GERMAN ATTACK ON GAVRELLE
ENEMY CAUGHT IN THE BRITISH BARRAGE
STIRRING STORIES BY THE CORRESPONDENTS (By Telegraph—Press.Association— Copyright).. London, April 26. Sir Douglas.Haig reports:—"The enemy. in the evening endeavoured to re-take our new positions in the neighbourhood of Gavrelle. • Our artillery barrage caught' the advancing troops, and completely repulsed them."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.
' -AN ARTILLERY DUEL IN'PEOGEESS.,, •"■ ■■ (Rec. 'April 27, 8.5 p.m.) 1 London, 'April 26. Sir_ Douglas Haig reports dispersed a raid eastward of Ypros. There is considerable reciprocal artillery firing between St. Quentin and Arras, and also in the neighbourhood of Yprcs."—Aus.-N.Z. Gable Assn.-Reu-ter. . 0 ■'"'/'
VIOLENT ATTACK ON THE FRENCH FRONT, The High Commissioner reports:— ' London, 'April 26, 3.15 p.m. 'A French official dispatch states:—"Yesterday, after a violent bombardment, the enemy twice launched, without success, powerful attacks, oil a front of about two kilometres (1J miles) westwards t of Cerny, which broke down on our lines with heavy losses. Another attempt in the region of Hurtebise Farm was also unsuccessful."
THE GERMAN COMMUNIQUE . . ■ tondon, 'April 26. Admiralty, per Wireless Press.—A German official report staj4s:—"Attacking waves three times stormed our positions southward of the Scarpe, and three times were compelled to withdraw. Our position at Gavrelle is now situated on the eastern boundary of tjio village. "Our advances have improved tho position at the Chemin des Dames. The enemy attacked on a front of 3360 yards in £he evening, and wore sanguinarily repulsed."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ' ■ '
GRAPHIC STORIES BY CORRESPONDENTS . APPALLING SLAUGHTER BY THE BRITISH GUNS. v London, April 26. The "Morning Post's"'correspondent states that the German counterattacks were delivered with a reckless courage which was unparalleled since the early days of the, war, and which is indicative- ihat the enemy's affairs arc approaching a supreme crisis. Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria's Staff wasted men lavislily in the attempt to restore bis left flank to a position •of vital importance. Troop trains continuo to unload fresh regiments of Wurtembergers and Prussian Guards on tho far side' of the Douai Plain, while divisions have been withdrawn from other points to strengthen the breaches in the Hindenburg line south of the River Scarpe.
The Storm Centres. Hill 70 (north of Loos), Gavrelle, Monchy, and Fontaine are four storm centres which involved exceptionally heavy German losses. The Germans apparently thought it possible that they might break the British barrier between Gavrelle and the Douai railway, and thence to the Scarpe marshes. Infantry waves flowed over the ridges through the copses between Fresnos and Plouvain in solid lines. No gunner could ask for a better target. The appalling destruction by our explosives, however, did not affect the German observers behind Fresnes, and the surviving Braiidcnburgers who managed to regain the shelters from which they had sortied 'were prepared for another attack; and fresh battalions wore summoned to undergo the same ordeal. The British garrison in Gavrelle simply sat tight behind tho machine guns and killed the Germans in company with tho artillery. The fields in front were covered with cornses. The entire countrysido around Monchy and Fontaine is strewn with dead. / Battles In the Air. - Never before have tho'opposing air-fleets been so heavily engaged as during Monday and Tuesday._ The battle aircraft grappled 'with each other above the contending armies. Aviatiks whirled down in dizzy spirals, pursued by the British airmen, who saw them crash in blazing wreckage on the battlefield. Then our planes swept low, and riddled tho wavering lino of advancing grev figures. Our airmen were everywhere. They fought the German batteries, lino regiments, and transport columns, and did not give tho enemy a rest. Tanks, aeroplanes, and gas shields wore wielded by us iu this modern battle. Altogether, ten Gorman divisions were withdrawn, from one part of tho front; and ton new ones aro already undergoing a similar hammering. Fearful Havoc in the Enemy's Ranks, The Paris "Matin" states that the enemy trenches on the Scarpe are full of dead. The German losses amounted to 20 per cent, of the effectives. A Pomeranian division was almost annihilated; one Prussian regiment was mown down to tho last man. Units of tho Prussian. Guards have replaced tho exhausted Bavarians. The British losses were relatively small; and the majority of tile casualties were from minor .wounds. *
Heroic Worcester*. ; Mr. Beach Thomas, describing tho AVorccsters' experience, says:—Successful German counter-attacks swept bade their neighbours, leaving the AVorcesters isolated. Succossivo advancing waves of between 30(10 and 4000 Germans swept over them, but the Worccstcrs were well entrenched, and had no thought of surrendering, though agonised by thirst. A hurricane of shells was bursting overhead tor thirty-six [lours, but they held on, believing the Germans would bo ultimately driven back. After fourteen additional hours their hopes were realised. Tho advancing. British troops found the Worcesters unaple to speak, their tongues swollen and their lips parched, but still defiant.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.
HUN BRUTALITIES AT CAMBRAI London, April 20. •The "'Petit Farisien" states that the Germans in command at- Cambrai used threats and blows to compel the inhabitants, including a majority of aged women from the adjoining communes, to work.in the first line of trenches to assist the enemy under, fire.—Aua.-N.Z. Cable Assn.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19170428.2.44
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3065, 28 April 1917, Page 9
Word count
Tapeke kupu
851GERMAN ATTACK ON GAVRELLE Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3065, 28 April 1917, Page 9
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Dominion. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.