BRITISH CONTINUE TO GAIN GROUND

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3125, 2 July 1917, Page 5

BRITISH CONTINUE TO GAIN GROUND

/IMPORTANT ADVANCE ON FRONT OF FOUR MILES ALL OBJECTIVES GAINED AND CONSIDERABLE CASUALTIES INFLICTED Tho High Commissioner reports:— " „ London, June 28, 2.40 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Early last night we attacked and captured tho enemy's forward position on a front of 200 yards south and west of Oppy. Wh"bie of our objectives gained; number of prisoners and machine-guns taken. We continue to gain ground on a wide front south of the Souchez Kiver (opposite Lens). We have entered Avion." «.„'•! tt • , „.,',.,. London, June 30, 1.10 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— Additional information confirms the success of the recent operations at Lens. Besides the capture of prisoners and machineguns reported, an important, advance was mado on a total front of four miles, with a'depth of over a mile, resulting in a series of strongly organised defensive systems on both banks of the Souohez Kiver covering Lens being captured. The whole of the objeotives were gained on caoh occasion with slight'loss to us and considerable casualties to the enemy. The positions gained are of great strength, also of tactical strategic importanco to us." ' (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) . ' 'b-'t* , 'rr • ' ' :: . «.,,.,.*' London, June 30. ' bir. Douglas Haig reports:— Additional information confirms our success in the neighbourhood of Lens. We made an important advance on a front of four miles, over, a mile in depth. We captured a. series of strong defensive systems on both banks of the Souchez Eiver, covering Eens. We gained the whole of our objectives, and inflicted considerable casualties. Our losses were slight. Enemy positions-of great strength and tactical strategic importance are now' in our hands. We repulsed raiders on the North Gouzeaucourt front."—Aus.N.Z; Cable Assn.-Eeuter. i i • „.->„ ..'.„.' ■■,''• * London, June 29. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—TVe attacked and captured last evening theforward position on a front of two' thou-sand yards southward and westward of Oppy. We gained the whole of our We continue to gain ground southward of the Souohez Eiver on a wide front. We entered Avion, and repulsed a raid northward of Cherisy. We successfully raided south-eastward of Loos."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter.

' x ', (Rec. July 2, 0.10. a.m.) ■ • London, July 1. The British have again progressed south of Jjena.' They captured a further portion of the trench system, and repulsed' traders' south-east of Gouzeaucourt. There have been several encounters with large formations of hostile aircraft, of which ten wore ibrought down. One British machine is missing.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. , .TEN GERMAN AEROPLANES BROUGHT DOWN. The High Commissioner reports:— . London, June 30, 10.40 p.m. \ Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"As tho result of fighting, ten Bocho aeroplanes , ! were brought down." ■'..■• ADVANCE MADE ON LENS DURING THUNDERSTORM . AEROPLANES DEFY THE. ELEMENTS. London, June 29. The United Press correspondent at Headquarters states that the British advanced south-west of Lens during a. terrific thunderstorm, just before dark on Thursday. They advanced an average d istauce of five hundred yards along a front of two miles, and are still advancing. They are half-way through Avion, and are also well to the south-eastward of Lens. The Germans have not coun-ter-attacked, and all gains have been consolidated. The correspondent watered the battle from ah elevation behind the Canadians. A black stormcloud came np, and the vivid lightning and thunderclaps were indistinguishable from the flashes and roar of the howitzers. The infantry 6tormecl the outskirts of Lens on the plains to' the southward to the accompaniment of. the artillery of both heaven and Sir Douglas Haig. The British aeroplanes defied the elements, and literally played with the storm. They again swept the Germans from the sky.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable-Assn. 'THE GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. (Rec. July 1, s;rr p.m.) -, ' . London, June.29. A wireless German official message states-.—"There were stubborn fights yesterday \between tho La Bassee Canal an d the Scarpe, in a salient westward and south-west of Lens, which wo relinquish ed-long ago as a fighting zone. The enemy launchedan attack on tho Arras Road, but it was broken. In the evening! several 1 divisions attacked between Hulluch and Mericourt and between Frcsnoy and Gavrelle. We repelled tho enemy near Hulluch, between Loos and Lens, ontheLievinEoad. There were vigorous engagements westward of Leus, whore a fresh enemy attack was unable to dovelop. Reinforced attacks near Avion also failed. . The English, after bitter hand-to-hand figuring, occupied our foremost lines between Oppy and the Gavrelle Windmill, but lost sanguinarily. We stormed the French position on a front of a thousand metres,; eastward of Cerny, and held it against vigorous counter-attacks. We attacked the western slopo of Height 304, capturing a position astride the iralan-Conrtcsjies Boad, on a front of two thousand metres and a depth of five hundred metres. We stoTmed positions at tho Avocourt Wood on a front of three hundred metres."— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Bee. July 1, li:s. p.m.) < : < ■ /' London, June 30. A wireless German official message states:—"An English company, supported by low-fiyiiig aeroplanes, penetrated our trenches south-east of Armentiercs, but were driven out by Bavarians. We entered the l?rench. lines on a front of twelve hundred metres south-east of Cor bony. We captured several lines of trenches southwards of Laßoyelle Farm, and repulsed two strong French attacks l near Cerny. We stormed the French positions on the eastern slope of Hill 304, and .captured trenches between Bethincourt and Fsnes. Russian activity in Eastern Galicia indicates attacks. A strong fire is maintained on the LembergBrody railway to the southward of Brzeznhy. Wo drove back the Russians neat Kolincry."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ' , USING BELGIANS TO DETER BRITISH BOMBARDMENT. Amsterdam, June 29. The "Tclegraaf" states that, the Germans have compelled 500 Belgian civilians to remain within half a mile of the harbour of Zeebrugge, presumably in the hope that, it will liavo a deterrent ofleet on the British naval activity. The entire region is a great fortress, with m mines anil infantry quartered among the dunes, whero an enormous mass of artillery is concentrated.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable A6SD. PERSISTENT GERMAN ATTACKS ON FRENCH LINE DRIVEN BACK WITH HEAVY LOSSES. Tho nigh Commissioner reports;— London, Juno 28, 3.10 p.m. A French official report states:—"T.u the region of Cerny, smith-east of Corbcny and north-west of Reims, German attacks have been repulsed. There has been heavy fighting in places, particularly at Cerny. Tll tho region of the Bois d'Avocourt, west of Hill 301 (on the west bank of tho Mouse) two powerful German attacks were repulsed." t London, June 29, midnight. A French official roport states:—'Tho onomy, alter a sanguinary check last night, attacked afresh north-east of, Cerny. After several costly failures the .Germans again penetratod_ portions of our first lino. South-east of Corbeny tho enemy used special storming troops to carry a salient in our lino between Laon and Reims, but were coin polled to retire, with heavy losses." » t. 1 .r ■ 1 t i ..xr t j London, Juno 30, 3.10 a.m. A French official message states:—" Yesterday evening wo counter-attacked westward of 'Hill 301, in tho region of Avocourt and Mort Homme, securing part of the tronche3 which the onomy had previously taTcen. Simultaneously tho Germans powerfully attacked westward of Mort Homme, on a two kilometres front. Wo valiantly resisted, and ontirely annihilated tho attackors. The

