THE SITUATION AT CAMBRAI

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 65, 10 December 1917, Page 5

THE SITUATION AT CAMBRAI

BRITISH ESTABLISHED ON NEW LINE HOW THE RETIREMENT WAS EFFECTED London, December 7. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"lnfantry action on the Cambrai front last night was confined to patrol encounters. There is increased hostile artillery action astride the- Scarpe River."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. December 9, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 7. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"Tho enemy's artillery was active at night in the neighbourhood of Flosquieres and northward of the Menin Road. Wo were successful in a local operation at dawn northward of La The Ulsters captured trenches, whuh constituted our objectives, considerably improving our line. A hostile ia'"d was repulsed north-east of Ypres. Our aeroplanes bombed hostile billets throughout Thursday, and were particularly successful in a raid against the Valenciennes railway station and sidings, where fires were started. Every opportunity was taken by the airman of using their machine-guns on the German infantry trendies, and there was. considerable air fighting, in which 'eight hostile 'planes were brought down." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. December 10, 0.30 a.m.) London, December 9. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"There has been local fighting eastward of Boursies. ; On the remainder of the front there have been no infantry actions. Hostile artillery firing is proceeding along our positions in the neighbourhood of Flesquieres, Monchy-le-Preux, and Passchcndaelo. We downed two of the enemy's aeroplanes. Four of ours are missing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE GERMAN REPORT. (Rec. December 9, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 7. A German oicial report states:—"We stormed La Justice Farm, between Graincourt and Marcoing, and cleared the enemy out of the latter place. The British temporarily penetrated our lines northward of La Vacquerie. We threw them back, maintaining our positions againet bitter hand-grenade attacks."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. HEAVY GERMAN CONCENTRATION AT CAMBRAI AND REIMS Paris, December 7. The "Matin" states that the British withdrawal in the Cambrai region was duo to a warning that there was a formidable concentration behind Cambrai. It is estimated at no fewer than fifteen divisions; probably brought from Russia. Another heavy concentration is proceeding behind Reims.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE BRITISH WITHDRAW FROM BOURLON WOOD SPLENDID EXAMPLE, COURAGE, AND DISCIPLINE. : . London, December 7. British correspondents at the front state that the withdrawal from the Bourlon Wood salient was carried out with the greatest courage and discipline. Success depended on the enemy's complote ignoranco of tho move, and thevalour of the rearguards. Tho enemy becamo suspicious, owing to the strange silence an 3 entptiness of Boutlon Wood. Later, groups cropt forward to the sugar factory on the Cambrai Road. Large bodies now advanced with bayonets fixed, peering around, evidently fearing a trap. The silence of our guns puzzled them. Tho artillerymen waited until the open ground was black with moving Germans, then, by pre-arranged signal, opened fire. Tho Germans wero caught and bndly punished. A considerable body of men also assembled for a massed assault, but tlio_ artillery shattered them in a sunken road. AVo now occupy a secure position, taken from the enemy, with good observation, and strong lines behind.—Aus.N.Z. Cablo Assn. ON THE NEW BRITISH LINE HEAVY PUNISHMENT' INFLICTED ON THE GERMANS. (Rec. December 9, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 8. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes:—"Wβ hold a strong defensive position southward of Bourlon Wood and westward of Gonnelieu and Villeis Guislan, with the Hindenburg lino and tho old Hindonburg front and support Hues behind us. Tho enemy on Thursday afternoon was still in doubt regarding our new line. His patrols were so strongly resisted by our outposts that ho was compelled to send up reinforcements of infantry, wliicli reconnoitred in frirce in tho direction of Orival Wood, a small oopso ' south-eastward of Graincourt. Our guns opened fire with such intensity that German doad, roughly estimated at two thousand, strewed tho ground. Similarly, threo battalions, which were .advancing to attack at Graincourt, wcro utterly shattered and dispersed.

Wo abandoned Anncux, and at the samo timo Bourlon Wood. There was only one casualty while wo wcro ovaouating Bourlon Wood. The men were glad to got away. Tho wood had been so thoroughly gassed that they were often compelled to work, fight, and sloop in their gas-masks. They dared not remove their masks to drink or eat." Enemy Completely Mystified. Tiio United Press correspondent states:—"Firmly entrenched in positions defending the Hindenburg line,, tho British to-day repulsed every attempt to retake it. Tho Germans attacked stubbornly from Orival Wood towards Plesqiiiores, but wore- driven off with considerable losses. Tho enemy re-formed behind thdwood for a second try, but tho British artillery practically wiped them out. It is estimated that some two thousand Germans were killed at this spot. Our machine-guns broke up an attempt by tho enemy to attack La Vacquerie. Tho British retirement completely puzzled tho enemy, who, hours after Anncux had been evacuated, laid down a terrific bombardment, and then attacked tho empty village. Tho garrison at Bourlon Wood, owing to the necessity for constantly wearing their gas masks, were obliged to leave the wood in order to eat comfortably. It was difficnlttodigin, as each spadeful of tho porous ground liberated a; dose of gas, with which tho place was satuated. Obviously it was advisable either to advance or retire. It would havo been folly to remain. The bridges at Marcoing and also the du Nord Canal woro blown up before our retirement, and the guns and ammunition safely hauled back. There were practically no casualties during the withdrawal. When the enomy v discovered our movement they kept in close touch, and are now in contact along a large part of our new front. Twenty-five German divisions havo been identified during tho fighting since General Byng's smash, and they have suffered the heaviest losses."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ON THE FRENCH FRONT (Rec.. December 9, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 7. A French official'communique states:—"On the right bank of the Meuso, . after a violent bombardment, the enomy twice attempted to reach our lines in the direction of Bezonyaux and Beaumont. Our fire smashed the attacks and drove back the assailants to their own trenches."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. December 9, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 8. A French official communique states:—"There has been, considerable reciprocal artillery firing at Maisons-des-Champagno and on therght bank of the Meuso. Our aviators bombed the railway stations at Fribourg and Thionvillo and various enemy depots and cantonments behind the front."— Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Iteuter. (Rec. December 10, 0.30 a.m.) London, December 9. A French official communique states:—"A big German raid at Beaumont completely failed. "Seven people were killed and twenty injured us the result of an air raid on Calais on the night of December s."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reuter. BRITISH AIR OFFENSIVES SUCCESSFUL LONG-DISTANCE RECONNAISSANCES. London, December 7. Sir Doiifflas Hnig reports :—"There is great activity in the air by both sides. On Wednesday wo carried out long-distance reconnaissances,' with bombing and machine-gun attacks on the ground targets, including' tho Gontrodo and St. Denis Westrem aerodromes, and the Douai railway station. The fighting continued all day long. Ten Gorman machrnos were brought down, and five of ours are missing. Anothor successful raid was made in Germany to-day." ■ . . Tho Admiralty reports :—"Naval aircraft on Wednesday and Thursday bombed tho TJytkerke, St. Denis, >pßtrem and Engel aerodromes, the>- Bruges dock, and various railway traffic, causing fires. All tho machines returned. During fighting with patrols wo destroyed two machines and shot down four others, of which three were probaaly destroyed."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reu-ter.