the outbreak of the war describes life in the occupied territories. German rule at tho outset was comparatively mild. Civilians were ordered to be in doors at 8 p.m., except for a fortnight when they were sent in. doors at 5 because they cheered when a British airman brought down a Fokker aeroplane over tnc town of Roubaix, and repeatedly plastered the orders regulating civilian life. Every German victory was compulsorily celebrated. English and French newspapers were smuggled in. ‘‘The Times” was loaned at 2s per hour. The poorer classes paid one franc admission to a back room weekly whore the war news was read. AVI ion the Allies declared the blockade in March, 1915, the German iron- heel appeared, and civilians were Heated more rigorously and fined.