SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS BY THE BRITISH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 185, 25 April 1918, Page 7

SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS BY THE BRITISH

RECENT OPERATIONS REVIEWED

GROUND, PRISONERS, AND BOOTY CAPTURED RECENT GERMAN FAILURE REVIEWED a- t, , , T • London, April 23. Mr Douglas llaig reports: "Wo took sixty pnsOmers as tho result of a successful operation last night north of Albert. We improved our position. \vo also took a number of prisoners In tho Robeoq; and Wvtschaete areas in local fighting which ended to our advantage. We raided trenches, and reached tho support linos in tho neighbourhood of Fainpoux. The hostile artillery is active west of Albert and on the bulk of tho front from south of the Nieppa i'oi'est to east of Ypres. Our artillery engaged enemy concentrations on. tho \ lllers-Brctoimeux sector and in tho neighbourhood of Serre. Tho tetter weather yesterday resulted in greater aerial activity and incessant bomb-dropping on tho whole front. Wo dropped over twenty-threo tons on thn Thorout railway station, Memn, Armeutieres, Guanines, and otlier targets. Low-flying aeroplanes fired thousands of rounds. The enemy machines wero in great numbers, but wero not aggressive. We brought down thirteen and drove down six out of control. Five of ours are missing. The pilot of one of tho enemy machines brought down was Baron Richthofen. Our night-fliers dropped nine ami a Imlf tons of bombs in Poronno, Armeutieres, and Bapaume, and also on the raihvuy junction at Chaulnes."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutor. (Bee. April 21, 11.45 p.m.) e- t. , it • l ... • l- London, April 23, 11 p.m. bir Douglas liaig reports: A minor operation eastward of Robecti was completely successful. In addition to the ground gained, we took 120 prisoners and a number of machine-guns. ■ Wo also slightly improved our position, this morning m the neighbourhood of Metcrcn, taking prisoners and machine-guns. There is considorablo enemy gas-shelling at Villers-Bretonneux."--Aus.-N.Z. Cable -Vssii"Eeuter. (Roc. April 25, 1.30 a.m.) London, April 23. bir Douglas llaig, in his aviation report, slates: "We carried out. several long-distance reconnaissances yesterday and took many photographs. We dropped nineteen tons of bombs on tho Thorout railway station, the KngcV dump, Warneton, Arnienticres, and Roulcrs. We brought down eight machines and drove down six. Three of ours are missing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.

