THE WESTERN THEATRE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16158, 12 March 1918, Page 7

THE WESTERN THEATRE.

ATTACKS NEAR YPRES. ! HEAVIEST FIGHTING OF THE YEAR. (By Cable.—Press Association— Copyright.) (Reuter's Telegrams.) LONDON, March 10. Reuters correspondent at British Headquarters states: — "Yesterday's was the heaviest fighting ol' the year. On the Passchendaele salient the enemy, for the whole of the previous night, heavily bombarded the front from Warneton to Langemarck, freely employing gas shells. "The troops employed against the subsequent attack on a mile front south of Honthuls fc Forest met the enemy with such a vigorous resistance that the waves broko and retired in most places. On the right flank of the attack, however, the fiammenwerfers forced the garrisons at some posts to withdraw to their supports. A little later the Yorkshire Light Infantry counter-attacked with great dash. The enemy was very strong, but the fury of the onslaught created a panic, and the enemy broke. Our men pursued them for 300 yards from the spot where the enemy attacked, inflicting considerable casualties. The lino was completely restored. "Heavy artillery fire all day long astride of the Mciiin road was succeeded by the advance of a large body of infantry. covercd by an intense barrage. The infantry deployod over 3000 yards, and furious fighting ensued in the twilight. The enemy succeeded in establishing a few posts, which were submitted to our artillory fire all night loner. "The weather is ideal." A DISA'STROIio FAILURE. (Australian and N.Z. Coblo Association.) (Received March 11th, 8 n.m.) LONDON, March 10. Mr Percival Phillips states: — The attacks by picked troops on Friday wore a disastrous failure, and resulted in a heavy Gorman casualty list, and the demoralisation of their storm troops. Our men do not fear these elaborate drives, and thoir spirit and confidence was never higher. "The purpose of the attacks at Houthulst Forest and Polderhoek Spur was to remove local salients and give better observation for the Germane. The attacks were meant to be a surprise, but the stormers were badly shaken by the British artillory before their barrage moved. About 250 men on a. front of 800 yards occupied six of our posta at Houthulst Forest, and forced back the British occupants 100 yards. Flamo machines assisted the Germans, but our machine-guns provented reinforcements coming up until the Yorkshire Light Infantry and the Royal Fusiliers chased the Germans into a swamp."

GERMAN EXCUSE FOR FAILURE. | (Received March 11th, 8 p.m.) LONDON, March 10. Mr Philip Gibbs writes:— ''Tho enemy's attacks on Friday were frustrated owing to our barrage making an assembly of the Germans impossible. "German officers captured at Polderhoek said that they believed that their plans had been revealed. Prisoners said that the attack was postponed, owing to deserters' carrying news of tho preparations to the British." SUCCESSFUL BRITISH RAIDS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reutor's Telegrams.) LONDON, March 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports: — ■'We made succcssful raids north and west of St. Quentin, and . south and west of Cambrai. "Hostile artillery is active at Armentieres, eastward of Wytschaete, and in the neighbourhood of the Menin road." HOSTILE RAIDERS REPULSED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reuter's Telegrams.) (Received March 11th, S n.m.) LONDON, March 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports: — "A hostile raiding party, under covor of a heavy bombardmont, attacked our positions eastward of Armentieres. A few British are missing. We repulsed the attack. "Artillery firing has markedly increased between La Bassee Canal and Ypres." ON THE FRENCH FRONT.

(Received March 11th. 8 p.m.) LONDON, March 10. A French communique states: — "Thero is reciprocal artillery activity at 'Bandisapt and Violu. ''Our aeroplanes dropped 14 tons of bombs on onemy works behind the. German lines." LONDON, March 10A French communique states: — "Wo repulsed raids south of Bctheny, on the left hank of tho Meuse, and in the Vosges. Detachments penetrated the enemy lines east of Auberive, in the region of Badonvillers, and destroyed several works."

The cable news in thlfl issue accredited to "The Times" has aDFeared in that journal, but only where expressly elated is «raci> news the editorial opinio ll ol Times."

A GERMAN* COMMUNIQUE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reuter's Telegrams.) Admiralty per Wireless Pree?. (Received March 11th, 7.20 p.m.) LONDON, March 10. A Gorman official report states :-t----"Wo repulsod strong reconnoitring thrusts southward of Monchy-le-Preux. "Strong French detachments penetrated our foremost trenches between Ancrewiller and Badonvillers, but our countor-thrusts drove them out." GERMAN AIRCRAFT STRENGTH. (United Service.) LONDON", March 9. The ''Daily Express's" Paris correspondent states that there arc 130 squadrillas of German aeroplanes on the West front, totalling 1080 machines. IN MESOPOTAMIA. BRITISH OCCUPY HIT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reuter's Telegrams.) (Ileceivcd March 11th, 7.20 p.m.) LONDON, March 10. A Mesopotamia official report states : "Wc occupied Hit, on the Euphrates, yesterday morning without opposition. "The Turks retired seven miles upstream." AN OUTPOST OF BAGDAD. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) '(Received March lltli, 8 p.m.) LONDON, March 10. Hit, which tho British have occupied, stands upon the last eminence of stone before the Euphrates cntors an alluvial plain. Nebuchadnezzar secured the stone for his palaces here, and there are inexhaustible beds of bitumen which fill the air with the smell of rotten eggs. It is a tradition that pitch from Hit was used for Noah's Ark, and the Tower of Babel. Strategically, Hit is a natural' outpost of Bagdad on the Euphrates road.