THE WEST FRONT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17038, 23 June 1917, Page 9

THE WEST FRONT

GERMAN MORALE WANING. DESIRE TO' SURRENDER. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, June 21. Visitors arriving in London confirm the newspaper correspondents" statements respecting the waning morale of the German troops. It is very noticeable along the western front how readily the Germans surrender. Some of the best disciplined troops are kept in hand, but our overwhelming gun-fire frequently causes the desire to become prisoners. The fighting spirit is most distinctly lessening. The Germans, in sheer, ruthless malignity, fire large naval shells daily at Rheims, Arras, and Bapaume. These places are now in ruins. Nobody is living in Bapaume, and only 400 are living in Arras. GERMAN AIRMEN DESPERATE. AFRAID OF BRITISH DARING. . LONDON, June 21. The Morning Post's headquarters correspondent states that the German airmen are desperately attempting to recover the prestige they lost at Messines. when the British airmen completelv smothered them, preventing their participation in the battle. . The Germans do not venture to attack singly, and frequently a couple of British planes have dispersed a German squadron of 15 machines like frightened birds. , GERMAN REPORT. Admiralty, per Wireless Press. LONDON, June 21. German official : Near the coast w© at night made a surprise attack upon the British and brought back prisoners. We stormed French positions on a 1500-metre front at Vauxaillon and penetrated as far as the enemy's reserve. We reuulsed counter-attacks in the captured trenches. EVACUATING WEST FLANDERS. Renter*r Tele«rams. AMSTERDAM, June 22. (Received June 23, at 1.5 a.m.) It is reported .that the evacuation of the civil population from West Flanders continues. Two thousand have been removed from places behind the front.