HEAVY FIGHTING IN THE WEST

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3168, 20 August 1917, Page 5

HEAVY FIGHTING IN THE WEST

ANGLO-FRENCH POSITIONS STRONGLY HELD GRAPHIC STORIES FROM THE BATTLE FRONT(Bj Telegraph—Press AswoUtion-Copyrlght). ~. > London, August 17. bir Douglas Haig reports: "The enemy made two counter-attacks la6t night against our new positions east of Loos in the direction of Cite St. Auguate. His eecond attempt pressed, tho Jine back slightly at some pointe, but our counterattack restored the positions. Wβ repulsed a further counter-attack. Artillery Bctmty is mutual east of Ypres.'- , —Aue.-N.Z. Cable Aesn.-Eeuter, , (E«c. August 19, 5.5 p.m.) e-'-n i Vr- ■ l m London, August 17. Sir Douglas Haigreporte: "Wβ repulsed another counter-attack against our recently-captured positions north-west of Lens Considerable hostile artillery fighting is proceeding in this neighbourhood, and also north-east of Ypres."-Aus.-;N.Z; Cablo Asan.-Eeuter.

; LATEST REPORT FROM THE BRITISH FRONT. (Rec. August 19, 5.5 p.m.) ■ ' „. "_ , , T . ; ' - London, August 18. bir Douglas HaJg reports: "The French have slightly improved their position in the neighbourhood of Steenbeke. The enemy has not attempted any further counter-attacks. Tho Anglo-French troops have now captured 24 guns, including a number of heavy guns. We have seouired the positions' on tho Loos battle-front which we captured yesterday,, and made fresh progress westward of lens. The,prisoners captured in this area now total 1120. We successfully raided the enemy's lines eastward of Vernielles, reaching his support line. ■ Our aeroplanes have proved superior, although the weather has rendered it difficult for damaged machines to regain our lines. Our, aeroplanes operated successfully all day, attacking the enemy's aerodromes with machine guns, and dropping 6} tons of bombs on aerodromes, Tailwoy stations,' and billets. Others harassed the German infantry and gunners with machine-gun fire. We brought down fifteen of the enemy's machines, and drove down eleven. Eleven of ours are missine" — 'Aue.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rec. Auguct 20, 0.35 a.m.) ■■■c- T, i tt • ' . ..„,,- London, August IS. _ Sir Douglas Haig reports: "There wero two enemy counter-attacks this lncrning eastward of Loos and in the neighbourhood of Bois Hugo. Our barrage and machine-guns drove back the first.attack. The eneniy was supported by flammen. werfer. Hβ failed in his second attack. Twelve German aeroplanes -were brought down and eighteen were driven down. . Twelve of ours are missine "— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesn. ', • 5 " The High Commissioner, in a dispatch dated London, 'August 18, 11.10 p m states: Sir Douglas Haig reports that two further counler-attacks at Lens wero heavily repulsed. Thirty of the enemy's aeroplanes were brought down, and numerous photographs were taken.". i MAD EFFORTS TO RETAKE HILL 70 NEW CANADIAN POSITIONS LOST AND RE-WON. ~,, . : . ' London, August 17. Ihe United Press correspondent reports: "Heavy night fighting has developed on the outskirts of Lens. The Bavarians charged and counter-charged against tho Canadians, making mad but vain efforts to retake Hill 70. Eventually the