ALLIED ATTACKS ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 26, 25 October 1917, Page 5

ALLIED ATTACKS ON THE WESTERN FRONT

HEAVY LOSSES INFLICTED ON THE ENEMY FRENCH ATTACK ON THE AISNE By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright . London, October 23. A Frenoh official communique etates:—"After artillery preparation for- several daje, we delivered an attack at 5.15 this morning against powerful German organisations in the region of Alleniant and Malmaison (on tho Laou frout, west of the Chemin des Damea), and mnde considerable progress along the entire front of the attack. Wβ took a number of prisoners."—Ans.-N.Z. Cable Aesn.Reuter. A SPLENDID ADVANCE FORT AND THREE VILLAGES CAPTURED. (E«c. October 24, 8 p.m.) Paris, October 23. It is officially announced that the new battle of the Aisne has developed very favourably The French have captured nil the crests which formed their objectives, and made progress beyond. The troops are now occupying , the coun-ter-slopes This is an advance of tlireo kilometres deep (nearly two miles), on a front of eight kilometres (nearly live miles). Fort Malmaison was captured early in tie attack, and also the villages of Allemant, Lesvallons, and Gnavignon, with tlio Chavignon Bavine. The Laon Plain is now lying before the French. Three thousand prisoners and nineteen guns were captured.—Bonier.

LATEST REPORT-7500 PRISONERS AND ENORMOUS BOOTY.

(Keo. October 24, 11.45 p.m.) London, October 21. A French offioial communique states :-"North of the Aisne our attack developed most brilliantly in spite of the fog and tlio rain against the enemy e formidable defences, which were garrisoned by Germany s host troops. In our first rush we captured the line marked by tho Prutty and Bohery Quarries. Then Tort Malmaison, in the centre, fell, and the French, pushing forward, expelled the enemy from the Mont Parnasse Quarries. Our progress on the left was equally successful, the villages of Alleman and Vandesson being taken. On our right we curried a line of heights commanding Pargny und> Fillaine. lhe troops in the centre, hustling the enemy's fresh reserves, stormed the Tillage otUiavignon. Our advance here reached a depth of two miles and a quarter. The enemy s losses were moat heavy, 7500 prisoners being eo far counted, with enormous boob , , which includes twenty-five guns."-Aue.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter.

MINOR ATTACKS ON THE BRITISH FRONT

London, October 23. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"We carried out highly successful minor operations yesterday morning in the neighbourhood of Poelcapollc, and, in conjunction with the French, southward of Houthulst Forest. Battalions of the Norfolk, Sussex, Essex, and Berks Regiments, and the Northumberland Fusiliers, attacked east of Poelcapelle on a front of a mile and a half, and captured a number of strongly fortified buildings which had been converted into redoubts on a hill east of tho village. A night's rain had made the ground slippery, and the task of assembly was difficult, but tho whole objective was captured after fierce fighting, in which many Germans were killed. We pressed on south-east of Poelcapelle, and carried other valuable positions beyond the line of objectives. The Gloucestere Cheshires, Lancashire Fusiliers. Manchester, and Eoyal Scots Battalions further north, co-operating with the French, attacked on a front of two miles, from Tpres-Staden railway to north of Mangclacre. After severe fighting, we captured the southern defences of the Houthulst Forest, and a further series of fortified farms and strong points. The Allies aro firmly established well beyond the southern boundary of tho forest. A strong local counterattack in the vicinity of the railway checked our advance astride the railway line, but the enemy was unable to prevent our progress elsewhere, lhe enemy's casualties were heavy." In a later dispatch, Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"The enemy attacked one of our new posts in the southern part of the Houthulst Wood and forced us § back a short distance. We maintained am! consolidated our gains on the remainder of the front. Rain fell during :be night, and the weather is- stormy and un-settled."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ,

