VILE WEATHER IN FLANDERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3155, 6 August 1917, Page 5

VILE WEATHER IN FLANDERS

BRITISH RECOVERY AT ,ST. JULIEN AND MONCHY ,

NEW ZEALAND'S PART IN THE BATTLE

The High Commissioner reports:— London, August 3, 2.20 p.m. ■Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Early last night tho enemy renewed his attempt to drive us out of Infantry Hill, east of Monchy le Prieux. After a heavy bombardment he attacked on a. half-milo front, and obtained temporary possession, of two points. Our counter-attack regained part of the lost ground. ■ / i London, Ausust 3. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "It is still wet and stormy. We repulsed enemy attempts south-eastward of Queant and north-west of Warneton."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutor. .-.....• ■ ' ' i ■ ' •' ST. JULIEN AGAIN IN OUR HANDS. (Rec. August 2, 5.5 p.m.) London, August i. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Our troops have re-established themselves at St. Julien. Our fire dispersed the enemy's infantry as it was massing for a counter-attack northward of the Ypres-Roulers railway. Wo advanced southward of Hollebeke.. Wo' have regained nearly the whole of the ground eastward of Monchy-le-Prieux that was lost last night. _ Wo repulsed tho enemy's raiders north-east ! of Gouzsaueourtand south of Fontaine-les-Uroisblles. Wo successfully raided the enemy's' lines south-west of Lombaertßyde. The number of prisoners taken in Tuesday's battle now totals 6122, of which 132 are officers."—Aus.N.Z. Cable A6sn. Renter.

BRITISH RECOVEB.Y AT MONCHY-LE-PRIEUX. j(Rec. August 5, 5.5 p.m.) London, August i. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "We rocaptured tho remaining trench w-h'ich the enemy forced on Thursday night east of llonchy-de-Prioux. Our positions here have now been completely re-establishod. The Allies have niado further progress eastward, of the Korteker Cabaret. Heavy rain fell last right."—Aus.-N.Z. : Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Roc. August 5, 11.35 p.m.) £ London, August 4. Sir Douglas Haig repoTts: "It i 6 wet and stormy. We have gained further ground north-west of St. Julien. There is considerable hostile artillery firing eastward of Messines and on the Nieuport sector."—Ausl-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. FRIGHTFUL WEATHER-"AR"E WE DOWNHEARTED?" (Rec. August 5, 5.5 p.m.) London, August 4. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: "The weather continues to bo frightful, resembling the foulest of 'Flemish winter conditions. The Germans, despite repeated efforts have failed to accomplish anything. Our men are living in utter discomfort in the mud and the rain, under considerable shell fire, but retain their unbreakable spirit, smashing successive counter-attacks."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ON THE FRENCH FRONT , ' London, August 3. A French official communique states: 'The bad weather continues on the wholo front in Belgium. After a violent bombardment, sou.th of Cerny, the Germans launched violent attacks on a front of 1600 yards; all of these were repulsed by our fire with heavy losses. An,artillery duel continues on both banks of the Meuse, and is espeoia'lly lively in the region of Avocour't Wood and Hill 304." —Aus.-N.Z Cable A6sn.-Reuter. ' ( ■ . i A MOVE FORWARD IN FLANDERS. (Rec. 5, 5.5 p.m.) London, August i. A French official communique states: "Bad weather continues, and the situation in Belgium is unchanged. A Gorman attempt to rush tho lines east of Cerny completely failed."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-K«mter. A later communique states: "Despito tho bad weather in Belgium we have progressed beyond the Kortiker Ci-baret and reconnoitred the farms beyond 'our front, repelling the enemy's patrols. "Reciprocal aitillery .firing is proceeding on both banks of the Meuse. Two attempts by the enemy.i'u (lie region of Avocourt Wood failed."—Ans.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Renter. ~ GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORTS London, August 3. ' A German official report states: "English advances on the Nieuport-West-onde Road and west of Bixsehoote and 'Langemarck failed. Tho enemy bombardiii" Eoulers. Advanced engagements north of La Bassce Canal and at Monchy and Havricoiifi't favoured us. We drove'out the French who had penetrated our trenches on the Laon-Soissoris Ro a d, and captured, the southern end of a. tunnel at Corny. We repulsed attacks on the left bank of the Meuse."—Aus.N.Z. Cablo Assn'.-KeuAor. ,„'..'„ , . (Rec. August 5, 5.5 p . m .) London, 'August 1. A German official report states: "There have been no important attacks in Flanders, owin" to tho rain.' Wb raided the enemy's trenches south-west of Leintrey and took "prisoner a great number of the French black troops.'—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutor.

