THE BRITISH ADVANCE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15195, 16 April 1917, Page 5

THE BRITISH ADVANCE.

GERMAN RETREAT EXTENDING. (Router.) hj LONDON, April 15There are indications of the German retreat extending, fires being observed at Lens. A BRIGADIER-GENERAL .KILLED. Auatralian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON. April 15. The Daily Express states that Briga-dier-General Bulkelev Johnson was lulled during a brilliant cavalry charge preceding the capture of Monchy. PRESSING THE ENEMY BACK BRITISH SEIZE SEVERAL VILLAGES. LONDON, April 15. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—The area of active operations was extended northwards to-day. East and north of VimV Ridge, we pressed bark the enemy on our whole front north ot tho Scarpe to the south of Los. We seized _ the villages of Bailleur, Willerval. Vimy. Vimy Petit, Givenchy-en-Gohelle and Angres. We gained a footing in the enemy's trenches north-east of Lens. In this area we captured prisoners and guns. ASTRIDE THE HINDENBURG LINE. IMPORTANT PROGRESS BY BRITISH. LONDON, April l-> Sir Douglas Haig reports:— South of the Anas-Cambrat road, we captured Wancourt tower on a spur east of Wancourt, advancing astride of the Hindenhug line to a point seven miles southeast of Arras. We made further progress on the 'iii'h ground east of Leverguier and Havrincourf wood. Much useful aeroplane work was done yesterday, despite the weather. The village' of Fa yet, north-west of St. QneutTn, was carried during the night after a sharp light. On the high ground east of Leverouier, we captured the important positions of Ascension farm and Grand Priel farm. We also progressed north of the Bapaume-Cambrai 'oad towards Queant. STILL FURTHER GAINS. LONDON*, April )o.[ In a later report. Sir Douglas Haig says: Northwards of the Scarpe, after constant pressure, we compelled the cnomy to yield further ground. W r e seized Vimy. the station at| La Chaudiere, and the positions of Fosse No. 6 and Buquet Mill, between Giv-enchy-en-Gohcllc and Angres. The ground gained in the recent operations now links up with the positions gained in the bpt-tlc of Loos. An attempted enemy raid during the night eastwards of Loos was di iven off. 13,000 PRISONERS TJTKEN. 166 GUNS AND 250 MACHINE-GUNS. LODO, April 13. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The prisoners taken since the commencement of the operations on hhe 9th instant, now exceed 13,000, including 385 officers. We have also captured 166 guns, including 8 eight-inch howitzers, 28 5.9 in howitzers, 130 field guns and howitzers, 84 trench morta-rs, and 250 machine-guns. A considerable number of guns, trench mortars, and machine-guns were demolished and buried by shell-fire, and cannot be enumerated. Many of the captured guns were turned upon the enemy with good effect. BRITISH ENTER LENS. LONDON, April 15. The British have entered Lens. WAR MATERIAL SEIZED. (Au7. and. N.Z. Cable A.wn. and Reuter.) LONDON, -pril 15. Sir Douglas Haig reports: This morning we captured Lievin, south-west of and adjoining Lens, taking considerable quantities of war material. In the afternoon we seized Oites Pierre, north-west of Lens. We pressed on our whole front from t«he Scarpe River to south of Loos, and reached points from two to three miles east of the Vimy ridge. SETERE ENEMY LOSSES. BRITISH PROGRESS ON WIDE FRONT. Auatralian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, April 15. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—There was heavy fighting all day south of the Scarpe. We everywhere maintained the positions previously captured, and inflicted serious enemy losses. We progressed on a wide front north and sout«h of the Bapaume-Cambrai Road. Furious encounters resulted in our favour south-east of Fayet to within a few hundred yards of St. Quentin. We carried Cracourt village at the point of the bayonet. The enemy stubbornly resisted.