euomy penotrftted our first lino of trenches on thi> f™„* ~ , , , . ejected by our energetic counter-attacks, except <L J"' 4 , 7? Homme, where the' enemy maintained his position"" lopeS we ? twftl 'tl of Mort (Reo. .Tuly 2, 0.10 a.m.) A Paris conimnniquo says :—"Great artillery acHvilU „„ Loild <>n, July 1. Meuse, between Avocourt Wood and Mort Homme tL c ° ltlru , ,es left ° th ( 9 tempts to improve their gains were frustrated. Othe vwL » y8 • TOp ° I" 1 f rcport."-Aus!-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Keuter. u t"ens ISO there is nothing to . ,■ ALti.THE ENEMY ATTEMPTS SHATTERED it. i. m■ i • i. i . « m , London, June 29. A Irench official communique state*:- Tho enemy was active last night on the Aisne tront, and' followed up a violent hombardnieni by the liveliest it tacks in tho region of Cerny, south-east of Corbcny, and north-east of Reims. AH his attempts were shattered, and our positions were maintained The strutr Slo was particularly lively in tho region of Cerny, where tho enemy attacked several times at two different points. The enemy secured a footing in'our firstlino north-east of Cerny, but an energetic counter-attack drove him out There is an intense artillery duel on tho left bank of the Mouse, in tho region of Avo court, at the foot of Hill 301 After a violent bombardment, the Germans last evening made a powerful attack with special storming troops on a front of 2000 yards west of Hill 801. Our'firo disorganised ■ the attack, which gained a footing at somo points iu our first line. Another enemy attempt east of Hill 301 this morning was completely repulsed.—Aus.-N.55. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. ENEMY REGAINS PORTION OF LINE AT HEAVY COST. (Rcc. July 1, 5.5 p.m.) v i -n' i . ; . i «»7 ~, , . „ London, Juno 30. A Jirench communique states:— .North-east of Cernv the enemy renewed their strong attacks, launching two on La Bovelle, supported by a stream of litquid lire. After a violent fight they gnined a foothold in a snlient which had been completely flattened out by the bombardment. The'artillery stru"gle has continued with extreme violence throughout the Avocourt and ' Mort " Homme region. Wo counter-attacked west of Hill 304, regaining a portion of the' trenches previously occupied l>y tho enemy. Simultaneously tho Germans undertook a violent offensive west of Mort Homme On a front of more than two kilometre's (a mile and a quarter)." A later communique says:—"After the-bloody defeat we inflicted yesterday evening in the region of Cerny, the enemy further attacked our positions northeast of the village. Ho succeeded, after several fruitless attempts, wh/j;h cost him heavily, in re-penetrating tho first line of the elements from which we had driven hi msouth-east of Corbony. The Germans launched a particularly violent attack tho same night, and several battalions of special assaulting troops were engaged._ They made several attempts to carry a salient'on both sides of tho Laon-Roimg Road. The waves of assault were broken and rolled back with heavy losses. On tho left of tho Mouse tho artillery duel has continued intense on the sector Hill 304 and Avocourt Wood." ' . -- "Our fire nearly annihilated the storming troops who first succeeded in penetrating our first line. AIo ng tho whole length of tho front they were repulsed on the greater part by our counter-attacks, except on the western slopes of Mort Homme, whero the yretained a footing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Eeuter.