THE SUBMARINE WAR.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16234, 2 April 1917, Page 7

THE SUBMARINE WAR.

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(High Commissioner's Cable.) ] LONDON, March 31 (3.10 p.m.) I Tho British have occupied ; Hen docourt and St. Emilie, completing a further advance of about a mile over a seven-mile front. Vennand, Martevelle and Soyecourt have also "been taken. FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. j ■ , | SUCCESSES IN ATTACK AND' ~' DEFENCE. * LONDON, March 31 (3.30 p.m.) Ftench official.—-Southwards of the Ailette we successfully attacked several points) on the Neuville-sur-Margival-Vregny front, making important progress eastwards. of that line and capturing brilliantly several points of vantage, despite energetic resistance. In the Champagne the Germans multiplied attempts to recapture positions taken yesterday, westwards of the Maisons. Five successive night counterattacks were broken by our machine guns and artillery, with heavy enemy losses. .'

/ GERMAN SOLDIERS COMPLAINING. {WASHINGTON, March 30. \ Mr Sinims, the United Press correspondent states that British officers i believe that the Germans ar© uncertain i of their ability to hold the Hipdenburg line- Liberated French civilians report that the Kaiser's troops are greatly dissatisfied with domestic affairs, describing the conditions in the interior of Germany as similar to those preceding i the Russian revolution. They said that i they themselves were treated like dogs »by the officers, while the people at home" | were treated like cattle. ■... < ' FURTHER VILLAGES CAPTURED. SUCCESSFUL RAIDS.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. .and Reuter.)

• Received 11.5 p.m., April lsfc.. LONDON, March 3l) ' Sir Douglas Haig reports:—\?e captured Hendecourt and progressed considerably eastwards of the village. We also took possession of Martevill, Evermans and Soyecourt.

MORE VILLAGES TAKEN. SOME SHARP FIGHTING.

Our artillery forced the enemy to retire from St. Emilie, which wo occupied. We captured the villages Of Jencourteuervilly and Sesbecourt, and captured posts in the neighbourhoods of' and Heningursojeul, after killing or the whole garrison. . .....: ■

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. and Reuter.) Received 5.5 p.m., April Ist. LONDON, March 31.

Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"We occupied the villages of Ruyaulcourt, Sorrel-le-Grand and Fins. Wo gained ground after sharp fighting in the neighbourhood of Hendecourt and drove off an attack south of Neuville Bourjonval, inflicting loss-. We raided enemy lines .at two points e6st of Neuville St. Vaast. Our heavy artillery obtained several hits on German trains eastward of Vormelles."

We suceesssfully raided north-east of Neuville St. Vaast, at Loos and northwards of Ypres, destroying dugouts add' taking some prisoners. We repulsed a hostile rajd in/ the neighbourhood of Neuville St. Vaast; : i GERMAN REPORT.

Received 11.5, p.m., April Ist. (Wireless.) • German official.—A British night advance on both sides of Loos failed. The British attacked- on n both sides of the Peronne-Fins high ro^d. We reurlsted an - attack near Metz j and Encountre, but further' south ' the ■ enemy reached Hendecourt and St. I Emilie. : v-

FRENCH ALSO PROGRESSING. 1 French communique.—North of the Sorame, between the Somme and the Oise tjiere- ha,B been reciprocal vigorous j ■i artillery'ing of the first lines. Northeast of .-Soissons we progressed in the Veregny-Margival sector., A vigorous counter-attack west of Maisons de Champagne enabled us to eject the enemy- fjrom trepchos in : which he i obtained a footing on the 28th.

- Wc inflicted heavy losses in -an engagement with the-French north' of Soissons, after stubborn fighting. Southward of Riport tho French penetrated the centre portion of our trenches but were ejected ; in a few ho*urs.

BELGIANS ATTACKING. Admiralty—Per Wireless Press. Belgian cfficial.-feA Belgian detachment f penetrated the/ enemy's 1 first lino on' Steenstraat ridge. It was alively fight, resulting in severe enemy losses. Some were made prisoners. ' MISLEADING THE GERMANS. BY FALSE COMMUNIQUES. (Reuter's Telegrams.) Mr Pliilip Gibbs, telegraphing from headquarters, states that tjie Kaiser recently visited the British front and ordered that villages like Roisel and Taquiecourt should not be abandoned without .fighting. Hence probably the false statement in a German communique that a thousand British dead •were counted at Taquiecourt. In reality our casualties, there were few,'and not a single corpse wais.left on the ground. Such a. statement appears to be significant of the necessity for encouraging the German people and troops.

GERMANS FLOODING THEIR FRONT. , " !

Received • 1.40 <4.m., April 2nd.' The Germans are flooding the west front. They have burned several villages, and it is believed that they contemplate shortening their line.

FIGHTING WITH MICROBES. A German spy has been caught in the British lines with microbes for spreading disease among horses. GERMAN RETREAT. IS NOT VOLUNTARY. " (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) LONDON, March 31. Mr Heward, M.P. for Leicester,, said General Robertson had authorised bim to say that German retreat was entirely involuntary. Any contrary assertion-was not only inconsistent with; manifest- facts, but \vas singularly, unjust to the 'valour, and daring of our gallant troops-