Prussian, Cruards, bringing aid to the Bavarians, attacked the centre of the now Lens battlefront, but fell back under our artillery and macitfne-gun firo. Fresh troops ii am ? C T~ P 0I1 i th ® eastern slopes of Hill 70, forcing the Canadian posts bock on •the leit of the line occupied yesterday morning. The Canadians, however, soon drove them out in confusion, their position westward of Cito St lAugusto, and repulsed a counter-attack. Tho Germans left a considerable number of guns stuck in the mud."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GRAPHIC STORY OF THE FIGHTING .ENEMY OFFERING STUBBORN RESISTANCE. ~ _~,'. «.,, .. ~~ . London, August 17. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: "Our gain on tho Ypres front is fifteen hundred yards wide. Tho front includes Langomarck, and thonco runs southwards. Tha ■French advance is on the swamp neck dubbed 'the Peninsula/ which is bounded by deep floods on three sides Ihe fighting on our right was most violent, the enemy repeatedly counter-attacking over all the high ground between tho Nun's Wood and the Glencorso Wood to Hanebeko River. His losses wero high, for, although tho stormy weather makes the ground bad for us, there is Jight for our fliers, and the OI enemy troops is quickly signalled to the guns, which smash up the formations mln greal s i augnter< TIIO enMnT > a newest method is that of holding the fr O nt lines lightly and concentrating his ibest troops behind for counter-attacks α-his saves man power, and reduces tho casualties, but, while Bound,, Jt isi the»pol ic y of au ann hu a Totreat and Kivmg up ground at the highest cost. f or ], 0 (loes nol rohlrn * w ■ conatcr . attacks to quite the same line over whio ft t ho assaults flowed. Moreover his fiucccsg in life-saving is not great, ueca use t ] lo Germans havo suffered hideouslv from shellfire, and the counter-Attacks a re cogtlv in blood/ThfaVasillustrS V thH counter-attacks on tho at Lens. Successive waves were broken. Mero boys, marching shoulder to sl>oui<l er according to tradition, wero destroyed in great numbers. "The fighting at Langomarck was gr cal; iy i mped(y i h a fl , d , The Irish, on tho extreme right, were cnirage<l in tho fiorCKf . f™™; Polygon Wood, on frightful ground, f-g a inst an enemy in tho greatest sfenolh Tho Irish mado headway before il:ey iye re f ace( i maeees tf fi er ,v, n ' troops, advancing in tho wako of an 'nf erjla i s lj o UHre. Tho battlo continies but the result is -uncertain. Alan? >»it a ii ona on aro j, oa7 ii y (~,„.,„„] The enemy is prepared to sacrifice raftcr than j oge (] ■positions. The French progressed rr.pidK. Thoir on]y tr(mW(j iyag aul)ert Farm, which wag transformed into a <j>^ oy i al) e [ r ■uipon it, and ultimately a whito flag ap p(!ara j a i )ovo the ruins, and sixty survivors surrendered. Tho frightful gunfire na( i <l o molishod tliccnemy. A German colonel wlio was taken prisoner was de] ec t M ] alM i ncrve-shaltcn. He Knoko frce'lv of his men's great losses. They Monger t<, „ veserve division which hitherto had been holding I<im;omarck. Tho greatest sufferer nf tho rpßimont was tho 2(Snd Battalion, which was broken to pieces by the British attack across Ihn eteenlwke."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.

