1918-03-28 — Page 5

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THE WAR.

BRITISH

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS THURSDAY, MARCH 28TH. 1916.

ESTABLISHED IN NEW

POSITIONS.

HEAVY TOLL EXACTED FROM ENEMY.

«GERMANS MULTIPLY ATTACKS AGAINST

FRENCH.

HEAVY LOSSES BY THE ENEMY.

OPERATIONS IN PALESTINE.

„Franco-Belgian bron!

LATEST CABLES: [THBOUGH REUTER'S, AGENCY.] BRITISH FRONT. BRITISH ESTABLISHED IN NEW POSITIONS.

LONDON, March 26th

3.15 p.m. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re ports: The fighting died down during the night and our troops have established themselves in their new positions east ward of Roye and Albert

A continuance of the fighting north the Somme was expected, but has not yet developed.

Attacks were reported to be developing this morning against the British and French southward of the Somme, in the neighbourhood of Roye and Chaulnes The enemy'e lesser, continue severe He has been obliged to reinforce his Ittle front from all parts of the West

KAIDS IN GERMANY,

Following a successful daylight raid on

Mannheim, other objectives in Germany were attacked at night-time. We dropped half-a-ton of bombs on the railway

stations at Cologne, starting a fire.

LATEST CABLES

BRITISH WITHDRAWAL EXACTS HEAVY TOLL

LowDos, March 28thi Beuter's Correspondent at Brita Headquarters, telegraphing › todas, states-Very slowly, and exacting the heaviest possible coll for every foot of ground, our line continues to withdraw before the pressure of the German masses over a large portion of the battle zone The retirement is voluntary, and has been carried out so as to maintain an unbroken front,

The weather remains hard and dry, thus favouring the enemy in bringing forward his guns,

EARLIER CABLES.

COL REPINGTON'S OPINION.

LONDON, March 20th. 7:30th,

enemy, who, with troops four or five times more nuncrons, has only scored a taoderate success, bas endured colossal losses, and is already showing signs of Bagging. The net result of the German Colonel Repington states --Bapaume movement so for in that he has made and Peronne have fallen four days after throm bulges, in the Britisli line, namely, the Germen scheduled time. There is south of Arras; at Bapaume and towards overy reason to hope that the flood will Nesle, but he has failed in the north, The where the steadiness of the British line Foon be stayed and turned back. combatents in the central sector are now has checked the enemy's double thrust. fighting in the devastated aren of the POLITICAL OBJECT OF OFFENSIVE. That the enemy a offensive has a political Sommo battle. Further west there are trenches which the British held before gbject is corroborated by an article by a prominent Londoner, Mr. Ernest Pyke, July, lad, and before the retirement brings

who was released from Ruhleben after 33 the British to the trenches such a strong line of troops should be formed that the further progress, of the enemy should he

Arrested. A

GERMAN PRESS COMMENT.

AMSTERDAM, March 28th. The Gemuan newspapers are preparing the public for a long struggle:

THE EYES OF THE ARTILLERY:

LONDON, March 28th

5.10 p.m. vy The work of our airmen surpasses praise. Last night they made ayerit able pandemonium of every centre of The Cologne Gazelle reminds the prople concentration and traffic behind the Ger- that the Germans are dealing with a man front. Tons of thousands of rounds most formatdable enemy. and that a

years. He frequently visited Berlin as a camp kitchen inspector.

He anya the present desperate move is undoubtedly dictated by the fear of the mob, as the German people are suffering unspeakable privations, and are aching for peace and food.

This estimate is "confirmed by the reiterated assurances of the enemy communes recently that peace was near at hand. On the other hand, British opinion is confident of the Allied

Over a ton of bombs were distributed were fired pointblank into the enemy stupendous task is still ahead. The reserve power rallying and in the deter

on Luxembourg railway station, where a fire started, and on Courcelles railway station, eastward of Metz, and two tons

P

formations, whose density offered perfect targets. German observation 19 so stricted by day that they never can do more than, peop and run. On the other

of bombs on Metz railway station. We hand, our fliers are fulfilling with deadly obtained direct hits on a bridge south-effectiveness their role of the eyes of the east of the town and on a stationary artillery. In this direction the weather train, which was set on fire. A large is undoubtedly favouring us. was also started.

