SUCCESSFUL BELGIAN RAID

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9621, 29 March 1917, Page 5

SUCCESSFUL BELGIAN RAID

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and New Zealand Cable March 27 , A French communique states: Between, the Somme and the Oise, our artillery dispersed enemy gatherings between Bon ay and Lmllors. _ We continue to advance south of tho Oise. In the lower forest of Oouo> wo occupy the entire northern/ portion. Tho enemy was driven beyond tho Barisis-Servais line. _ • 0 . -i -ta,. We brilliantly carried the village of Coucy le Chateau in tho .jouth i crest, in the region of Soissons. We captured a farm north-west of Margivihc. and strongly hold tho point d’appui. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. (Received March 28, 9.20 p.ic I LONDON, March 23. A French communique states; Between the Somme and the Oise there is violent reciprocal artillery action.. On tho Roupy-Essigny-Benay front, whore our fire stopped dead several attempts at attack south of Oise, we are following up our success, capturing all tho lower forest at Coney and the villages of Petit Barisis, .Vemeuil, and Coney le Ville. Our advanced elements on the Somme points have reached the western outskirts of the forest of St. Gobain and tn e upper part of Coucy. , Uur losses itt this region were slight. , -n North of Soissons we made important progress north of Neiiville sur Marginal and north-east of Leuilly. ■ High Commissioner s CaDle. LONDON, March 27, 2.30 p.m. A French official report states: Southward of the Oise we have continued our progress in the Lower Coucy Forest, and have occupied the northern part. The enemy has been, thrown back beyond the lino ot Lansis and ServaiaSouthward of the forest wo- made a brilliant attack during tho night on the village of Coucy; tho Germans are energetically defending the chateau. Northward of Soissons, wo took a farm to the north-west of Margival, a point d-appui solidly hold by the enemy.

IMPORTANT GERMAN ADMISSION RETIREMENT TO PREVENT ENCIRCLEMENT. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Renter. . , (Received March 28, G p.m.) 1 , LONDON, March 27. A wireless German official message- states '■ Rain lias reduced the fighting on the whole of the West front. , The enemy has Occupied Roisel. „. Strong French forces came upon our reserves between the Uiso ana Coney lo Chateau. We gave way before a threatened encircling, movement,, which therefore failed. FIGHTING ON BRITISH FRONT additional towns occupied. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Router. (Received March 2b, b.d6 p.ifl > LONDON, March 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— , „ Our cavalry drove the enemy out of Longavesnes, Lieramcnt, and Eqoacotlrt which wo occupy. We took a number of prisoners. The enemy’s third attack northward of Eeanmctz was temporarily successful, but wo recaptured tno post and re-established our position. Our fire drove off a raiding party eastward of Piocgstreet. THE NEW 'GERMAN LINE AN ELABORATELY FORTIFIED REDOUBT. United Press Association—Copyright. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. ( _ PARIS, March 27. The Gormans seem to he malting a. stand in the “massif” of St. Gobain. which is an elaborately fortified redoubt stretching from the Oise, cast of Chauney, through the two forests of Coney, almost to the Aisnc. It consists of high ground intersected bydcop ravines, which arci easily defensible. Its weakness is that it does not quite extend to the Aisnc. The French are therefore able to drive in from the south between the massif and valley. The I’Tenoh have gained a footing in the' Forest of Coucy at several points, and are also strongly attacking at Neuvillc, the fighting being conducted in tho woods, without trenches, in the old-fashioned manner. The so-called “Hindenhnrg position” consists of a labyrinth of concreted trenches, connected by covered ways, and protected by seven or eight lines of barbed wire. SUCCESSFUL BELGIAN RAID ENEMY’S FIELD WORKS RAZED AND PRISONERS TAKEN. Admiralty—Per Wireless Press. LONDON, March 27. A Belgian official report states that a Belgian detachment raided a German position near Stoenstraat (five miles north of Ypres), inflicted losses on the enemy, razed his field works, and brought back prisoners.

FACTORY EXPLOSION ONE KILLED, NINE INJURED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Ana. and N Z. Cable Assn, and Renter. (Received March 28, 6 p.m.) LONDON, March 27. An accidental explosion occurred in a munition factory in the North of England. The damage was slight. One person was killed and nine injured. i AUSTRALIAN BASE METALS OUTPUT SOLD TO BRITAIN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received March 8, 9.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, March 28. The chairman of the Stock Exchange states that Mr Hughes has sold to Britain the Australian output of base metals for ten years.

PRICE OF OBUOS REOyOED By Telegraph—Pros# Association—Copyrigh* Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, March 27. Owing to the improvements in the methods of British manufacture, the prices of antifebrm, aspirin, and several other drugs have been enormously reduced. A PATRIOTIC PROPOSAL IN MEMORY OF THE DEAD. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association LONDON, March 37. A movement is being promoted to burn War l/ian bonds in memory of the dead, thus relieving taxation. The donors of the bonds will be granted illuminated certificates, acknowledging their patriotism.