CAMBRAI SUPPLY SYSTEM DESTROYED

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 55, 28 November 1917, Page 5

CAMBRAI SUPPLY SYSTEM DESTROYED

RESULT OF HAIG'S WW BOURLON VILLAGE A SHAMBLES I Uy Telegraph-Press Amsoeifttion-Oo^jirieht (London, November 26. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "The enemy has not repeated his attacks on the Bourlon position since yesterday's failure. The situation in unchanged." >-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. November 28, 0.35 a.m.D . LOittJon, November 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "No further infantry actions occurred on our Southern battlefront to-day. We.took prisoners,in a few patrol encounters on the Ypres front. Considerable hostile artillery firing occurred eastward and north-eastward of Yptts, particularly at Paissckondaele."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Reuter. ■'."■"'"'."."'. THE GERMAN REPORT, "; • . Loitdion, November 26. A German official report states: "Obstinate enemy! attacks" at Inchy failed. We repulsed minor advances against Bourlon, »awd cleared out English nests which remained behind our lines near Bourlo;hj We made_progress on the south-west (? south-east) edge of Bourlon Woort, west of Fontaine. .We repulsed attacks north of Banteoix and east of ifiricourt."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.

ENEMY'S SUPPLY SYSTEM DES r #tOYED

QUEANT IN DIRE PERIL.

LondHin, November 26. The United Press Headquarters correspondent reporHs: ''Prince Rupprecht's position around Oambrai and Queant is extreme) !y wobbly, notwitl> standing his sacrifices. The heights of Bourlon have be«>n saturated with German blood; yet General Byng still holds them. The Airitish are virtually in front, behind, and on the flank of the garrison of dj/ucant, ■ which is in dire peril, and with it those who are manning the unstable Hindenburg line as far north as the River Scarpe. Cambrai lias been evacuated and is useless as a distributing centre. The Cftmbrai-Queant railwajr was cut when the British occupied Burlon village, and other railways, highways, and canals Became practically unavailable."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assij^

THE FIGHT FOR BOURLON WOOD

THRILLING STORY OF TWO-DAYS' BATTLE.

London, Novemher 26. "Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: "There was a great battle for two days for the possession of Bourlon Wood, which commands the country' to the north-east and north, and also the villages of Inchy and Moeuvres, llbrce miles to the .west. English battalions' and the Highlanders ore fighting with dauntless determination to make good the triumph of the first day, wl ten they broke the Hindenburg line. Some of tho men have been fighting for i nearly a week without rest or sleep except odd half-hours, while they have als t> been on short rations. Tuesday s smashing blow was followed by a ding-dong struggle over twelve miles, of open country, from Pronvillo to Masniertfe. The capture of Bourlon Wood was necessary to enable further progress to b p made, as it covers bis hundred acres of high ground west of Cambrai. The didliculty of its capture was our loss of Fontaine Notre Damo, upon the east, arid the strong German defence. THero were fresh enemy troops at Moeuvree ad id Inchy, and the deadly barrages proved tho arrival of every available Genmim battery. Our gunners speak admiringly of the rapidity'with which the Qißl-mon gunners got into action. Therefore tho enemy is no longer as weak as when, we attacked Bourlon Wood on Friday. The morning of the battle operkld with all arms working together in splendid union. Tho guns, which had galloped forward into new positions in the captured territory, astonisfoipligly close to the German lines, opened a terrific drum-fire. Many of our regiiinents had fought on other battlefields, but they camo fresh and full of entl uisiasm into the., new battle, because of the new promise of victory. The taai|.ra agsin led the attack. Single scouts ahead were followed-by others ineMielon. Some of the crews of these tanks had the hardest nine days of their Hives. Even during the advance many of the tankmen were asleep, in spite. r.|r the noise- of the engines and the hursting shells."—An s.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

BOURLON VILLAGE A SHAMBLES

(Rec. November 27, 7.40 p.m.)

_ November 26. After again splashing the village of Bmirlon with blooil, Prince Rupprecht regained portion of the village, but. General Byng's strategic _ advance on Bourlon Ridge is in nowise changed. The night was quiet, after a hand-to-hand struggle in the streets of Bourlon, where : tb p British stopped the Prussians with cold steel. The enemy fought well. They hurled themselves against the British, who formed a lino halfway across tWio village, catching them on tho bayonets ns they came. l German corpses jitter the village and the battlefield.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.

THE KING'S CONGRATULATIONS

(Rec. November 28, 0.35 a.m.)

London, November 27. Majesty the King has telegraphed to Sir Douglas Haig: "I congratulate you, General Byng, and the troops on your succossfs ,il operations in the neighbourhood of Cambrai. The complete surpriso effect! dby such novel methods of warfare has been received with the utmost satisifaction throughout the Empire, and holds out great hopes for tho future. It is gratifying that the tanks, which are a purely British invention, have played such an important part."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Rcuter.

V HUN BARBARIANS PILLAGING AND DESTROYING

(Rec. November 27, 8.20 p.m.)

London, '.'November 2fi. Mr. H. Perry Robinson states: "The fighting in the Bourlon Wood " Srea was very savage. Tbe country round about has bfcon plundered, ' churches destroyed, and every grave has been violated bj trpse barbarians.' ,_"The Times."

THE FRENCH BLOW. ON THE MEUSE

CONQUERED POSITIONS ORGANISED,

London, November 26. A French official communique {tntcs: "There is great artillery activity on the right bank of the Mouse in the region north of Hill 344, whore we have organised tho conquered positions."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Bontcr. (Rec. November 28, 0.313 a.m.) London, Novembor 2i. A French official communique states: "Fairly heavy artillery actions havo occurred in Belgium and north of the Obemin des Dames. Our artillery* dispersed the enemy's assemblages of troops north of the positions wo captured yesterday on the right bank of tho Meuso. The artillory. duel in this sector continues most vigorously."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Kenter. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. London, November 2G. A German official report states: "A French attack on a front of four kilometres between Samogneux and Beaumont broke down."— Aus.-N./j. Cable Assn.-Reuter. GERMANY'S AIR LOSSES ON THE FRENCH FRONT Paris, November 2G. The French in the past ten months have brought down 517 German aeroplanes, and 153 others fell in the German lines.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ALLIED WAR COUNCIL'S PROGRAMME

Paris, November 26,

The War Council at Versailles will discuss a wide range of subjects, including the co-operation of the fleets of the Central and South American countries with the British and Amerloan Navies.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.