TERRIFIC ATTACKS ON THE BRITISH AT BULLECOURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3086, 17 May 1917, Page 5

TERRIFIC ATTACKS ON THE BRITISH AT BULLECOURT

HEAVY GERMAN LOSSES ENEMY GAINS SLIGHT FOOTHOLD The High Commissioner reports:— London, May 15, 1.40 p.m. sir Douglas Haig reports: "There have been small successful engagements south-eastwards of Epehy. Early this morning'the enemy heavily bombarded us at Bullecourt and on the Hindenburg lime, and again made two counterattacks on the Hindenburg line. The attempts completely failed. An attack at Bullecourt also failed, but, after heavy fighting, our advanced posts on the north-western portion of the village were forced back a short distance. Our artillery stopped a hostile counter-attack south-eastward of Loos. We .carried out ii successful raid in the neighbourhood of Ypres, and a few prisoners ivere taken." , ■ FOUR DESPERATE ATTACKS ON BULLECOURT • ENEMY SUFFERS HEAVY LOSSES. ' (Roc. May 16, 9 p.m.) London, May 16. Sir Douglas Haig reports :—"Further details of the fighting this morning show that the enemy deliberately attempted by four strong concerted attacks, powerfully supported by artillery, to drive us out of Bullecourt and the section of tho Hindenburg line to the eastward of the village. The first attack gained for the enemy a temporary foothold in our trenches on the right flank of the position on the Hindenburg line. Our counter-attack immediately ejected the enemy, who left 240 killed and wounded. Our artillery dispersed a simultaneous atack on the left flank, and repulsed a third attack on the north-eastern corner of Bullecourt. A fourth attack, delivered from the south and south-east, drovo back our posts from tho western portion of the village for a distance of a hundred yards. The enemy's losses wcro heavy. A heavy hostile artillery bombardment is proceeding on the Scarpe."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. HEAVY ATTACK REPULSED BY THE FRENCH ■ . i The High Commissioner reports :■— I ( _ , _. , ' London, May 15, 3.10 p.m. French oftoial report.—-"Late yesterday, after a violent bombardment, in the region of the Chemin-des-Dames, north-west of Braye-en-Laonnais tho Germans attacked on a wide front' from Les Fovettes and L'Epincde-de-Chrev-regny. Our barrage and machine-jron fire-broke- the attack, which was unable to reach our lines except at one point, where a small section of the enemv occupied some advanced posts, south-westward of Filain. (Rec. May 16, 8.55 p.m.) .- - , . . \ London, May lfi. A I'ronch official communique states: "The artillery struggle continues along the different sectors. The report is confirmed that the enemy sustained very heavy losses in yesterday's attacks.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT (Rec. May 16, 6.50 p.m.) ... '~.■',■ London, May I.x A (reman official report status: "Our fire prevented the development of •British attacks on the Scarpe and at Monchy. • We repulsed an advance esst and south of Bullecourt. and stormed and captured Sainte Berthe Farm, cisfc of Fontaine-le-Maison. We also retained against four attacks our newly-cap-ttured line on Height 108. northward of Sapigneul, and repulsed an attack o"u the village of Blanche. We brought down seven of the enemy's aeroplanes.''•— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. . ' / MILITARY SENSATION IN, FRANCE GENERAL PETAIN APPOINTED TO .THE COMMAND-IN- ' CHIEF.H (Rec. May 16, 5,5 p.m.) ' ' London, May 15. 'A sensation has been caused by Hie announcement that the Council of Ministers has appointed ..General Petain to the Commaiid-in-Chief of the northern and north-eastern armies, with General Foch as Chief-of-Staff. General Nivelle (recently appointed Commander-in-Cliief) will command au army group.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ; [General Petain was the hero of the great defence of Verdun, and is Neville's senior. General Nivollc, orv the retirement of General Joffre from the Comtnand-in-Chief of the French armies, was appointed to succeed him. NivelleVrise has "been rapid, and just before being appointed to the Com-mand-in-Chief he capped Ms previous exploits hy planning and carrying to a brilliantly successful issue a surprise attack at Verdun, recovering a great area of territory that had been captured by,the Germans.] i