THE BATTLE FRONTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16946, 7 March 1917, Page 5

THE BATTLE FRONTS

STRONG GERMAN ATTACK.

PARTIAL LOCAL SUCCESS.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, March 5. A French communique states: After an intense bombardment in the region of Caurieres Wood, on the right (east) bank of the Meuse, the enemy violently attacked along a front of three kilometres, between Chanibrettes Farm and Bezonvaux. Their repeated assaults between Caurieres Wood and Bezonvaux failed. The, enemy, however, obtained a footing in our advanced elements north of Caurieres Wood, but our fire smashed all their attempts to penetrate the wood, and inflicted heavy enemy losses.

THE CZAR'S CONFIDENCE.

ADDRESS TO HIS TROOPS. Reuters Telegrams. PETROGRAD, March 5. The Czar, in a message to his armies on the south-western front, expresses his profound satisfaction with their steadiness and excellent condition, and adds: "When the time comes to make our supreme effort we shall definitely defeat our adversaries."

IN THE BALKANS. iiULGARIAN TRENCHES SNOWED UP. Renter's Telegrams. LONDON, March 5. Renter's correspondent at Serbian Headquarters says the Bulgarian trenches in the Monastir sector are snowed up. It is officially estimated that the enemy dropped 2627 shells and bombs on Monastir in three months, 43 houses being destroyed and 200 damaged, while 32 men and 45 women and children were killed, and 37 men and 75 women and children were injured.

IN TRENTTNO. SUCCESSFUL ITALIAN ASSAULT. Admiralty, per Wireless Press. _ , LONDON, March 5. Italian official: We brilliantly attacked and occupied a strong position at 2700 metres altitude in the Costabellae group of mountains, on the Avisio sector.

GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. Admiralty, per Wireless Press. LONDON, March 5. German official: The British attacked southward of St. Pierre Vast Wood (between Rancourt and Bouchavesnes), and captured a trench sector on the Boucha-vesnes-Moislains road (north of Peronne). We stormed and captured a trench position in Caurieres Wood (Verdun sector) on a front of 1500 metres, and repulsed nocturnal counter-attacks. We captured an important position in the south-east corner of Fosses Wood, taking prisoner 5/8 men, 16 machine guns, and 25 quickloaders.

_ Numerous air fights have taken place, in which the enemy lost 18 aeroplanes yesterday, while we lost four.

ST. PIERRE VAAST WOOD.

GERMAN BOAST FALSIFIED,

Tho Times.

LONDON, March 5. (Received March 6, at 8.35 p.m.) The Germans boasted that St. Pierre Vaast Wood, which is more than a mile and a-quai-ter square, was impregnable Despite bitter opposition, the British are already far along the south side, storming and taking prisoners from the trenches

BATTLE OF; THE SOMME. WAR CORRESPONDENT'S VIEW. FIRST PHASE ENDED. SECOND PHASE COMING. LONDON, March 5. (Received March 6, at 8.35 p.m.') Mr Beach Thomas, correspondent of the Daily Mail, who has returned to the Somme front after a lengthy absence, states that the main change is that the British fighting is better and the Germans' worse. Durmg the trench war British certainly inflicted heavier losses. One battalion at Lcoa claims that its snipers accounted for 38 Germans in a week, while there were no British casualties. The Germans on the Ancre are provided with an impregnable line, with' concrete dug-outs and cast-iron invisible emplacements, while the British grovel in water-logged earthworks. Nevertheless the retreat is depressing the German morale.

Trm first phase of the battle is finished. The Germans have reached a line of high ground north of Gommecourt and Le Transloy, but already tho British guns are bombarding it, and fires behind°the lines indicate that the second phase is coming.

THE SALONIKA EXPEDiTiON

DEBATE m THE COMMONS.