AMBASSADOR TO BELGIUM WITHDRAWN

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16228, 26 March 1917, Page 7

AMBASSADOR TO BELGIUM WITHDRAWN

Prtei Anociaticai—By Tei—Copyrrigiit.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. and Renter.) Received 5.5 p.m., March 25th. LONDON, March 241 French communique.—Between +he Somme' and the Oise our troops with determination and dash carried out a completely successful offensive, despite desperate resistance. Tho enemy were. driven back on a wide front, the dis-. tance ranging from two to four kilometres. and east of the St. Quentin canal, and north-east of Tergnier : we pushed back detachments as far as the heights dominating the valley of tße Oise. The Germans have- caused floods in this region, and tho town of La Fere is inundated. South of the Oise we continued to cross_ the Ailette. In the .region north of Soissons we considerably progressed towards Margival. Two enemy attacks north-west of Rheirns failed- under our 'oarrage. The enemy" losses were judging from the number of bodies which were hung tip in the entanglements. A FURTHER REPORT. Another communique says that east of the St. Quentifl canal we extended cur| positions very appreciably at certain points, and reached the western bank of the Oise. North ofLa Fere we also made' prbgress. On the eastern hank of ,the Ailette our, firo slopped enemy attempts against small pests, in the direction of Berry au Baq, and also east of Rlieims and west of Mort Homme. . ON THE BKITISH FRONT. RAIDS AND PATROL ENCOUNTERS. Sir' Douglas Haig reports:—There have been .patrol encounters in strength at. a number of points between Etreifrers, Beaumetzle, Cambrai and Beaurains. We performed successful raiding'eastward of Arras and bombarded trenches south-east of Loos and east of Verm elf es.

LATEST BRITISH REPORT. FURTHER PROGRESS. LONDON, March 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports :—We occupied Roisel seven miles east of Peronne. Strong enemy detachments attacked our positions in the vicinity of Beaumont and obtained a footing. Our counter-attack drove them out. We progressed on a front of 1-J miles southwest and west of Econstalmeri, and repulsed attacks north of Boiry and Becqrierelle. »We also supcessf ully raided eastward of Arras and reached the enemy's second line. •. We entered trenches eastward of Neuville St. Vaast and dispersed an attack in the neighbourhood of Richebourg- St. "Vaast. LATEST FRENCH REPORT.

THE ADVANCE CONTINUED. French . communique.—North of the Somme we drove back the enemy to the outskirts of Saoy into ' previously prepared trenches. Following up our successes between the Somme and Oise we attacked the enemy, who defended every foot of ground, and drove him backa kilometre north of Grand Eraeourt and Gibercourt. We seized the west bank of the Oise betwe?n the suburbs of La Fere and North Vandveil, two advanced forts of La Fere falling into our hands. South of the Oise. despite floods, we propressed considerably on the east bank of the Ailette'. "We captured several villages and threw back enemy rearguards in the forest of Coney. BRITISH ARTILLERY GOING FORWARD. BIG BATTLE POSSIBLE Received 11.50 p.m., March 25th. PARIS, March 24.

There are indications that Prince Rupprecht commands the lines between St. Quentin and Cambrai, the approaches to which are barred by two systems of advanced trenches. The British, profiting by the frost and darkness, are bringing up artillery by leaps and hounds. Newspapers express the opinion that wo arc possibly on the evo of a ' biotattle.

Enemy resistance in the French sector is energetically increasing.