ON THE WEST FRONT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11107, 27 December 1916, Page 5

ON THE WEST FRONT.

CHRISTMAS AMONG MUD. QUEST OF PLUM PUDDING. (Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received Tuesday, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 25. Philip Gibbs writes: — 1 ‘ Christmas Eve was mild and spring-like, with a glint of sunshine. Supply columns and motor lorries containing Christmas provender for the men, beasts, and guns ploughed through the slime to the camps. The hutments and dugouts resemble islands in an ocean of mud. The Australians and Now Zealanders were observed flinging money about booths in the market places upon trinklets destined for a long sea journey. These fellows in slouch hats wandered into the best restaurants in the region of the battlefields and chose dishes without worrying about the price. Some units had the bad luck to be in the trenches, but there was no grousing, though the shell holes were half full with water and it was hard to keep the feet from freezing. Every effort was made to get each man a good lump of plum pudding.” SIR D. HAIG’S REPORT. (Received Tuesday, 9 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 2G. Sir Douglas Haig reports: — We successfully raided trenches south-west of Lens, eastward of Atmenticres. Wc 9h.ell.eci enemy" o.efences and headquarters north of the Somme, doing much damage. A QUIET DAY. fAust. and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received Tuesday, 9 p.m.) PARIS, Dee. 2(5. A communique states: The day was comparatively" quiet everywhere on the west front. ENEMY BOMBED. » BY FLOCK OF FLIERS. Received Dac. 27, 9.4 a.m. London, Dec. -2b; A French communique states that ten French aeroplanes bombed the railway station and hutments at Nosle and bivouacs at Chapitre. GERMANY’S MASS LEVY. TO B ENFORCED WITHIN A WEEK. Geneva, Dec. 23, ° Germany’s levy en masse is to be enforced in Prussia within a week; in Bavaria a week later.