GREAT FRENCH OFFENSIVE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16981, 18 April 1917, Page 5

GREAT FRENCH OFFENSIVE.

FRONT OP TWENTY-FIVE MILgS TEN THOUSAND PRISONERS ALREADY TAKEN THE AUSTRALIANS, AT LAGNICOURT TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER OF PRUSSIAN . GUARDS FROM DISASTER TO VICTORY SINKING OF HOSPITAL SHIPS ALLIES INSTITUTE REPRISALS EFFECTIVE AEROPLANE RAID ON GERMAN CITY

Press Association—By Telegraph— Australian and New Zealand Cable Association.

The High Commissioner forwarded the Dllowing under date London, April 16 :— Sir Douglas Haig reports : We captured Villeret last night, south-eastward of Hargicourt. We also progressed north-west-ward of Lens.

Full particulars of the booty captured at Lievin and the Souchez River are not available, but it is exceedingly large, including a 6in naval gun, thousands of rounds of ammunition of all calibres, and transport material. The Bavarians lost heavily in the recent fighting, more than one-third of the prisoners taken being Bavarians. ' - Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reutcr. LONDON, April 16. • Sir Douglas Haig reports : The enemy's attack on Monehy-le-Preux (east of Arras) on Saturday was most determined. The Third Bavarian Division, which fought at Loos in 1915 and in High Wood (Somme) in 1916, was ordered to retake the village at all costs, and it "suffered the heaviest losses. (Received April 17. at 6.30 p.m.) Sir Douglas Haig reports that upwards of 14,000 prisoners and 194 guns have been taken since the morning of the 9th. Heavy rain fell all afternoon, and nothing of special interest has occurred. Router's Telegrams, . . LONDON, April 16. (Received' April 1/, at 6.15 p.m.) Router's correspondent with headquarters reports that the, news that a great French offensive had started this morning ran through our army like wildfire and evoked the greatest enthusiasm. The correspondent states that the captured 6in naval gun mentioned in the communiques is- being employed effectively agaanst the Germans. The other buoty included great quantities of Bin shells bombs, high explosives, and steel rails. Describing the counter-attack at Lagnicourt, he says that tihe Germans were caught in their own wire, which was not cut in the direction in which' they were forced back. While they ran wildly up and down trying to find a nassag'e our men, firing with deliberate aim, shot them down in hundreds. The intensity of the rifle fire was unequalled since the days of the Marne. Many of our men fired 100 rounds. The desperate Germans "doubled" right up to the attackers holding up their hands. or