IMPORTANT FRENCH PROGRESS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16965, 29 March 1917, Page 5

IMPORTANT FRENCH PROGRESS.

SEVERAL VILLAGES CAPTURED. ENEMY ATTEMPTS TO ATTACK BROKEN. . V Australian and N.Z.' Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, March 28. (Received March 28, at 9.20 p.m.) A French communique states: Between the Somme and the Oise there is violent reciprocal artillery work on the front of Roupy-Essigny-Benay, where our fire stopped dead several attempts to attack. South of the Oise, following up our success, we captured all the Lower Forest of Coucy and the villages of Petit Barisis, Vemeuil, and Coucy-la-Ville. Our advanced elements at some points reached the western outskirts of the forest of St. Gobain and the upper part of Coucy. Our losses in this region were slight. North of Soissons we importantly progressed north of Neuville-sur-Margival and north-east of Deuilly. BRITISH PUSHING ON. THREE VILLAGES CAPTURED. ' LONDON, March 27. (Received March 28, at 8.55 p.m.) Sir D. Haig reports: Our cavary drove the enemy out from Longavesnes, Lieramont, and Equancourt, which we occupied, and took a number of prisoners. The enemy's third attack northward of iieaumetz was temporarily successful, but we recaptured the post and re-established the position. Our fire drove off a raiding party eastward of Ploegstreete. GERMAN DEPOT BLOWN UP. Renter's Telegrams. AMSTERDAM, March 28. (Received March 28, at 11.20 p.m.) An enormous explosion, heard at the frontier, occurred at a German depot at Charleroi, which was blown up.