FIERCE FIGHTING ON THE CAMBRAI FRONT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 53, 26 November 1917, Page 5

FIERCE FIGHTING ON THE CAMBRAI FRONT

BRITISH IMPROVE THEIR POSITIONS 11 GUNS ON THE BOOTY HEAP Bj Telegraph—Preßß Associfttion-OopyTieht i London, November 23. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Wo slightly advanced the line south-east of Ypres. We'repulsed attempted raids north-west of Pontruot, north-west of St. Quentin, and south of Neuvo Chapelle., The position is unchanged southwest of Camhrai!"~Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutor. (Rec. November 25, 5.5 p.m.) London, November 23. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Successful operations were carried out yesterday west of Cambrai. After severe fighting and a stubborn resistance wo stormed the important and dominating high ground about Boulon Wood. To the east of Bourlon Wood some progress was made in the neighbourhood of Fontaine Notre Dame, and to the west of tho wood further progress was made along the Hindenburg lino astride the Canal du Nord, in the neighbourhood of Moeuvres, while further west, between Moeuvres and • Queant, tho London Scottish troops captured an important spur, us observation over the Hindenburg lino to the north and west. In the neighbourhood of Bullecourt wo gained further ground during the nigh't, capturinga strong point with guns. Since November 20 we have captured over a hundred guns, including several heavy guns ranging up to 8 inches." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. OPERATIONS EXTENDED . (Rec. November 25, 5.5 p.m.) London, November 24. Sir Douglas Haig reports: " Our operations were continued to-day against the enemy's positions westward of Cambrai. Latest reports show that these are developing satisfactorily. The hostile artillery is very active in the neighbourhood of Passchendaele."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ■ • ■ • • \ - , (Rec. November 26, 0.20 a.m.) London, November 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Thero has been fierce fighting in the neighbourhood of Bourlon Wood, tho enemy making several determined attacks with fresh troops-to regain possession- 0 f the high ground. A strong attack this morning compelled us to giv e .ground slightly in this area. We . counter-attacked later and re-established our former line. We have improvr ed our positions in the neighbourhood 0 f Banteaux. The hostile artillery is active at Passchendaele. ■• .' "Our aeroplanes co-operated with the infantry and also attacked a German reinforcement transport and bombed important railway stations where rolling stock had "been collected and detraining was in progress. The enemy's aeroplanes were more active, attacking our bombing and low-flying machines. We brought down six of the enemy's machines. Nine of ours are missing." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. .ENEMY RUSHING UP TROOPS TO CAMBRAI FRONT STREET FIGHTING IN OANTAING. ' London, November 23. The United Press correspondent states that the Germans are rushing up troops from all directions, and the resistanco is stiffening before Cambrai. The British have consolidated their positions in places, have fallen back in others, and have captured Tadpole Copse, west of Moeuvres. Street fighting 'is going on in Cantaing. Heavy fighting has developed on parts of the new battlefront. Evidently tho civilians evacuated Cantaing in tho nick of time. German aeroplanes, flying low, are busy over the British advanced lines, while heavy machine-gun fire opposed the advance in tho direction of Crevecoeur. The bulk of the enemy's artillery is directed against Ihe British in the region of Cantaing and the Bourlon Wood. Tho British Engineers' work is little short of miraculous.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ENEMY HARD PRESSED FOR RESERVES CRIPPLES AND CONVALESCENTS THROWN INTO THE LINE. (Rec. November 2-5, 5.5 p.m.) London, November 23. ■ Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: "When wo smashed through the Hindenburg line on Tuesday the German High Command, as soon as they got news of what had happened, hurried up reinforcements in omnibuses from camps near Cambrai. They were so hard pressed that they actually cleared tho camp of cripples and convalescents, and hurled the patients into the fighting line. It was a brutal and stupid aßs au ]t by men too ill to fight, and who are now too ill to stand in the prisoner a ' cages." Mr. Gibhs conversed with one prisoner, who was lying on a stretcher, in tho last stages of consumption. He was sent to an isolation hogpjtal. "Tho Gorman reinforcements included troops from the' First Guards Reserve from Lens. The Germans are rushing up all their available troops to ma i {6 a s t a ud round Cambrai. Our men had no walk-over after tho first su rpr i S0- f^ e Germans who were holding the woods and villages behind the Hindenburg ]i no .fought hard and well, and endeavoured to beat us back. There wero nlallv CoU ntcr-attacks. Our gunfire mowed down a heavy counter-attack north-east of Masnieres, whero tho Germans advanced as they did during th 9 1914 campaigns—in massed formation, waves of men appearing shoulder to shoulder. Another similar attack was attempted at Marcomg. The Germans on mec ti ng our firo dropped into their trenches and never reappeared NoyoH e3 thrice changed hands. Thero was fierce street, house, and collar fighting. G Brma n snipers were Posted on roofs and trees. The Northumberland Yeom a nry, skirmishiii" at Crevecourfc, discovered a belt of wire. They dismounted, crawled through, and captured some guns. Tho troops in the Bullec 011r t sector captured a great tunnel at Qneant."— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACKS MOWN DOWN

FIERCE STRUGGLE AT NOYELLES.