PRUSSIAN GUARDS LOSE HEAVILY. t, .. London, August 17 Mr. Perry liobinson. eMnmales I hat GOOO o[ the .Prussian Guards were wined but in tlift attack .in Iho Canadian front. Thn 7th, Blh, and Utli German Divi sions irero badly broken.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

BRITISH VALOUR AT LANGEMARCK MAGNIFICENT ADVANCE OVER HIDEOUS GROUND. ' (Bee. August ]9, 5.5 pin.) in t>l t m, London, August 18. «h-,,« V i\ F , . wntes: " Tho iMitileof langemarek on Thursday, aud all the struggles that day along to the vicinity of Gloncoe Wood aud Inverness Congo was ono of tho most heroic and Woodiest day's fighting since tho war began, The TTil +1 W a "owe resistance except where puny, umder-fod boys wore thrust out in the si ell:holes, as at Langemarck. Bohiud them, prepared lor tho ultimate counter-attack weresome of their finest troops, including the Sttk Division, which already lind been severely mauled by gun-fire, and was utterly exhausted. But others like tho 31th Division, which laced the Londoners, were fresh and strong, and had only just been placed in the battle line. Behind the immediate supporting troops were massed reserves, held ready to hurry forward to any part that was most threatened, or whore counter-attacks might inflict tho greatest frS°"nP ~g n U n" P ° Tr ? c ? 6my was atton Z- He had Prepared a great eonconh,, Z & i 6 1 0U *- ei i B 1 t of our flank. Whatever his reserves of ammunition may be, lie had gathered great stores for this battle. The Battle Positions. W™I W V? C «T l,ie<l H l6 aW SM'Mon our right. He held tho crest'of Polygon Wood tho slopes of Abraham Heights, and tie Grauenstafel Ridge. n ,,t ™1 1S i • "S <loor he must slam in our facee at all costs, because it opens • Of 1 "? 11 , 1 ""! no walk-over. The ground is hideous-worse nf «hpl m ( tho , ™ te f- We are fighting amidst hundreds of thousands, all formal I i tea 'f *»fc !> alf - fu " of water, many of them connected "* dlwn mea and hor6CS - Such is the present Sjl™ w 3 Langomarck, Glencoe Wood, Inverness Copse, Shrewsbury, and £i?S?f MM - 10 TW ° f men in attllo Wng over sucn ground must needs t££h£, iS-W™* f^™ which 7ui- soldiers advanced through while K ?, bea . ten . ' hoUB t they slipped and fell, and stuck deep, ft KI PT* i I s - on theij ' lines - » nd explosives burst along w . bc A. tlle y ™>re compelled to pass. ,11 was one of the most splendid and tragic things on record. The Hottest Zone. fwii n » ht '/ here the enemy fought his hardest, and counter-attacked most fiercely, and often concentrated his heaviest artillery. Here were the Irish ,>? wfc c °.??^ tr ?°P 3 *$ tho London battalions all involved in desperate fight- £* fm- P««nre ttey made the enemy nay a big price So.l a i : po^lon3 ofthe ow- ground. The Londoners fought flieir way' Vith great dash in Glencoe Wood awl the Nun's Wood Parties of the ATiddleser o m n 6 the e t e 3>I Olygo V Wo °?' b .r ßM^ Ut **»£*■ But the efemy & LnnrH* Tn t' north - wa9t - Countor-attncks developed southwarS ™~nf & ' ' irore shut in by a terrible gun-fire, many of their woups being in exposed positions.. They fonght separate battles against odds. S Wtii the "-r cal^?«iP«jtioin S while their comrades retreated in goo. Caw? A^n Oy '°* their remnanls had reluctantly surrenHEAVY FIGHTING ON THE FRENCH FRONT ON THE AISNE (Kcc. August 19, 5.5 p.m.) A IVouch official communique states: "In Belgium an attack by on our .SSJT po6I P ODS on k° tll 6i dee of the Sfoenooke completely failed. Xhe enemy last evening, after an intonse bombai-dment, vigorously attacked on a two kilometre front (about lj miles), .between Vauclero Mill and the California Plateau, inclusive. We repulsed the attack by artillery and rifle fire. The enemy did not succeed in reaching our lines anywhere. Violent and repeated atacks on the positions we recently won east of demy aleo were sanguinarily deeated. After a short bomlrardmont the Germans last ovoniu" , violently attacked between Cauriores Wood and, Bezonvaux, on the right bank of. the lleuse, but wero repulsed almost everywhere. The enemy gained a footing in the advance elements ot our first line. Our aeroplanes actively participated in the (pera-tions."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Ecuter. ' \ GREAT WORK BY THE FRENCH AIRMEN (Rec. August 19, 5.5 p.m.) Lautenfa'rck'^road 11 ° ffiCial communi(lue rMOrds Progress north o"" the mxsahooteon tho right bank oi tho MeDSe ' One hundred and eleven of our aeroplanes executed various nights over tho enemy s lines yesterday, dropping several tons of projectiles on the aviation grounds at Colmar, Freecali, Hapsheim.and Chambley, the railway stations at Inbnsgan, Longueyon, Montmedy, Dun-siW-Meuso, ami also en bivouacs in the Spincourt Forest. Many explosions and fires wore observed. Two of our machines are missing. Our aircraft on August 16 bombed the railway station at Cortemarck, causing a violent fire. Wo brought down seven German aeroplanes yesterday, while eight others fell inside tho enemy's lines, damaged." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eenter. , j> uc o i.u.