A ton of bombs were also dropped on Thienville railway station, where a moving train was derailed, and a fire caused,

All our machines returned.

نشف

Britisa are fighting with extraordinary determination and bravery..

The Cologne Falskzeitung - says the gigantic struggle cannot shortly be ended, perhaps not for months.

Several papers buint out that the Allies general reserve has not yet been called

minution to endure if necessary the most protracted conflict

EXTENSION OF NATIONAL. SERVICE.

The Vorming Post demands the im mediate convention of Parliament for the purpose of ennctioning the extension of national servics, raising the military age," abolishing all exceptions, including conscientious objectors, departmental in dispensables and the Irish.

LATEST CADLES. TRENCH FRONT. SEPARATION OF BRITISH- AND TRENCH ARMIES

Pabis, March 28th. A semi-official statement says:--Tho momentary rupture on the Front which. on Saturday threatened to separate the British and French armice, is now checked, and all the units engaged in the struggle are firmly welded together. Tho moral of the troops is admirable, and the co-operation of the British and French General Staffs becomes closer. daily.

NOYON EVACUÂTED. --

PARIS, March 20th. A communtyue states that Noyon was evacuated at night-time in quite an orderly manner.

We are firmly holding the right bank of the Oise?

ENEMY ATTACKS MULTIPLIED. LONDON, March 26th.

4:15 pm.

The battle continued violently on the evening of March 26th,

The enemy at night time multiplied his attacks along the entire front from Nosen to Chaulnes

Our artillery,

established which is well in the region of Noyon, effectively sup ported the infantry, whose resistance and Frequent counter-attacks are retarding. the thrust of the Germans, who have had very heavy losses.

"ALLIED COUNTER-MEASURES.”

LONDON, March 20th

Heater's Correspondentot French Head quarters reports Today's news should be read with entiro calm and unshaken confidence. That our front will be com pelled to recoil under Hindenburg's hammer blaws 18 inevitable, and was

fully foreseen by the Allied Staffs, whose counter-measures, prepared in advance,

the right moment will take effect at These first days of

of the battle probably mark the high water level of the German advantage of offensive and is able tʊ advance. The enemy still enjoys the

lect the point at which the blow is to bo uimet, while we are obliged to die perse the means for defence to cover all points where the blow might fall. The Morning ont is confident that no PASSING ADVANTAGE. trouble is to be apprehended from

BARLIER CABLES

THE KAISER'S CLAIMS.

AMSTERDAM, March 26th. CLOSE INFANTRY FIGHTING.

A Berlin message sayr the Kaiser has LONDON, March 28thi telegraphed, the Kaisarin stating, inter

11.35 pm Reuler's Correspondent at Headqualia, that the troops are pressing on Labour.

westward from Baupaume, and fartherCAN THE ANGLO-FRENCH FORCES ters, telegraphing on the evening of

RE-OCCUPY OLD LINE! south are advancing on Albert. The

The Times notes with pride, and satis faction the fortitude with which the country is facing a grave situation.

era theatre- Over 70 hostile Divisions? HEAVY ENEMY ATTACKS BEATEN March 25th, stated Th titanic struggle Soanne was crossed at many points above

are known to have been engaged in the. battle.

AUSTRIAN MILITARY EXPERTS. RESERVED.

AMSTERDAM, March 9th. Austrian military experts are most re- served as regards the German offensive. They say that they must sen the effect of the Allied counter-effort.

German correspondents claim that six

„British Tanks were captured.”

EARLIER CABLES.

GERMAN TROOPS OCCUPY BAPAUME.

LONDON, March 28th.

