GRAND COLOSSAL SALE

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

GRAND COLOSSAL SALE

On RecoiW of Application Descriptive Catalogues will bo poetcd Freo of Charge.

GERMAN VICTORY SHORT-LIVED. LONDON, April 16. Correspondents describing the recapture of Lagnicourt say that the German victory was short-lived. Our men rested, then reformed as soon as stiffened -with supports, and went forward again under cover of our artillery barrage. They advanced by alternate companies, one (halting and firing while the other advanced," on the principle of a flanking fusillade. When the position was reoccupied, after only three hours' lapse of time from its first capture, 1000 German corpses lay among a much larger number of German wounded, while 300 were taken prisoner. A most comprehensive estimate of the German loss is two-thirds of a division-.

An authoritative explanation has been given for the retirement of the Australians after piercing .the Hindenburg line : a sudden snowstorm prevented our aircraft obtaining artillery co-operation for them FATE OF THE GJJARDS. "BLACK AND FEARFUL THING." LONDON, April 16. (Received April 17, at 10.30 p m.) Mr Philip Gibbs gives further vivid details of the Australian success at Lagnicourt, which he describes as one of the most bloody episodes in the long tale of slaughter. ' "The enemy before daybreak heavily attacked m masses and achieved a brief success against the Australians. Charging waves of Prussian Guards drove a deep wedge into our position. The Australian stall ofheers swiftly prepared a counterblow. At 7.30 companies of Australians in irresistible spirit swept forward, forcing the Prussians to retreat obliquely in a panicstricken condition under a shower of ehrapnel, resulting in the greatest disaster because they were cut off by their own Droad belts of entanglements. "A most appalling slaughter followed Oorpses were piled upon corpses in long lines among the tangled mass of sniked wire. The α-ies of the wounded—lon", tragic wails—rose high above the roar of aVI v re and bursting shrapneL The Australians, quiet and erim, shot and shot continuously until over 1500 German corpses lay before the position. 'A dire fate'has followed the Prussian Guards throughout the war. This massacre is the worst episode in their history, and 3 tS^ in a^bl **