THE WEST PUSH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16964, 28 March 1917, Page 5

THE WEST PUSH

FRENCH PUSHING ON. COUNTERrATTACKS REPULSED. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association and Reuter. LONDON, March 26. A French communique states : Our fire stopped, or our counter-attack repulsed, several fresh enemy attacks at night on the Essigny-Benay front, between the Somme and the Oise, and serious loss was inilieted on the enemv. We entirely maintained the positions tre captured yesterday. We continued our advance south of the Oise, despite the state of the ground and the bad weather. French air squadrons dropped a ton of bombs on the lactones at Thignville and m the Briey basin, also on the railway stations at Conflans and Montmedy. GERMAN COMMUNIQUE.

Admiralty per Wireless Press. LONDON, March 26. German official : We attacked the French who advanced across the SommeCrozat Canal Ham and St. Quentin), inilicting heavy losses. Three attacks east of the Ailette (tributary of the Oise from the south) resulted in a check to the French advance north of the Aisne.

Our air squadron attacked Dunkirk and caused several fires. We brought down 11 enemy aeroplanes on Sunday.

GERMAN LINE OF DEFENCE REAGHED. FRENCH FLANKING MOVEMENT. FIGHT FOR HIGH GROUND. Australian and N.,Z. Cable Association. LONDON, March 26.

(Received March 27, at 10.20 p.m.) Mr Plhilip Gibbs writes : " The enemj have- now reached von Hindenburg's lin( of defence from Arras past Cambrai tc St. Quentin and Laon. The French art fighting _ heavily around St. Quentin, threatening to turn the enemy's line. The Germans are fighting determinedly neai Beaumetz and Cambrai, making an effort to prevent us from holding the high ground overlooking their main defences. " We took Beaumetz unopposed on Wednesday; the Germans retook it on Thursday, but we drove them out. They again attacked unavailingly on Friday. The German command called for volunteers for this operation, but without result. Therefore companies of specially-trained assaulting troops were ordered to take Beauimetz. They tried, but failed.

" We took Lagnicourt this morning. ' It w-%s occupied by four companies of ° Germans."