1.23 8. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re: Pts that the enemy's troops occupy Bhaume.

BRITISH FORCED TO GIVE GROUND,

OFF-

LONDON, March 20th. 9.30 p.m.

The Press Bureau announces Our troops this morning on the Somme, north- ward to Wancourt, beat off continuous heavy attacks with complete succos, our

has continued unabated.

Peronné.

Although the enemy artillery firing shows tendency to decrease, owing to the increasing difficulties in advancing just as after the Isonzo battic." the guns, on the other hand, no stage of the war has seen such close infantry fight ing Yesterday, a British infantry bayonet charge broke the enemy Tanks and

He claims the capture of enormous quantities of ammunition and provisions,

GERMAN REPORT

LONDON, March 25th. 11.25 p. wireless German official report hard fighting between

Bapaume and Feronne.

We drove back the enemy here to the positions he held bofore the 1916 Semme

artillery and machine-guns inflicting secured 120 prisoners One battalion of heavy losses. Our low-flying aeroplanes are repeatedly attacking the enemy's vancing columns farther in the rear. A heavy attack in the afternoon by fresh enemy troops enabled them to progress Westward and south-westward of Bapanie in the direction of Courcelette. We have.

beca pressed back southward of Peronne at several places to slightly westward of the Somme.

the 24th Division captured a post in a great quarry commanding one of the main lines of the enemy advance and fought to the last man, delaying the battles

FRESH MEN AND GUNS TO: REPLACE ALL CASUALTIES.

LONDON, March 25th- 10.10 p.m..

enemy and piling up corpses in a semi-urroops are fighting their way for circular barricade breast high around the ward between the Somme and the Oise.

LATEST CABLES. quarry,

NO DECISION YET IN SIGHT,

LONDON, March 26th.

1.30 pm.

A MARVELLOUS FEAT. The manner in which guns, tanks and transport were withdrawn behind the retiring line constitutes a marvellous

fent.

After Crossing the Somme we blew up all the bridges except one, which was so

The paper says the one desire is that the Government will r

1 not lose time in making whatever fresh demands may be required of the civilian population,

The Timer points out that the Germans have not succeeded in their supreme object of driving & wedge between the British and French armies, and the pro- spect of such a success is more remote than over. It says that the immediate problem in whether the British and French forces are able to revccupy appro- ximately the 1016 line.

A REASONABLE DEMAND. The Daily News demands a more de tailed statement of the progress of the battle from Headquarters, and says that if there is unfavourable news the public would prefer to learn it from, our own

The Liriman newspapers continu, to official statements than from the Gar- speculate upon when and where gurmans. reserves will be thrown in

German War Correspondents emphasize font no decision is yet in sight.

The enemy casu French experts are of opinion that the

THE GERMAN CEASELESS TIDE.

LONDON, March 26th.

7.00 a.m.

10.55 p.m.

That advantage, as the history of the war has taught us, is, one that quickly passes every hour and brings us nearer the moment when the Allied Armies reserves will be ready to intervene, Before that moment comes von Hinden- burg must have achieved decision or lo prepared to so that it is against him so far with thrice the human material and means employed by the French and British armies

In the offensives st year the enemy gained proportionat v no more than they Allies in the series of brilliant attacks beginning with Vimy Ridge and ending with Malmaison Forty

GAINS IN PROPORTION TO

FORCES..

All such operations result in a gain of ground exactly in proportion to the accumulation of men and material and the means behind the attacking Front. As the Germans have been able to accumulate greater force behind the front than the Allies have ever been abla to achieve, their advance has been pro- portionately swifter and greater than ours. It will not less certainly bu brought to a stop as soon as the initial momentum is absorbed by exhaustion battle,

The Germans are advancing through the same territory in which, through their own criminal folly, they will not find a whole roof, except in the towns Guiscard and Ham, nor an inhabitant, nor an

eunos of food,

DIRECTIONS OF GERMAN DERMA ADVANCE.