— SIB, DOUGLAS HAIG'S DISPATCH. (Rec. April 21, 7.15 p.m.) London, Aj?fjl 23. . Sir Douglas llaig, in a supplementary report, states: "Tho number of divisions employed against the British alone since tho opening of the offensive on March 21 is already one hundred and two, of which'many have bean used two or three times. In resisting the heavy blows resulting 'from such a concentration, all ranks, arms, and services behaved gallantly, and with a courage and resolution for which no praise can be too high. Besides the divisions already mentioned for conduct of outstanding gallantry, many others greatly distinguished themselves. The Guards Division, after five .days' of heavy fighting at Coirybec-Querellc, completely repulsod attacks delivered iii great, strength on March 28, and again on March 30, inflicting heavy losses. This, division, with tho Thirty-first, and Third Divisions, on its right 'and left, in severe fighting on these and other occasions, successfully resisted all the enemy's efforts to open out tho northern flank of attack. Especially gallant service was performed, also on March 28, by (ho Fourth Division north of the Scarpe, in assisting to break up attacks launched for tho capture of Arras and tho Viniy liidge. This division also distinguished itself in the Lvs battlefront on the night of April If, when it admirably executed a counter-attack and look Eiez diPVinage, with one himdred and fifty prisonors; and again'on April 18, when it repulsed strong attacks .southeast of Robecq. Tho enemy's progress was definitely checked with the aid of the Third and Fourth Australian Divisions at Merkourt-l'Abbo and Dernancourt, the New Zealandcrs at Serres, and, later, the Fifth Australians south of tho Soaiiue. By tho vigour of their defence, all tho enemy's attempts to continue his advance were repulsed with tho heaviest losses. The Thirty-first Division, on April 13, was holding a front of nine thousand yards cast of Nieppe Forest, although reduced in strength as the result of previous fighting, and with tho enemy stilt pressing his advance. The division was informed that the lino must Iks held to tho last to cover the detraining reinforcements. All ranks responded to the appeal with tho most magnificent courage and devotion, and throughout a. long day of incessant fighting beat off a. succession of determined attacks. In the evening the enemy made a last great effort by sheer weight of numbers to overrun certain portions of the line, whoso defenders died fighting, but would not give ground.'' Gallant Divisions, "During the first two days the enemy's offensive to the southward necessitated a withdrawal, but before withdrawing wo inflicted great' loss on the enemy, and tho Gorman official reports acknowledged the bitterness of tho fighting, Tho Twenty-fifth Division was in close support when the attack oponed, and wero sent immediately into tho battle in the neighbourhood of tho Bapaume-Cambrai Road. They wero not dislodged from any position, though constantly attacked The Thirty-fourth Division; after severe fighting in tho neighbourhood of Croisiiles at the commencement of the battle, took over the Armeutieres sector in the line on April 9. They maintained their positions intact during the first two days of the Lys Battle, and when the enemy advanced on either flank and necessitated the evacuation of Armentieres they wero withdrawn from the town on the night of April 10-11, deliberately and in good order. .Since then they have been continuously engaged, and have fought,? throughout with tho greatest gallantry, yielding ground reluctantly, and counter-attacking frequently. The Forty-second East Lancashire end Sixty-second West Riding Divisions participated in fierce fighting' at the end of March and early in Aril around Bucquoy and Ablaineville. They beat off many attacks and contributed greatly' to tho successful maintenance of our lino. Tho Fiftieth Division, though but recently withdrawn after weeks of continuous fighting southward of tho Somme, held up the enemy along tlio Lys line 011 April 9 and subsequent days, and by their stubborn resistance at Estaires and Merville checked tho enemy's advance until our reinforcement arrived."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assll.-Iteu.lcr. A LOCAL SUCCESS BY THE BRITISH London, April 23, 4.5 p.m. Tho British south of tho Aveluy Wood pushed back the Germans 250 yards on a front of 1000 yards.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. LULL ON THE FRENCH FRONT TWO DAYS OF BRILLIANT AIR-FIGHTING. London, April 23. A French communique states: "There is nothing to report beyond lively artillery activity in tho Montdidier and Noyon region. Between April 20 and 22 we brought down twenty-threo enemy aeroplanes and captive balloons. Our ma> chines dropped forty-nino tons of projectiles on railway stations, camps, and aerodromes at St. Quentin and elsowhero. They caused fires in the railway stations of Chaulnes and Asfeld, and blow up an ammunition dump east of Guiscard."— Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. April 25, 1.30 a.m.) London, April 23. A French communique-states: 'There is great reciprocal artillery activity in the region of Haugard-en-Santerre, and est of Noyon, but no infantry fightinir" -Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE GERMAN REPORT (Rec. April 24, 11.45 p.m.) London, April 23. A wireless German official report states: "The English wero active between Lens and Albert. Tho enemy lost prisoners in repeated'attacks to recapture the ground' at Aveluy Wood and capture the railway northward of Arras, on both sides of tho Bouzancourt-Aveluy road."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. MASSING FOR THE NEXT ATTEMPT London, April 23. Router's correspondent at British Headquarters, writing on April 22, says the Germans continue massing troops on the Bailloul-Neuye Eglise line in tho north, and around Dernancourt in the south. Prisoners state that leavo will be resumed in the German Army early in May, which suggests that the enemy anticipates a decision or an abandonment of the offensive by then—Reuter. THE BEST PROOF THAT ALL IS WELL London, April 23. M. Clemencenu, Premier of France, has returned from a. visit to the front. Ho states that tho best proof that no uneasiness existed was that the French soldiors wero again receiving leave, which had been suspended since the German offensive began— Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn. WHEN JOHN BULL IS AT HIS BEST London, April 23. Mr. Winston Churchill (Minister of Munitions), addressing the Amorican Labour Mission, said that the worso the news from tho front the readier Britons were to make sacrifices. Under the pressure of this hard-fought battle wo had drawn hundreds of thousands of men to the colours. Tho same had been done in France and America. The German attaok had brought at least a million Allies into the field—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE AMERICAN CASUALTIES AT SEICHEPREY. Washington, April 23. The American casualties at Seicheprcy total two hundred—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.