SERIES OP COUNTER.ATTACKS HEAVILY REPULSED

(Rec. October 25, 0.15 a.m.) London, October 24. Sir Douglas laig Teports-.—"Besides tlie attack repotted in this moruuiji'e communique the enemy delivered two other counter-attacks Inst evening. In onn ciise he attempt to advance along our line west of Hie Roosebeke-Poelcap-pelle Road, but when two hundred yards fiom our new positions was engaged by our infantry, rifle, and machine-gun fire, nnd beaten off with loss. Tho survivors, endeavouring to withdraw, were caght in the artillery barrage, and again eugered heavily. The second attack was made in considerable strength immediately northward of the Ypres-Staden railway. This, also, was met by rifle and machine-gun fire, and driven off. Early in the morning another nttade un our positions at Hontliulst Forest, nortli-east of Veldhoek, was completely repulsed, prisoners being left in our hands.A less powerful attempt against a fortified farm wo captured yesterday south-east of Poelcnpello was equally unsuccessful. Reciprocal artillery firing is nctiv'o to-day, in spite o! unfavourable weather. Flyins operations yesterday were almost prevented by Hie weather, until tho afternoon. Onr aeroplanes, in spito of rain nnd l>ad visibility, cooperated with tho infantry's attack, continuously reporting progress and assisting with machine-guns. The enemy dropped manv tombs during the iast few nights on our forward areas, Hi'r machines last night worn not nearly so active. Our machine* vigorously attacked eeTCii of tho enemy's aerodromes. Bombs fell near tho hangars and aeroplanes that were on tho ground. The railway station at Cnurlrai was later attacked, nnd a train was hit. The rear portion burst into "nines. There was little air fighting. Two of tlie > enemy's machines wero brought down. Two of ours collided over Iho enemy's lines. Mid one other is raising."—Aus.-N.JS. Cabin Assn.-Rculcr. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. London, October 23. A Gormnn official renort stales:-"Tho British nnd Trench deeply into our defences on the southern edgo of the TTouthulst. Wood. t.oimrerattacks repulsed the enemy, whoso gains were only three? hundred metres (~.i» yards) deep nnd twelvo hundred metres (IMO yards) wido. The enemy s assaults (it Poeleapello nnd on both sides of Glieluvell: failed. Iho enemys nrtillery fire between tho Ailottn River and Brayo increased to continuous drumfire this morning, and the Frencli attacked at daybreak."— A us.-N.Z. UDle Aesn.-Eeiiter. (Eec. October 21, 9.5 p.m.) London, October 2,». A German oßicinl report states: —"Bitlpr furlilinn continues on tho nnrlhem slopes of tlii) Cliemin-iles-Danirs nnd HStrido tho La on Road. The French have advanced as far as Cbnvigmm."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Aesn.-Eeutcr.

TOLD BY THE CORRESPONDENTS London, October 23. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes:—"Tlio attack on October 22 was not on a wide front or of groat depth, but it brought the French and English lo tho very edgo of tho douse 'woodlands of Houthulst Forest. Tho greatest oepth of our advance mis near Egypt House. The eiieray mado a strong resistance, and a counter-attack followed immediately, which is still in progress. Though the weather has been line, with a bright sun, for eight days, the ground lins not dried, and is still difficult to negotiate. Oar hurricane artillery fire at dawn must have killed many Germans, but ecme machine-gun emplacements were rut destroyed, and these held up our men for some time. When tho Germans launched counter-attacks along the Tprcs-Staden railway, our artillery was unable to range on them owing to a thick grey mist. The attackers forced back our men lor a short distance. Tho progress of tho counter-attacks is not known, but tho fog has cleared, and our aeroplanes are now ablo to signal the guns, allowing us to support tho infantry by smashing the cnomy concentrations." Mr. Percival Phillips writes:—"By latest accounts we are fighting on the outlying fragments of Houthulst Fords t and along the Westroosbeko Eaad, where wo overcame a number of Gorman defences in difficult, marshy ground. The German counter-attack regained a slight portion of the ground lost along the Stadon railway. Tho effect of our advance is to bring our flank closer to high ground ojiout Passchendaele,"—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.

IMPRESSIONS OF MONDAY'S FIGHTING (Roc. October 24, 10.10 p.m.) London, October 24. Mr. Phillip Gibbs reports that tho fighting on October 22 revealed a curious inequality of strength and determination of ihe German defence. The Tforfolks and Essex men, east of Poelcapelle, found their chief difficulty the machine-gun barrage in tho German rear. The heavy gunfire which the British had put over the ground for a week had niado the area most unhealthy for the Germans, who had withdrawn many troops to safer lines, leaving only small outposts. The hardest position to take was on the right of Houthulst Forest, which, in spite of all Urn gas that had soaked in, was full of men, the German 26th Reserve Division being under stern orders to defend it to tho death. There were many concrete emplacements in the forest, and blockhouses along Ihe Staden railway." —Aus.-N.Z. Cnblo Assn. NAVAL AIR ATTACKS IN FLANDERS London, October 23. Tho Admiralty reports:—"Naval aircraft bombed Ihe railway sidings near Ghent nnd the Zeebrugge mole, where they hit two small vessels."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Keuter.