Tire was very severe fighting all day. on Wie fronts southward of Peronne and

The Press Bureau announces:→The | commanded by our guns that it wea southard and northward of Bapaume

Theenemy attacked our positions in Cabinet wishes to express to the British advantageous to leave great trength with tre

fresh forces, and, Army despite our gallant resistance, we were splendid defence The whole Empire is been prodigious, Again and again, great counter-move will materialize. This

filled with pride and is watching the heroic massed partics on rafts and pontoons probably will be the crux of the battle.

It is believed that Hindenburg has The remy copy Neste and Bapaume resistangs of the brave troops against were annihilated by bar guns, but ulti- Heavyighting continues.

overwhelming odds. Knowing their stead mately a passage was effected by the famous already thrown in some reservet-

EARLIER CABLES fastness and courage whenever the coun-Brandenburg Iron Corps near Licourt try's honour depends upon their valour, under a hajlstorm of fire and only efter | THE NATION'S DETERMINATION. the Empire confidently awaits the results innumerable failures. N

the Nation's thanks for ita alties in efforts to cross the Somme have is rapidly approaching when the eavy and field-guns were handled with but the way to the capital is blocked by

forced › give ground

ARIAL OPERATIONS,-

Lognow, March 20th-

Activity in the air was very great during the day and was remarkable for the weight of bombs dropped and the number of lights.

Many thousands of rounds were red from low Ititudes upon the enemy's

troups.

Aeroplanesreported the progress of the haltle and informed the artillery of

suitable targes,

of this struggle to defeat the enemy's

TANKS CAUSE HAVOC.

LONDON, March 26th

7.20 a.m.

last desperate effort to trample down free At a certain place a large force of the

As evidence develops that the Germans nations. We at home are prepared to do enemy had thrust its way through and are not likely to gain a decision in face all in our power to help in the true spirit gained what promised to, develop into of the magnificent British resistance, of comradeship. The men necessary to distinct tactical advantage, but, during, publié opinion, which, though anxions, replace all casualties, and the guns and an enemy pause to reorganise, ten tank machine gune required to make good the advanced and caused havoc in the German losses, are either now in France or are ranks, and finally drove them back, already en route, and still further rein- forcements in men and guns are ready to be thrown into the battle. LLOYD GEORGE. ARMY'S GRATEFUL THANKS TO KING GEORGET

LONDON, March 25th, 11.15. p.m

marvellous discipline in the tearguard

of

proved

the

enemy

The German advance seems to lie in two general directions, one due west across the battlefield of the Bomme, and another south-west upon Noyon, behind Mr. Philip Gibbs reports:-British which lies the Compiegne road to Paris,

a powerful French Arm

Army under a General

Marbo

Black- rush in this direction has already

Chauny, on the bank of the Oise, which the Germans hold now in the front line, is a mere heap of ruins.

A REGRETTABLE CONSEQUENCE OF ENEMY ADVANCE, man advoces is that relief work in the A regrettable consequence of the Ger- devastated districte is brought to a stop- Numerous French, British and American charitable agencies are obliged to with draw from this work, which was largely in the hands of compassionate American ladies, who now so the fruits of their labour once more destroyed by the in- vedere bet

petions in positions which became unten able, the gunners firing for hours at masses of Germans moving close to their vicinity causing deadly losses, but the masses did not cease to advance, bearing down the defenders by their ceaseless tide. Some guns were abandoned, but many were withdrawn across the Somme, the gunners taking up new positious and re-entering into action like an exhibition of batteries.

RAPID MOVEMENT OF ENEMY'S

HEAVY GUNS.

THE FRENCH COUNTER- ATTACKING,

LONDON, March 26th. 12.15 am. See A French communiqué states-Furi

ously the enemy is ceaselessly bringing in reinforcementa.

Low flyers limbed and machine-gunard. masses of trips in the battle area..

