BRITISH ATTACK IN THE WEST

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2991, 31 January 1917, Page 5

BRITISH ATTACK IN THE WEST

;, BATTLE NEAR ARMENTIERES 1 FROZEN GROUND FAVOURABLE FOR ;■ . . . ' , ADVANCE By Telegraph!— Press 'Aeen.—Copyright. London, January 29. The ground is frozen to some depth, on the Western front, enabling the transport of heavy guns, which was held up during the mud period. HEAVY FIGHTING NORTH OF ARMENTIERES. Wireless, per Admiralty Press. —-A German official message states: "Wβ repulsed three English waves, inflicting heavy losses north of Arnientieres." BRITISH REPORT: RAIDING ATTACKS (Rcc. January 30, 6 p.m.) London, January 30. Sir Douglas Haig reports,: "We raided the enemy's lines north-east of Vermelles and bombed the dug-outs, inflicting many casualties. Wβ entered the German positions ttorth-eas? of Arraentiores, arid reached their third line, destroying their dug-outs and killing many there and in the trendies." —Atib.-N.Z- Cable Aesn'.-Reuter. . ■ ' THE BRITISH ATTACK ON Lii TRANSLOY ' A SUDDEN'AND PAINFUL SURPRISE. (Rec. January 30, 11.40 p.m.) . , London, January 30. Jlr. Philip Gibbs, in a brisk narrative 'of the surprise attack by the British on LeTranslay on Saturday, says: "The objeotive was an'important slope running to the ruined village before whioh picked' enemy troops, weve strongly entrenched. The whole'operation, was carried out with' astonishing 62,60, and 350 amazed Germans were bundled into London omnibuses and taken to the internment camps before they cprite realised that the attack had commenced. There were no wire entanglements—only one or,two shivering sentries. The Germans evidently believed that the British, were equally anxious to remain, in peace and quietness. There was no preliminary bombardment. At 5.30 a.m. there was a terrific crash of artillery, and then tho Britishers scrambled over tho snow-olad No Man's Land. They took four minutes to cross that hundred yards of- frozen quagmires, pock-holcd with shell holes. No Germans wore above the ground when the British reached tho enemy's lines. The utter lifelessnoss of the place was curious and uncanny. Not a. single machine-gun spat bullets of death, ;ind when the dug-outs were challenged the Wurtemlnirgors came up, dazed. Their officers explained that they thought ife was only a morning 'strafe.' They had no idea of an attack. They aeked: 'How did you get hero 60 quickly?' A few Germanu found time to recover from this stunning blow, and fought plucEiy untiloverpowered. The British went on another fivo hundred 1 yards, and dug-in in the frozen ground. Others took possession of the dug-outs. Our artillery smashed the enemy's counter-attacks, thauks to the guns having absolute ebservation of th© German movements from the lu'gher ground which we won in the Battle of the Sdiuuie."—Aus'.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. FIGHTING IN THE VOSGES GERMAN ATTACKS AT HARTMANNSWEILER KOPF. London, January 20. 'A. French communique stales: "German attacks at Hartmannsweiler Kopf were, easily repulsed. Our aeroplanes bombed the sevoral railway sta-tions."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rec. January 80,11.25 p.m.) London, January. 30. 'A communique states: "There is reciprocal artillery fighting and grenade warfare on tho sector of Hill 304 and on tho left hank of tho.Mouse. Long-range artillory firing is proceeding in Lorraine." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMAN OFFICIAL' COMMUNIQUE. A Gorman official communique assorts: "Repeated French attacks "on Hill 300 were unsuccessful."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ENEMY'S SUPREME EFFORT PREDICTED WIN OE LOSE BLOW IST THE WEST. (Rcc. January 30, 5.5 p.m.) London, January 29. The Exchange Telegraph 'Agency publishes an article by Lieut. Rono Puaux, formerly editor of the Paris "Temps." and now attached to Genoral Foch's staff, which points out that the old tradition of winter, quarters no longer exists. "Germany's internal condition will not permit her to await the Entente Powers' exhaustion, and she certainly is feverishly preparing for a great effort. Her only hope of victory is a stunning blow. It will be useloss for her to keep back her troops for the autumn, owing to the spectre of famine. We must oxpect either a victory or a confession of defeat. Germany must loso the game if she fails to obtain a satisfactory decision be-fore,,-June." ' Lieut. Puaux rejects the idea of German offensives on Salonika, agaiiißt Italy, or towards Pctrograd. Only-tho Western front is loft. The difficulty is to say just where the offensive will start. Certain indications suggest Hint Germany will immediately and simultaneously employ all her available troops. It will bo a. decisivo objective and a supremo effort. She may attempt to break through at the Anglo-French junction. Tho one thing certaifiris this— though yerdim sras wfTirprise, thig .wall not H"—Aus.-N-Z, Cable