(Rcc. November 25, 5.5 p.m.) London, November 24. Mr. Percival Phillips reports: "The enemy's counter-attack yesterday against Masnieros camo from the north-east. "When tho Prussian Guards advanced in solid lines we awaited them. Our massed machine-guns proved better weapons than flesh and blood, and tho Prussians checked, halted, and broke. None got nearer tliau a thousand yards. Later other troops from tho Guards camo—one from tho Cambrai railway—but never gained an impetus for their attack. A third attack, at Noyelles, resulted in a bitter •struggle at close quarters, lasting two hours, and equally unsuccessful, though the well and proved that they had not forgotten how to fight in open warfare. Both sides used tho bayonet, and there wore many single-handed combats with fists and 'broken bricks whoro men had lost their weapons." —United Service.

BRITISH INFANTRY PUTS UP NEW RECORDS

TANKS WERE THE OUTSTANDING FEATURE,

(Roc. Novomber 25,' 5.5 p.m.) , London, November 24. Mr. H. Perry -Robinson writes: "During our recent thrust tho infantry put up new records. Tho Ulsters bomb'cd and cleared out four thousand yards of Hindenburg trench which, was honeycombed with dugouts, necessitating much stubborn fighting. The West Riding troops cleared seven thousand yards of trench, the longest infantry record for a single push on tho Western front, but did no bombing, advancing across the open country. We took prisoners from sis divisions, including some from the Russian front. The out- 1 standing feature throughout tho operations was the success of tho tanks. Besides flattening obstacles and clearing trenches and strong points, they took and held strongly-defended villages, even captured batteries of heavy guns, butting in between the guns and machine-gunning the gunners. _ Some of tho tanks broke down through mechanical Hfficulties, and were utilised as stationary strong points, proving superior to the German pill-boxes."—"The Time's." -

FRENCH CIVILIANS OVERJOYED AT THEIR RELEASE

HOW THE PEOPLE LIVED SINCE 1914.

London, November 23. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: "The cavalry, infantry, and tanks are still active in the break in the Hindenburg line. There was heavy fighting this morning at Bourlon Wood and Fontaine Notre Damo. The French people were overjoyed at their release, and surrounded the tanks, which they regarded with the utmost astonishment. They say they had no property or liberty since 1914. The Germans requisitioned everything. The French were ted by the American Relief Committee. 'The Germans made the women wash the soldiers' dirty linen. One French man had beon hiding since 1914 m the cellar of his own house, where the German officers were billeted. His wita fed him from an extra ration given for a baby born during the war. the house was searched once a week, but the man was not discovered, otherwise both h* and his wife would have been shot."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. ON THE FRENCH FRONT London, November 23. A French communique states: "In the region of Cerny and Juvincourt our fire stoped an enemy attack on the loft of the positions wo won on ; Wednesday."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reutor. (Rec. November 26, 0.20 a.m.) London, November 25. A French official communique states: "Intenso i artilleryjiring is Proceeding on the right bank of .the Mouse, in the region of Bezonvaux. The bombardment is intermittent elSewhere."-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesn.-Reuter. THE GERMAN REPORTS London, November 23. A German official report states: "The enemy repeatedly and fruitlessly attacked yesterday at Moeuvres. Wo have retrieved his slight initial successes. TWo was desperato hand-to-hand fighting around Fontaine. We threw back the enemy, stormed Fontaine, and cleared La Folie Wood. English attacks against Rumilly, Banteaux, and Vendhuillo collapsed. Fresh fighting has been in progress since early this morning at the southern edge of Moeuvres."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. | ' t (Rec.' November 25,'5.5 p.m.) London, November 23. A German official report states: "Thoro are groat and violont waves of fire between the railways from Boosingho to Stadcn, and Ypres "to Roulcrs. A strong English attack at Inchy collapsed. Wo stubbornly defended Moeuvres against many assaults. The English thrusts against Bourlon and Fontaine ia Folie, with a wave of tanks in closo formation, broke down. Our counter-thrust ejected the enemy from Bourlon and Bourlon Wood. Wo shot thirty tanks to pieces' before Fontaino."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn,-Router. (Rec. November 25, 5.5 p.m.) London, November' 24. A German official report states: "A renowed English attempt to broak through south-east of Cambrai was shattered, with most sovcro losses to the enemy."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutor. GERMAN PRESS BLUSTER. Amsterdam, November 23. The "Lokalanzeiger" says that from 150 to 200 tanks were'employed in tho British attack. It declares: "This abortive offensive will not divert the Germans' attention from Flanders, where the British are certain to renew their efforts to got rid of the dangerous submarino bases."—Router. BRITISH GENERAL PROMOTED London, November 23. Official.—Lioutcnant-General Sir J. H. G. Byng, commander of tho recent British offensive, has been promoted to the rank of General.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable' Assn.-Reuter.

CHINESE'TROOPS FOR FRANCE (Ren. November 25, 5.5 p.m.) Washington, November 24. It is understood that the Allies have endorsed the proposal to permit China to send 25,000 troops to France for secondary duties, thereby reloasing French troops for front lino.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.