THE LATEST REPORT. (Itoc. August 19, 5.5 p.m.) "The cannonade is rather lively at different points on the Aisno front, particularly in tho district of the'plateaux Mora Craonne. Two hundred and Jiftv shells were thrown into Reims. On the right bank of tho Meuso the artillery duel continues violently in tho Caurieres Wood-Bezonvanx eoctor. Our sneoial guns brought down two of the enemy's aeroplanes."—Aus.-N.55. Cable Assn. Router.

GERMAN, OFFICIAL REPORTS (Eec. iugust 39, 5.5 p.m.) A German official report states: "The second, day of tho Battle of Flanders has been decided in our favour. The Anglo-French foroee yesterday morniag attacked on a front of thirty kilometres {IS miles), from tho Yser to tho Lys over-nan our advauced posts on the Yeev Canal near Driegrachtcii, captured ground north ■ward and eastward of Bixschoote, penetrated near Langemai'ck, and .Txlwneed os far as Poelcapolle. We recaptured Langemarck and other positions. The enemy also penetrated near St. Julion at numerous points southward as far as Warneton'. We regained the positions we lost near loos. We took COO prisoners at Caurieres Wood (on tho French front, Verdun). We shot down sixteen of the oneray's aeroplanes."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. , ■ ' (Rec. August 19, 5.25 p.m.) A German-official report states: "Th 0 artillery duel has on the coast and north-east of Ypres. Tho enemy launched during the afternoon a Btroiijf surprise local attack astride the Boesinghe-Staden railway, with tho resu t that wo ost Langemarck after severe fighting. Wo occupy a flat bend in front of the village. Wo brought down twonty-aix aeroplaues."-Aue.-]N T Z Cablo Assn.-rceuter. FALSEHOODS IN GERMAN REPORTS EXPOSED (Rec. August 19, 5.5 p.m.) The Press Bureau stales: "To-day's German offioial , reports contai'^'a'series of misstatemeuts. It is not true that we attacked between the Ypres-Menin road and the Lys Eiver, tho former being^our right flank. The enemy did not attempt to recover Langemarck. A British staff officer from Langemarck at six o'clock this evening reported: •Wβhold Langemarok and also a considerable length of the German position eight hundred .yards to the northward.' The reference in tho German communiques to Poeloapello is obviously intended to convoy the impression that the British failed to reach an imaginary distant objective It is sufficient to state that the British have earned all their objectives northward of Lens on Wednesday and northward cf St. Julien on Thursday. The statement that four Canadian divisions attacked on Wednesday is an exaggeration "—Alls - N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ■ " NO REST FOR THE ENEMY {Rec. August IS, 5.5 p.m.) ■A - ?, [(l .^ e i Hut l n v' ri , tes tllat aew P l "ncs and nrtillerv in. thel British methodical advance, which is directed at small object ve= Ztpriso blows ebing merely accessories to this plan of advance, which the French are adopting. "Tiio lid says, " lmlst not expect any rest on the' West lrotit. ~~*ij.Uβ,~iN. l\, UqdJo i\.ssn. NAVAL AIR RAID ON BELGIAN COAST The' Admiralty reports: "Naval aeroplanes carried out a°scries (/raid's 'ves-' torday, aud dropped many tons <f bombs on tho Oslond and Thourout railway stations, and tho Glustolles aerodrome, causing fires. They also attacked the Engel and Uyttkerke aerodromes and transports on the roads bv "unfirp Tim machines have returned."-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. o»mne. mo (Rec. August 19, 5.5 p.m.) The Admiralty reports: "Ou.r naval aeroplanes at midnight on "Thursday dropped many tons of bombs on Thourout railway station, causing fires It is believed that ammunition dumps were hit. The railway was damaged Our machines, returned."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesn.-Reuter. ' ° GREAT ATTACK ON ZEEBRUGGE. . (Rec. August 20, 0.35 a.m.) .in «w i !•>,,, ii i ,„. , . Amsterdam, August 19. Ihe elegraaf elates that Allied airmen on Friday morning, made a great attack on Zeebrugge. A large quantity of bombs, was dropped.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable • GERMAN AVAR CASUALTIES. (Rce. August 19, 5.5 p.m.) i ,• , ,i ~, „ London, August 17. x, ,A!", c f a ? e rat, " lalos l,lat lho German war casualties total 1J milliiuns.—\.us - N.Z. Cablo Assn.