WEST FRONT ACTIVE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16157, 11 March 1918, Page 7

WEST FRONT ACTIVE.

SHARP FIGHTING NEAR YPRES. AIR RAIDS ON LONDON AND PARIS. 4th YEAR—222nd DAY.

THE WESTERN THEATRE. THE BRITISH FRONT. ENEMY IVJTACK NEAR YPRES. (By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright.) (Australian and. N.Z. Cable Association.) LReuter's Telegrams.) (Received March 10th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 9. Sir Dou'glas Haig reports: — "Before the dawn tho enemy delivered a strong local attack on a mile front south of Houthulst Forest (east of Ypres). The attack mostly broke down under our fire. On our left, however, the attack, which -was most determined and supported by flame-throwers, compelled some of our advanced poets to (fall back a short distance on a 500 yards front, after severe fighting. "The Yorkshires counter-attacked later with complete success, driving the onemy back 300 yards beyond our former line, inflicting heavy losses and re-establishing tho position. •'Our casualties were light. "Sussex troops carried out a. successful raid eastward of Laventerie, taking prisoners. "Enemy artillery is active at Flesquieres, Givenchy, Neuvo Chapelle, Armentieres, and Ypres. '•The enemy's artillery is active in the Scarpe valley and at Ribecourt. There is much reciprocal artillery activity between tho Menin road andi Houthulst Forest.'' LONDON, March 8. Sir Douglas Haig reports: — "After artillery iiro the enemy, ill a fog, raided our advanced posts northwest of La Bassee and entered one. We repulsed the raiders. "Tho enemy is maintaining artillery fire at Cambrai, Vermel lee, Arraentieres, and Ypres."

ATTACK ON A MILE FRONT. (Router's Telegrams.) (Received March 10th. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 8. Serious fighting has taken place at Ypres and Dixmudc. A German attack on a mile front was repulsed. TEMPORARY BRITISH REVERSE. The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, March 9. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— "Eastward of Ypres, southwards of the Menin road, and northward of Polderlioek yesterday evening the enemy vigorously attacked, but were unsuccessful except at Polderlioek, whence wo were ejected after a heavy night's fighting."

SUCCESSFUL PORTUGUESE RAID. (Australian and Is.Z. Cable A^eociatioa.) (Received March 10th, 11.25 p.m.) LONDON. March 10. Sir Douglas ttaig reports:— "The King's Royal Rifles broke +he main force of yesterday evening's attack in the neighbourhood of Poldcrlioek. The enemy's losses were sovere. The short section of trench which nad remained in his hands was recaptured, despite a strong resistance, by the Royal Fusiliers. A few prisoners were captured. "The Portuguese penetrated to the second line tranches in the Ncuve Chapelle raid reported this morning, driving out the garrison with heavy loss and bombing or blowing tip a number of occupied dug-outs and bringing in prisoners. The Portuguese casualties were light. t "We raided trenches north of the Bapaume-Cambrai road. "Londoners carried out a raid "uri t,ne neighbourhood of Oppy, killing several and taking a few prisoners. "There is increased activity on the part of hostile artillery north of the La Basseo Canal.

SEVERE FIGHTING NEAit YPRES

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reuter'a Telegrams.) (R-eceived March 11th, 12.50 a.m.) LONDON, March 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports "Tho enemy attacked yesterday evening under oover of a heavy bombardment on a front of nearly a mile from southward of the Menin road to northward of Polderhoek Chateau. "Despite his intense artillery fire and determined, attack, however, we repulsed his forces at all points, excepting in the neighbourhood of Polderhoek, where the enemy entered somo of our advance posts on a front of 200 yara6. "We recaptured the whole of the positions after severe fighting lasting all night. "We drove o*f raiders east of Neuve Chapelle. '•Tho Portuguese captured several prisoners in a successful raid in this neighbourhood. "Tho West Kents carried out a successful raid south of Flourbaix, capturing a number of prisoners.'' A GERMAN REPORT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reuter'a Telegrams.) Admiralty per Wireless Press. (Received March lOtht, 11.25 p.m.) LOXDOX, March 10. A German official report states: "A hostile infantry attack followed a violent artillery duel on the Badonvillers sector. "The engagements have not yet terminated.'*

AUSTRIAN REINFORCEDENTS. (.Router's Telegrams.) (Received March 10th, 5.5 p.m.) ROME, March 8. The Prussian Minister of War announced in the Ileiclistag that Austrian troops had. been sent to France. He refused to give the number. THE FRENCH REPORT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reuter's Telegrams.) (Received March 10th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March i). A French communique states: — "There is fairly great enemy artillery •activity at La Pompelle and in the region of Avocourt. "A strong enemy raid at Moncel was reputed, with serious losses." GREAT GERMAN ACTIVITY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received March 10th, 5.5 p.m.) PAHIS, March 9. The "Petit Journal's" correspondent on the British front states that the prodigious enemy activity is due to the bringing up of troops, while the marked enemy reinforcements of artillery on tho whole front coincide with violent bombardments between Lens and Fleequieres. The Germans in the St. Quentin region significantly are constructing supplementary bridges over the canals.

EAST AFRICAN CAMPAIGN. (Australian and N.Z, Cable Association.) (Reuter's Telegrams.) (Received March 10th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON 1 , March 9. An East Africa official report states: "The main enemy force is still northward of the Lurio river. Operations are continuing despite the rains. "Our columns from Lake Nyassa killed or captured 177 of the enemy during January and February. '"The Zambesi floods are subsiding."

AN AMERICAN STORY. NEW YORK, March 8. Tho "New York World" interviewed returned wounded soldiers. They stated that 12 Americans were taken prisoner, and next morning their bodies were found in front of the trenches. Their arms and legs had been amputated and their eyes gouged out. BELGIANS REPULSE STRONG ATTACK. LONDON, March 9. A Belgian communique states: — "An enemy attack, north of NieJport on Friday under cover of an extremely violent bombardment failed. Wo took prisoners. "A counter-attack by our dismounted cavalry on Wednesday against Prussian shock troops, who had gained a footing in our advanced posts south of j Stuyensfcerke, was mst successful. "We took prisoners, nine machineguns, ad much material, and re-occu-pied all our posts." BELGIANS' HEROIC STAND. LONDON, March 9. Correspondents pay tributes to the Belgians' fine stand at Stuyenskerke. The weather had dried the flooded ground, and this enabled tho Germans to attack on a fairly wide front. The Belgians' rifle and machine-gun fire beat off the southern portion of the attack, but German storm troops to the north rushed seveii advanced posts, sflmi-circling around the bridgehead. A desperate fight ensued. A Belgian officer and nine men, with otie machine-gun, held on for an hour and repelled repeated assaults by 300 of the enemy with 12 machine-guns. Luckily a Belgian patrol returning from another encounter heard the firing and rushed up to reinforce the gallant defenders. This quickly turned the tables, and the Belgians, assuming the offensive, attacked and recaptured one of Die lost posts, securing prisoners and one machine-gun. Mcanwhilo a larger counter-attack had by dismounted Belgians, and this completqjy re-estab-lished the line.

SUCCESSFUL BELGIAN ACTIVITIES. (Australian and N. 2. O&blo Association.) (Router'# Telegrams.) (Received March llth, 12.50 a.m.) LONDON, March 10. A Belgian communique states :— ''Two Belgian raids ill tho region of Nieuport resulted in tho killing of many of tho enemy. Wo also brought back prisoners. We captured, a German outpost. • 'Tho enemy's raiding outburst during tho last week has resulted in a recrudescence of artillery activity on the •\vholo fruilt."