GERMAN ABOMINATIONS IN FRANCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16232, 30 March 1917, Page 7

GERMAN ABOMINATIONS IN FRANCE.

(Higb Commissioner's Cable.) LONDON, March 28 (10.35 p.m.) Following on their success of yesterday, our cavalry captured during this afternoon the villages of Villers, Fauoon, and Sauloourt. Further north we established ourselves at two points on the Doigneis-Lagnicourt road, and after a short fight to-day we gained ground south and west of Croiselles, after meeting strong opposition. FRENCH POSITION ATTACKED. MAIN OFFENSIVE BROKEN. French official.—ln the Champagne, following a violent bombardment on our positions westwards of Maisons de Champagne the Germans launched this morning a strong attack and gained a footing in some elements of our first line. All attempts on Maisons de Champagne were broken- by our fire, which inflicted sanguinary losses. A GERMAN REPORT. ' ENEMY PLAN SUCCEEDING. COUNT OF ENGLISH DEAD. Admiralty—Per Wireless Press. Received's.s p.m., March 29th. LONDON, March 28. German official.—We counted a thousand dead Englishmen, on the

field,. between Laquicourt and Morebies sinco the 26th March. This is evidence ] of the success of our plans. . A French advance on the west bank of the Oise. near La Fere, collapsed,; with sanguinary losses. We captured trenches south of Riport and drove off French detachments which had penetrated north of Rheims. ■ ''-_— - i GERMAN ATROCITIES. EXPOSED -BY RETREAT. (Reuter.'s Telegrams.) Received 5.5 p.m., March 29th. LONDON. March 28. A French headquarters correspondent states that the full atrociousness of the, conduct of the Germans is now appearing. They not only broke open vaults in churchyards and used them as machine gun shields, but systematically pillaged,, graves for the zinc and load linings of .coffins, and possibly ornaments and jewels in cemeteries were torn off. Coffins were broken up and the remains of the dead_. scattered, and rubbish and filth thrown into the graves. The Germans show an almost exaggerated respect for their own dead. Their trim and. gaiidy cemeteries abound with pompous epitaphs to fallen German heroes. Characteristically the inscribed tombstones were stolen from neigh- , bouring French cemeteries.

FraM Association.—By Tel—Cbpyyriehi-

OZAR SAID TO BE IN SWEDEN. (Reuter's Telegrams.). NEW YORK, March 28. A nessage from Berlin states that the Czar is reported to have escaped to Sweden. DISCUSSING FUTURE GOVERNMENT. (Australian' and N.Z. Cable Assn.) j "Received 10.40 p.m., March 29fch. I PETROGRAD, March 28. M. Kwehsky, interviewed, said he believes that the mass of Russian Will declare for a republican form of government. He expects that the Finland government will resemble "that of British colonies, and that votes for. women will be -agreed to with little difficulty. PEOPLE'S OATHTOTHE CZAR. ABSOLVED' BY THE CHURCH. . ("The Times.") Received 1.25 a.m., March 30th. PETROGRAD, March f 29. The-"revolution cost thirty-two victims in the Baltic fleet. " The ships aro ready to, fight under new heads. 'The Church has absolved soldiers from their, oath of allegiance to the Czar'.' 'MTlie' 'last doubts as to the legality of the revolution,are thus removed. "■" •