NEW ZEALANDERS AT LA BASSE VILLE N

(STUBBORN SET-TO WITH DESPERATE ENEMY. (Special from tho Now Zealand War Correspondent.)' • ' r . August 2. During the recent operations the New Zoalaniiers attacked and captured the village of La Bassee Villo. Tho houses had suffered severely in tho Measines battlo bombardmont, bu.t 6til! afforded good observation and considerable shelter to tho enemy. Slightly farther north, outside Warnoton, was a series of hedges and tree clumps, in."which the enemy retained a foothold, and from vhich he was able to Hnipe our observation posts. After tlio bombardment the Now Zoalanders advanced against the village, and, taking tho enemy by surprise, killed or captured several found in dug-outs and shell-holes. Once iroused, the remaining garrison fought stubbornly in t'tio village, but wero killed almost to a man, oxcept fourteen prisoners, who were brought back. Owing to wire and other obstacles the mopping up was not completed until nearly daylight, which rovealod tho position of our troops, scrccued by trees and scattered buildings. Tho enemy quickly dovoloped a countor-attack and recovered most of the ground taken. Owing to low risibility our "5.0.5." was not soon in lirno, and wo lost a fow prisoners and soma killed and wounded. Our mon, surrounded by greatly

superior numbers, retired, lighting gallantly, through the Tillage and so back to comparative safety through our own lines, but during the fighting from first if,? lDy '""ict 6ll mM b heavier casualties on the oneiny. though Hie Germans recaptured the village their succor was short-lived, for subsequently, under cover of another barrage the New Zealanders renewed the attack on a slightly wider front with entirely successful results. This time tho enemy woro ready in La Bassee Ville, and severe fighting, somo of it hand-o-nanu, ensued. 'I he Germans, howover, suffered casualties even inoro severe than in the first fighting. Dawn found our men securely established in the village, <ind the position was quickly linked up with tho line to tho north. By r'fiur 0 tile cnem y battalion in the front of us appeared to have had enough of lighting, and nn effective barrage helped to make the position secure and stave off countor-attack, though as signals went up more than onco .no counter-attack succeeded in reaching the village in strength. One party of forty Germans endeavoured to work along thq river hank, but a trench molar officer hurriedly collected some half-dozen men near him and attached aad routed tho enemy. Report has it that fourteen Germans were killed and several grounded. Others beat a haaty retreat.

HEROIC EXPLOIT BY THE LANCASHIRES

(Rec. August 5, 5.5 p.m.) r. ~■!•„ London, Aug'ist 4. Correspondents writing from I landers stated that it has cnly now Weenie known that a party of Lancashirts, between St. Julicn and Fiezeilbetg, exceeded their objeotive, and wero unable to hold (he advanced posts which they had spontaneously established. To coyer the withdrawal of the party 130 c.f them ml % rulßeii fa rm against successive Gorman waves, ( and exacted a heavy toll Ihen followed.nn incident which has been compared to Rorko's Drift. "Each man sold his life at tho price of three or, four Germans. Thirty at last remained, and these endeavoured to cut their way out. Ten survived, "and reached our line.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. [The gallant defence of Rorko's Drift was a famous incident of tho Zulu War, when a mero handful of men, with a number of sick and wounded on their hands, kept a huge hordo of native warriors at bay]