ALL-DAY FIGHTING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3102, 5 June 1917, Page 5

ALL-DAY FIGHTING

TERRIFIC OUTBURST OF ARTILLERY RUSSIA'S INDUSTRIAL CRISIS After Buuie days of conijmrutivo inaction in tho West, tho signs iiro beginning to point to auotlicr groat contest. Tho British guns aro busy , all along the lino delivering a terrific attack with high exploeivo shell, aud accomplishing effective destruction far behind tho Gcrman/'fron't line trenches. Haig's plans are so carefully masked by the roar of.tho guns that the Germans are completely at a loss to anticipate his new point , of attack. To-day's diepatches describe a stubbornly contested move by tho British infantry, bo stubbornly contested by strong forces that our troops were unable to hold the new ground in the face of overwhelming counter-attacks. On the French front heavy attacks by the Germans on our Ally's positions at Vauclerc and tho California Plateau have been repulsed with heavy losses. No news of material import has como from tho other main battle fronts. In Russia, tho industrial and economic

situation appears to be in a state of chaos, and the national danger is thereby accentuated. Armed bands of imarchiets and extremists openly defy the Provisional Governmont. The British Labour-Socialist Convention at Leeds has opened, the first day's proceedings being marked by some extraordinary contentions. Germany is still plotting for peace, which, says an inspired note in the "North Gorman Gazette," is now offered on tho basis of no annexation, and no indemnity. Germany's wants, according to this latest manifestation of the enemy's etate of mind; aro few and simple.

STUBBORN .FIGHTING IN THE WEST GREAT OUTBURST OF HIGH EXPLOSIVE SHELL BRITISH INFANTRY ATTACK FIERCELY CONTESTED (Bj Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright). '„. ~ , i_, . London, June 3. Sir Douglas Hwg lepovU: -, We attacked the front southward oi' die Souchez River last night, and have already made good progress and taken ;i number of prisoners. The enemy attacked our advance posts at night south-west of Cherisy, and uiado some progress, but a counter-attack regained the whole ol' the lost β-round except one post. We made successful raids eouthward of Ypves: The Crernian artillery is active at Bullecourt."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Ttoiiter. (I'ee. .luiio .(., 7.25 p.m.) c-- n ■ r, ■ London, June ■!. Sir Douglas Hing reports: "Inene all-dny fightins, with .varyin- fortunes, has occurred soutlin-ard of the Hoiiclicz 3?iver. Th<- enemy lost hca'vilv by our first attack, but owing to a number of violent counter-attacks by considerable force* ire H-ero iiuable to . maintain the progress wo made in the morniii" We raided tlio enemy's trenches eastivar<l of Lavcute and soulhwiird of Wytschiietc. We brought down ton of tlio enemv's aeroplanes. Four of ours aip niiss-ing."—.-Us.-N.Z. Cable-■Assii.-licutpr. . . ' ". 1 A "BRILLIANT LITTLE ADVANCE" (Hec. June i, MJM p.m.)

Renter'.-! correspondent at Headquarters details the "briUiauUiltlo ■idruiee" on the Souchra River referral to by Sir Douglas Hal- "Tin; Canadians' stormed and occupied, mi electric power station and some brick stacks between Avion awl hleudite 1 Aurette, crowed the river, established a post on tlio north b-ank and took prisoners- These gains rob the enemy, or 'several strong uiaclrino-»un positions. Ihe iißlit still continues. There is great reciprocal artillery fMitnv and (he airmen are at Hieir busiest."—.Ueuter. " " HAIG'S NKXT .BLOW WELL CONCEALED. Correspondents at the front describe the Germans' bewilderment' and uncertainty, regarding Sir Douglas Haig"s next offensive, in view of the svstemitio destruction of barbed-wire entanglements and trenches. Most parts of'the front are under a terrific bombardment, tram Yprea to St. Qnentin.—Aus.-N.Z Cable Assn. . ■ ENORMOUS BURST OF SHELL FIRE ; : (Jiee.- Juno 4, S.US p.m.) ~ ~,... ~.,, , ,„ , London, June 3. Mr. flulip Uibbs reports: "On S'uuday afternoon there was an enormous outburst of shell fire on various sectors of our front, the massed guns of botli sides bursting into u fury of high explosives, particularly about Bullecourt and the broken Hmdenburg lino along the Cojenl Valley as far as the Ypres salient. While the bombardment whs proceeding there was little; infantry fighting except for the body-snatchnig' raids and 'machine-gun grabbing.' Prisoners have been brought ill in small batches. These- make up big numbers for the month's bag, mostly consisting of men of broken nerve, who apeak with 'horror of our bombardment., which extends ten miles deep to the German billets, makes liell of their rail heads, blows' up their amniuni tion dump*, and buries iiianv Germans in their dug-outs."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

HEAVY ATTACK REPULSED BY THE 'FRENCH ,

. ' London, .Tune 15. X fcrench communique states: "Tub enemy carried out a. violent bombardment in the CriiouiiG region all night, nt'te: , whioli thn-c attacks were made on the California Plateau. They were everywhere repulsed with important losses, especially on the custom portion of the California Plateau, where the storming troops were scattered by our fire, and left numbers of bodies in front of our trenches. A number of were taken. Various enemy attempts at coups de main in the Champagne and tho Voagcs failed."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.lieuter. (Roc. Juno I, 8.15 p.m.) London, June 1. A l-rench official communique st.ites: "Units belonging to twii German division-; participated in attacks on Vauclerc and the California Plateau. The Germans in the alt auk on Vauelerc assaulted in dense- waves, somotimes advancing shoulder to shoulder. After their first .lttnck Uicy retired in disorder. The second attack wns nccompanie<l by liquid lire, and the enemy momentarily entered our advanced trenches. They wero immediately ejected with heavy losses. We maintained our positions entirely."— Aus.->f.Z. Cable Asan.-Ttptiter. THE GERMAN REPORT \ London, June .1. A German official report states:—"We. repulsed attacks near Loos, nt tho .Sonehez Brnok, and nmth-castward of Moneliy. Fighting continues southwest of Lens. We repulsed French reconnoitring forces on the right banlc of the Mouse. English, aviators during Thursday night, bombed the camp at Etivppe, killed some French prisoners, and wounded 91. Our air squadrons destructively bomlicd Hip Aisno front. /Tho encniy lost ten aeroplane on the Weil: front."—Aub.-N.K. Cable Atwn.-Rculor.