FOOTHOLD OBTAINED IN LENS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3173, 25 August 1917, Page 7

FOOTHOLD OBTAINED IN LENS

GREAT STRUGGLE FOR ENEMY STRONGHOLD INCESSANT AIR FIGHTING . lly Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright London, August .23. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Wc advanced our lino south-west of Lens; We repulsed an. attack cast of Langomarck by machine-gun fire. Tho enemy raided posts in tha neighbourhood of Lombaertzydo."---Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Keutcr.. '.; (Rec. August 21, 11.35 p.m.; •'- - ■ '-•'.:■• "••' '■'■■.'.■! "'..' :±.. r ' ~" "•"" " London, Aug-Jst 2t. - Sir: Douglas Haig reports:—"Thero was'heavy local- fighting all day .for the Green- Gassier, an important enemy'.«troiiiihdld southward of Lens. AVo.obtamed a foothold this morning, aud repulsed -several counter-attacks, withi-heavy enemy losses. Fierce fighting continues. Wo repulsed an' attack .northward of the Yprcs-Roulere railway. We advanced slightly north-eastward cf langemarck. Tho week's air fighting has-*beon incessant, and more sovoro than in any previous week. A chango in tho wind favoured our aeroplanes yesterday. Wo brought down twelve and drove down six. Two of/ours aro missing. One landed on Ostend Beach. Our aeroplanes dropped fivo tons of explosives on objectives behind tho onemy's linc3."—Aus.-N:Z. Cablo Assn.-Renter. ANOTHER SUCCESS FOR THE CANADIANS , LENS NOTHING LESS THAN.A DEATH-TRAP. (Rec. August 25, 0.15 a.m.) London, August 24 Eeutor'a Headquarters correspondent records another Canadian success. Early this morning'they crossed the Soucnez, deploying and pushing on along seven hundrcd yards of front. Tho result of this brilliant operation js that General Currie'B loft flank* is secured from the south. Lens now lies deep in- u closegripping enclave. Prisoners admit that lifo in Lens is unendurable. Two special counter-attacks by divisions of Prussian Guards recently brought up suffered so severely that they wero apparently incapable of further "formidable effort. The enemy is unable to employ his artillery to tho fullest advantage owing to the closeness of the salient and our command of the ground. Lens has become nothing less than a death-trap for the enemy..—Router. THE BATTLE IN FLANDERS - ALL GAINS MAINTAINED.•1 London, August 23. Keuter's correspondent at Headquarters states that allj yesterday's gains in Flanders have been maintained and added to, in spite of desperate artillery fire and counter-attacks. Yesterday's success was greater 'than an advance of a few hundred yards suggests. Wo aro now fighting for tho high ground dominating the whole tactical position in Northern Belgium. Wo hav« now bitten another slice out of the ridgo east of Ypres. The enemy is concentrating to his utmost to retain this commanding position, hence the bitter fighting.—Renter. DELIBERATE ATTACKS ON HOSPITALS IN PURSUANCE OF A POLICY. , , London, August 23. 'I he Germans aro clearly pursuing tho samo policy regarding hospitals behind the British front as on tho French front. On a recent night 'they attacked three hospitals. The attacks were evidently deliberate, as tho Germans attacked tho hospitals in succession, though they had occupied the same positions for two years. The bombs dropped on the first hospital wounded three women nurses; at the second they killed a doctor, and wounded three; and at tho third killed nine German patients.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo A6sn.-Reutcr. CAPTURES BY THE FRENCH AT VERDUN London, August 23. A. French communique slates: "There is great enemy artillery activil.v north of the Aisne, and heavy, aorial bombardments continue behind the cnemvV lines. Wo havo taken prisoners at Verdun sinco August 20 7644), nlfo (inn wounded. Wc destroyed nine guns and cnptnred 24 of all calibres, and over 2110 machine-guns."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Router. r ARTILLERY ACTIVE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE MEUSE. (Rec. August 24, 11.20 p.m.) London, August 24. A French communir|uo slates: "The day has been generally quiet, with mutual artillery activity on both sides of-the Mouse."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Tfcu-ter. , ' GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT., (Rec. August 2-t, 8.20 p.m.) ' London, August 23.-. A wireless German report states: "lirpeated English attacks between Laiigemarck and Hollebeke were driven 'back after stubborn hand-to-hand fighting. Many 'tanks' have been destroyed. We maintained our position on a fifteen-kilo-metre (nearly 91 miles) front." except at two places eastward of St. .Tulien and the Yprcs-Monin Road. We repulsed attacks at Lens. The fighting continues. Tha French, in attacks at Verdun, gained a frothold in our trench.''—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ' - SHIPPING AND BATTERIES AT ZEEBRUGGE BOMBED. ' London, August 23. \ Tho Admiralty reports: "The Naval air service yesterday morning. bombed the shipping and batteries at Zeebrugge, and also the Ghistelles aerodrome.' The machines returned safely."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Kenter.. i ' (flee. August 21. 5.20 p.m.) Amsterdam, August. 22. British warships bombarded Zeebrugge on WeiTiiesdav. The firing was heard at Flushing.—-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rec. August 2.i, 1.10 a.m.) London, August 24. Tho British bombardment of Zeobrugge was continued at intervals to-day.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.