Over 1,700 lombs, were dropped in the daytime on different targets, including Bruges Dock, Aulnoye railway station, a South-eastward of Cambrai, large camp and high velocity guns and hostile rein- forcements. The fighting is the most Marshal Sir Douglas Haig replied the thing were a huge joke. Here a clay in which even the pacifists joined, and severe we have experienced.

as follows to His Majesty Your caked armoured-car speeding back for meetings of the district branches of the We brought down 17 enemy machines Majesty's message has given universal ammunition, there a motor-lorry stacked Amalgamated Engineers' Society yester

encouragement. The whole army beg with maps and records, and with a red day repudiated the Manchester decisions, damage done has been insignificant.

in which the Executive bad no part NET RESULT OF GERMAN your Majesty to accept their grateful batted officer pr ched on top.

and drove down 22 uncontrollable,

Ten of ours are missing After dark we continued bombing and machine gunning the enemy troops en posite the battle-front.

We also bombed Bruges Dock and a aerodrome between Tournai and Mons used by night flierà

p

Over 11 tons of bonihe were dropped All our machines returned.

Que large enemy bomber landed behind

our lines.

The Press Bureau announces:-Field- and African natives grinning as though by an outburst of popular indignation bridges, erecting new hospitals and acro

thanks and assurance that we will send fastly continue to do our utmost to

Mr Percival Phillips says that the has never been unduly depressed, is now bracing itself in a determination to most remarkable feature of the German acquiesce in whatever measures are neces advance has been the rapid movement of heavy guna This phase of open warfare sary to meet the sdmittedly critical sitaa has been carefully rehearsed for months. Our troops, obeying orders, are yield- SCENES ON THE ROADS. The scenes on the roads leading to the tion. All contention has been silenced. British airmen saw howitzers lumbering ing ground foot by foot and delivering along the roads in eadless columns, motor- vigorous counterattacks inflicting heavy rear have been most remarkable during There was a ticker, of labour restlessness lorries bringing up shells to the new losses. the past three days with parties of fat Manchester recently when the unofficial positions, and the guns come into action A desperate fight occurred round Neale, Rheims has received 1,375 skella during were rematedly seen galloping boldly civilians and villagers shepherded by representatives of the ongincers threaten-where. In the open, feld-batteries which changed hands several times, soldiers, mixed labour groups, impassive ed to strike against the man power pro across the rising ground less than a mile the past twenty-four hours.

from the British. Behind the advanc Orientals in all varieties of headgear, posals, but this was promptly extinguished ing armies, comes another army of work- The Balkans.

men repairing the destroyed railways and dromes The offensive in the air is pro- inations of Gothas every night bave tried cuted with equal vigour. Large for

nusually heavy explosives, but the to cut communications, and have dropped

BALONIKA, March 25th. AUSTRIAN GENERAL'S OPINION.

General Danklas, in an interview, said Zorica, March 20th.

that the possibility of an enemy" attack General Auffenberg, interviewed by a in Macedonia could not be regarded Budapest newspaper, said that this de seriously when the enemy was concentrat cisive battle would last for some time ing as many troops as possible on the The Central Powers forces thousands of Western Front. In any case, the Allies Everywhere unthaken, confidence is kilometres away may still have to be entrenchments are able to resist any

engaged in it. The final decision may be attack. pressed that the undaunted front present dependent upon them after immense tosses ed by the British troops will baffle the on both sides.

LATEST CABLES.. GERMAN TANKS IN ADVANCE: AMSTERDAM, March 28th,

A Berlin semi-official message claim

deserve the inspiring confidence your Majesty and people throughout the that German Tanks with Captured Empire have placed upon us in this British Tanks played a leading part in

the advance south-east of St. Quentin, hour of national stress."

MOVEMENT.

LONDON March 28th.

7.35a-m

LATEST CABLES. {THROUGH REUTER'S AGESOX.E

OPERATIONS IN MACEDONIA. POSSIBILITY OF ENEMY ATTACK.

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