GREAT FRENCH OFFENSIVE BEGUN.

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

GREAT FRENCH OFFENSIVE BEGUN.

Reuter"s Telegrams. LONDON", April 16. Beater s French headquarters correspon-CO-OPERATION WITH THE BRITISH. ATTACK IN LORRAINE AND ALSACE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reutcr. LONDON, April 16. A irench communique states: We continued to pour a destructive fire on the German organisations between St. Quentin and the Oise. The enemy replied with lively nre in the region south of St Quentin. We continued our progress east and south of the Oise. South of the Oise on the plateau between Barisis and Quincy-la-Bassee, wo occupied a fresh enemy point d appui. r The artillery duel was violent last nMit along the whole front, including the Sois-sons-Bheims front. After violent artillery preparation our detachments penetrated the enemy lines at several points in, Lorraine and Alsace. Our detachments reached -the enemy's second line at six points in the plain of Alsace, and inflicted serious losses. FRENCH COMMUNIQUE. OUTLINE OF ACHIEVEMENTS. FRONT OF TWENTY-FIVE MILES. TEN THOUSAND" PRISONERS COUNTED. Tho High Commissioner despatched the following under date April 17 (9.45 a.m.) : A French official message states : South ot the Oi EC _we made new progress on the plateau east, of the line Jiassee. J Between Soissons and Rheims, after an artillery lasting several days wo attacked this morning on a front of 25 mile?. I hero was a fierce battle on. the whole front, the enemy having important forces and' numerous artillery. Everywhere the valour of our troopa overcame an energetic defence. Between Soissons and Craonue tho whole of tho German first line fell into our hands. East of Craonne we captured the second enemy positions. South of Juvincourt we pushed our line to tho -western boundaries of Bermericourt and as far as the Aisno Canal. From Chivres to Conrcy violent counter-attacks were repeatedly delivered nort3i of Vrlle-au-Bois, but were broken, by our fire with '"insiderahlo enemy lo&es.

The total prisoners taken by us counted exceeds 10,000. We have also captured important material which lias , not vet been estimated. THE REST OF THE FRONT. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association and Router. LONDON, April 17. ' (Received April 17, at 8.50 p.m.) A Frenah, communique states : ArtiUery fighting continues in the Champagne. There is an intermittent cannonado on the rest of the front.