THE WESTERN FRONT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 926, 29 January 1917, Page 8

THE WESTERN FRONT.

GREATER ACTIVITY. ATTACK ON FRENCH POSITIONS. JL and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter. LONDON, January 2G. A French communique says;.—The Germans yesterday evening attacked on Tour points from Avocourf Wood to east of Dead Man's Hill, but our fire drove them back. Only some enemy parties succeeded in penetrating our advanced trenches in the sector of Hill 301. The enemy suffered very heavy losses. Seven enemy aeroplanes have been brought down. Our air squadrons heavily bombed several railway stations, also hutments and military establishments. They caused a great fire at the railway station of Brieulls. VIOLENT ASSAULT. SEVERAL REGIMENTS PARTICIPATE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, January 27. A French communique says:— Fresh reports show that the enemy's attack on the left bank of the Meuse yesterday was particularly violent. Several German regiments participated, and there was hand-to-hand lighting at some points. We counter-attacked this morning, and retook in the region of Hill 304, the greater portion of the elements within which the enemy had penetrated. There was a fairly lively artillery struggle on the right bank of the Meuse in the region of Bezonvaux, Louvimont, and the Woevre, and in the sector of Regnivelle. THE ENEMY'S REASON. TQ PREVENT ATTACKS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received January 29, 10.40 a.m.) PARIS, January 28. Military critics consider that the German attack on the left bank of the Meuse portends, not a great offensive, but an attempt to hamper the preparations of a French attack, which the Germans fear. FRENCH BOMBARDMENT. AERIAL ACTIVITY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, January 27. A French communique says:—We destructively bombarded German works in the sector of Hill 304. Five enemy aeroplanes were brought down, including Lieutenant Guynemer's thirtieth victim. Two of our aeroplanes bombed the railway station and military workshops at Ham, causing a fire and a big explosion. GERMAN VERSION. COUNTER-ATTACKS FAIL. Admiralty per Wireless Press. LONDON, January 2G. A German official message says:— Westphalian and Baden troops stormed trenches on Hill 304 on a mile front on the west bank of the Meuse, inflicting sanguinary losses. The French at night counterattacked, but failed.

ATTACKS BROKEN. SANGUINARY LOSSES. A., end 'N.Z. Cable Association and Renter. Admiralty per Wireless Press. LONDON, January 27. A German official message says:—• We broke a further attack against our positions on Mil! 30! with sanguinary losses.

WITH THE BRITISH. RAIDS CARRIED OUT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, January 2G. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—We carried out raids eastward of Loos and north-eastward of Vermelles, making prisoners. A number of dugouts were also destroyed, and the enemy suffered many casualties. We bombarded the enemy's positions northward of the Somme with good results. Our aeroplanes successfully bombed a number of places behind the lines. Five German machines were destroyed, and five driven down damaged. One of ours is missing. We suffered no casualties. Our patrols entered trenches and inflicted casualties north-east of Vermelles. We bombarded enemy positions in the neighbourhood of Serre, greatly damaging the defences, and northeast of Arras we dispersed winking parties. Our fire northwards of Hulluch caught enemy infantry, inflicting many casualties, AT LE TRANSLOY. COMMANDING POSITION CAPTURED. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, January 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—We carried out a successful operation in the morning in the neighbourhood of le Transloy. The whole of our objectives were gained, and a commanding portion of the enemy's position captured. We look prisoner 350 men. We drove back with heavy losses vigorous counter-attacks. Our casualties were very slight. We raided positions north-east of Ncuville St. Vaast, took prisoners, and destroyed dug-outs.

A FRESH STAGE. TOWARDS BIG OFFENSIVE. Ausiiulian and N.Z. Cable Association. FARIS. January 27. The renewed activity on both sides on Ihe West front in clear and frosty weather seems to indicate n fresh stage towards Ihe big offensive. The French sector is becoming as lively as the British. It is natural to expect raiding to be carried out with increased vigour. Already there is great aerial activity, and bombardments have become intensified. The offensive may not come immediately, but everything should be ready in a month or two. KAISER'S "MILDNESS." DEPLORED BV GENERALS. Australian and N.Z. Cubit Association. PARIS, January 26. The 'Matin's'" correspondent on the British front states that an officer taken prisoner in a recent raid declared that the Germans never discharged asphyxiating gas without the special authorisation of- the Kaiser, who was anxious to reduce to a minimum war cruelties. The German generals deplored the Kaiser's mildness, and alleged that the Entente's troops began the practice.