THE RUSSO-ROUMANIANS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue 13047, 10 January 1917, Page 4

THE RUSSO-ROUMANIANS.

(Australian; and X.Z. Cable Assn.) Received January '■). at 6.45 p.m. London, January 9.

A wireless German official' message says: We are pursuing the defeated Russians near Foj-sani.

A Russian official report says: We captured a village north-west of Tirul swamp, and trenches south-west of liabit lake. We repulsed fierce counterattacks and drove back the enemy columns southward ot Krovo, on the Dwina front. \ Following a bombardment and three, gas waves, tin- enemy pressed back the Roumanians north-west of Focsani until the arrival of our reserves held them up. The enemy attacks on the Sereth were completely unsuccessful.

Received January 9, at 7.50 p.m. London, January S. A wireless German official message say-: The Russians strongly attacked west, of the- Riga and Mit-au road and extended their gains of the sth along the Aa river.

In Roumania we pushed hack the enemy between Putna and Oituz valleys and drove the Russo-Roumanians from the fortified mountain positions at Odobesti, towards Putna. We stormed' the Milcova position. We pierced the fiiemy's second line, between Focsani and Jaresta. and crossed the FocsaniBolotesti road. At Focsani we took 3010 prisoners and three guns.

Received January 10, at 9.5 a.m

Copenhagen, January 9. German correspondents state that the Russians on the Riga front are evidently in possession of great quantities of munitions and fresh reserves, and are preparing ror a new offensive near Mitau and southward of Riga. The artillery action is violent on both sides.

During a great snowstorm on Sunday ma-ses of Russians with white sheets over their uniforms, in order to escape detection, succeeded in entering the German trenches over a thousand metres front; between Manga! and Buabos. with a view to breaking through to the Mitau-Riga road. The Germans realised the danger and despatched all the available reserves. After violent- bomb and bayonet fighting the Russians retired.

Received January 10, at 10.15 a.m. Rome, January 9. Petrograd advises that in a battle on ihe Wallachian front the Austro-Ger-nians were repulsed. (A. and X.Z. Cable Assn. and Reuter.) Received January 10, at 11:10 a.m. ' London, January 9.

A wireless Russian official message

-ays : We threw hack an enemy offensive, westward of Riga and captured an island in the western Dvina river, north of Dvinr?k.

We defeated attacks south of the Oituz river. The Ron ma mans fell back six versts west of Monestar and Kachineul. on the Kasino river. IVp took up new positions, on tin- line of the Pntna and Sereth rivers.

Received January 10. at 11.-55 a.m

January 9

A wireless German official message says:—During a snowstorm the Russians recaptured Glaud'on Island, north of Illutsk" An attempt against the west bank of the Dvina failed. The enemy are tenaciously defending, the vallevs of the Bereozk mountains into the Moldavian plains, but we, .step by step, are advancing. We stormed positions on both, sides of the Casimv and Susita Valleys. We have reached the Putna- sector, where xha-fnemy is holding a new position, oil the oposite bank. We drove back the Russians to the Crangeni-Kanesti line, and stormed Garleaska.

Yesterday's capture? number 5400 men and three guns.

SPORTING AND RECRUITING

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received January 9, at 11.45 p.m. Svdnev. January 9.

A conference of representatives of all leading sporting bodies of the State considered the best means of assisting the new recruiting campaign.

The conference appointed an executive to work in conjuc-tiou with the' Recruiting Committee. Sub-committees will be appointed of the various sporting bodies.

TURKISH FINANCES,

TROOPS NOT PAID

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received Januarv 10. at- 9.5 a.m.

Hague, January 9. The Sultan of Turkey has sent Djahid Bey on an urgent financial mission to Berlin for the purposes of raising money to pay the troops, who have not received allowances for many weeks.

A BRITISH RAID,

NO GERMAN'S DISCOVERED

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received .January 10. at 3.55 a.m.

London. January 9.

Philip Gibbs. in describing the AngloScottish raid near Arras, which penetrated the enemy third line on a 2000 yd front, says: It is remarkable that there were only a score of casualties. There was- practically 110 German machinegunfire. One machine-gun fired 20 shots and then was silenced, and the enemy barrage was erratic and feeble. It i< difficult to divine the reason for such a state of affairs, hut possibly they arc nursing their ammunition aiid holding their lines thinly with youths. Certainly we were able to walk through the old original trench system without finding the enemy. It is wrong to build extravagant hopes, but the enemy cannot afford to be weak anywhere. A .heavy bombardment preceded the raid, and the attackers trudged quietly over j "No Man's Land'' in the "afternoon de-| liberately. but horribly close to the j edge of the British barrage. Aero- i planes flew thickly and low. The lack of opposition was uncanny. j

The entanglements..were destroyed or levelled, there being many gaps from 10 to 15 yards wide, while the trenches were reduced to rubbish heaps and shell craters iu which were .-ome German dead.

A young English officer, with a reputation for -nonchalance. strolling through "No Man's Land." led a detachment to the third line, mounted the narados. and stood there observing the lay of the land. He had a clear view of Tilloy.' but saw no German?. He then returned homewards. A Scottish officer had a similar experience. but saw no living German from first to last. He blew up a number of dug-outs, then sat- on the parados and lit, a cigarette. A few, German guns at Tilloy tired weakly. The Scots leisurely exploded shell craters, the officer finished his cigarette, then blew j a tantara on a French hunting-horn, I and the men slouched home. !