THE BRITISH ADVANCE

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15193, 13 April 1917, Page 2

THE BRITISH ADVANCE

IMPEDE© BY HEAVY SNOW. FURTHER PROGRESS MADE. (A.us. and N.Z. Cable Asen. and Reuter.) LONDON, April 12. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—A heavy snowfall all day long rendered observation impossible, and impeded operations. We beat off two counter-at-tacks against our new positions near Monchy-le-preux. Prisoners taken at Monchy-le-Preux state that they were ordered to hold the village at all costs. Further south we penetrated the German positions in the neighbourhood of Bullecourt (south-east of Croiselles), taking prisoners. Large enemy forces counter-attacked and forced us back on our own lines. Our artillery inflicted heavy losses on the attacking troops. THE BRITISH CAPTURES. 12,000 PRISONERS AND 150 GUNS. LONDON, April 12. Latest estimates of the captures during Monday and Tuesday's lighting are 32,000 prisoners, 150 guns, and innumerable machineguns and trench mortars. THE USUAL GERMAN TALES?. LONDON, April 12. Wireless German official. —Near Fampouj, northwards of the Scarpe, English infantry attacks, and several cavalry attacks near Roeux, failed. Fighting near Monchy and W&ncourt favoured us. THE VALUE OF BULLECOURT. LONDON, April 12. Experts suggest that the Germans are obliged to employ large forces at Bullecourt (about two miles west cf Croiselles) because eight miles from there the line still bulges westward towards Arras, and there is danger of being pinched as the salient north of "Vimy Ridge, and south-west of Lens is also dangerously narrow. NEW ZEALAND MINERS' FLNE WORK. LONDON. April 11. A special corps of New Zealand miners partook in extraordinarily extensible mining which preceded the battle of Arras. There was strong rivalry between the various corps for the record length of galleries dug. The New Zealanders were first, the Scottish being 100 yards behind. GERMAN VIEW OF OFFENSIVE. DECISIVE OPERATIONS. LONDON, April 13. The Vossisehe Zeitarng describes the offensive as the commencement cf decisive operations. It declares that the Geimans rely on the strength of the uncompleted Drocourt-Quean (or Wodin) line, which links the southern Seigfried line, forming the Hindenburg line. GERMAN DESERTERS* REPORTS. AMSTERDAM, April 11. German deserters report that the Crown Prince has been deprived of his command and recalled to Berlin. Falkenhayn is the chief commander in Flanders, his headquarters being at Theilt.