MAGNIFICENT STAND BY THE FRENCH

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 23 July 1917, Page 5

MAGNIFICENT STAND BY THE FRENCH

FURIOUS GERMAN ATTACKS HURLED BACK WITH HEAVY LOSSES i DESPERATE HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING (Rec. July 22, 5.5 p.m.) , tt. i • London, July 21. A French official communique states: "The straggle continues violently in the region of Hurtebise and Craonne. Tho Germans renewed their attacks until late at night. After a bombardment by a powerful artillery concentration, the enemy last evening rcattempted a general assault with important forces on tho hue of our plateau before Craonne and Vauclerc. Hand-to-hand fighting occurred aloug the whole front, which our troops defended with magnificent courage. Their resistance and tenacity overcame tho enemy's furious assaults, and we entirely maintained our positions everywhere. The enemy, despite heavy sacrifices, gained no footing either on the California casemates, the plateau, or our positions westward of this ground. The front of our lines was covered with bodies, testifying to the violence of the struggle and the sanguinary defeat of the enemy. "German attempts to extend tho slight odvnntago gained vesterday between the California casemates and tho plateau were equally vain. Moreover', energetic counter-attacks enabled us to surround a pocket into which the enemy had penetrated. Wo hold entirely tho crest of t uo plateau. The enemy still retains a space of six hundred yards, and is chngi n? to tho northern edge of the plateau, whore wero located oiw first-line positions, which the bombardment completely destroyed." A later communique states: "Attacks by the enemy, or attempted attacks, followed very violent bombardments at many points of the sectors at Cerny, Hurtebise. the Craonno Road, and north of Braye-on-Laonnais, but our accurate: fire and tho vigilance of our troops caused the enemy's plans to fail. An attack by tho enemy was carried ou.t in force south-east of Cerny, and twice penetrated our ndvanoed trenches on a front of 250 yards. On each occasion our vigorous counter-attacks completely _ drove thorn out. We broke up, with heavy losses, a powerful enemy concentration of troops for an attack between Hurtebiso and the California. Plateau. We have recaptured the trench elements in tho region of Moulin-sous-Touvent. Tho artillery duel is fairly lively north of tho Aisne."— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Rcutor. STORY OF THE VERDUN SUCCESS THE RETAKING OF THE COL DE POMMERIEU. Paris, July 20. Details are now available of the brilliant success on the Verdun front since Juno 28. When the Germans, after a violent bombardment with five hundred guns, secured the foremost French positions between Avocowt Wood and Hill--301, with its supporting positions to the southward, they commanded a salient at an intermediate saddle called tho Col de Pommerieu. This overlooked all the French organisations, and threatened to outflank Hill ,101. and the French determined to win it back. They prepared a plan of assault,'and a continuous bombardment caused heavy losses to the 10th German Reserve Division, which was holding Col de Pommerieu. Rome of its companies lost 50 per cent, of their effectives, until they were reduced to fifty or sixty bayonets. Reinforcements brought the numbers'to 75 bayonets per company, but a few days of shelling again brought them down to fifty. Consequently the division was withdrawn, and replaced by the 2!lth Division from Taluwe, in the Champagne. The latter was placed in the front line, between Arocoiirt Wood and. Hill 301. The 48th Division, just withdrawn from the Russian front, and somewhat, demoralised as far as the fighting on the Western front is concerned, was entrusted with tho second line position.behind the 29fli. The transference was in full swing when the French attack opened, and prisoners_ wero taken from all three divisions. Tfc is clear proof of the enemy's disorganisation. The French advanced magnificently on a front of one and a half miles. They wero ordered to capture the crest of the saddle, and had reached the third trench before the enemy realised that the first had been taken. The victors swept over the crest, three hundred yards beyond the objectives, and firmly established themselves on the receding slope. A counter-attack, twelve holm's later, was slow and hesitating, and foredoomed to failure.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SUCCESSFUL TRENCH RAIDS BY THE BRITISH London, Julv 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "We made successful raids at Gavrelle and noi-th' of Tpres. The enemy's artillery is active north-west of St. Quentin and southwest of Lens."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Renter. ENEMY BOLTS ON OUR APPROACH. (Rec. July 22, 5.5 p.m.) London, Julv 21. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Wo raided the enemy's lines last night on Greenland Hill, northwards of Roeux. The German garrison hurriedly withdrew on our approach. We also successfully raided south-west of La Bnssee, and southward of Armentieres, where the German positions were entered on a wide front. We repulsed the enemy's raiders north ward nf Havricourt AYood, and southward of Armentieres."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Renter. (Rec. July 22, 11.15 p.m.) London, Julv 21. 'Sir Douglas Haig reports: "There is great activity by the enemy's artilleryon the Lombaortzyde sector. Our aeroplanes successfully bombed fouir aerodromes and an important railway junction, where a largo explosion was caused."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE CANADIAN PRESSURE AT LENS. (Rec. July 22, 5.5 p.m.) Vancouver, July 20. The Canadian troops have established a new post fifteen hundred yards from the heart of Lens. There is every evidence that tho Huns will hold the city until their losses become unendurable.—Renter. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT (Rec. July 22, 5.5 p.m.) London, Julv 20, A German official report sintei: "The artillery bombardment in Flanders is extremely violent. The enemy's advances at Lombnertzvde. eastward of Me-vine<=. Gavrelle. and Moncy-10-Frioiix failed. The French thrice fruitlessly attacked, soiilli-wcsl: of St. Quentin. We c.-iptirrrd part of the French positions 'north-west of Craonne. 'Heavy nocturnal counter-attaclts forced us to abandon some of our trenches."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Roc. July 22, 11.1,1 p.m.) , „ „. . , ... „„„ London, Julv 21. A German official report states: Ihe artillery bombardment in Flanders has only temporarily decreased in violence. There is also increased artillery activity on tho La Passcc Canal, at Lens, and on tho Scarpe. Strong enemy rpconnoitrin'" advances were unsuccessful.' —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.