INCESSANT ATTACKS ON HAIG'S NEW LINE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 1, 26 September 1917, Page 5

INCESSANT ATTACKS ON HAIG'S NEW LINE

ENEMY DRIVEN ON TO WET WINTER GROUND ' COMFORTABLE PROSPECTS FOR THE BRITISH Paris, September 24. 11. Marcel Hutin says: "The positions which the British have captured are so important lhat the enemy is incessantly attacking; but attempts with powerful contingents have been sensationally defeated. The positions occupied by the British are ench that they can, if need be, wait for the coming spring and pass the winter without having their feet in water; the reverse will bo the lot of the Germans in the positions to which they have retreated. It is significant that eighteen-year-old., Germans are unable to 6fcand their ground, whilst the officers, instead of being with the mem, are tept in the Tear. This accounts for the few officers taken prisoner."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. UNSUCCESSFUL RAID BY THE ENEMY . London, September 21. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "We drove raiders from our trenches ;iear La Basso Ville (eight miles south of'Ypres). The enemy's artillery is active on both banks of the Searpe, southward of Lens, and north-east of Ypres."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assii.-Reuter. (Bee. September 25, 7.45 p.m.) London, September 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Undo; , cover of a bombardment, two raids in Ihe neighbourhood of Monchy-le-Prieux and a third southward of the Arras-Douai railway were attempted, but repulsed. The enemy left a number of t'tad. Another party raided westward of La Bnssoe without result. Our patrols* were aotive, and a number of prisoners wore brought in. Our aeroplanes were successful yesterday in dropping bombs on billets, hutments, and aerodromes. Fifteen Gorman machines were brought down. Three of ours are missing."—Aus.N./i. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ENEMY FORCED TO ADOPT NEW TACTICS OWING TO LOSS OF AIR ASCENDANCY. (Kcc. September 2, r >, 7.45 p.m.) London, September 25. [tenter's correspondent at French Headquarters says: "The terriSc bombardment is forcing the German High Command to roviso its tactics. A recentlycaptured army order admits that the German front lines are regularly battered to pieces before the actual battle begins, and urges the necessity of hiding the trenches and batteries and othor meane of defence from being photograi>aed from the air. Therefore an entirely new system of defenco is needed, namely, a zono organised, for depth, lhat is, extended towards tKe rear. "Such a eystem. with defonces hidden as much as possible, and troops cchelonncd in depths so that their, lines in their front become progressively denser rearwards, ought to onable us (says the order) lo pass from tho defensive to the offensive with troops occupying more thickly held positions in rear. That means that we must abandon our trenches, and retire to shell craters and redouble held by machineguns." The order indicates how craters must be organised and connected as far as poseibie, stressing the essential, point that the crater from above must be indistinguishable from the thousands of surroundings craters.—Ecu tor.