FIERCE BATTLE ON WHOLE FRONT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 188, 29 April 1918, Page 5

FIERCE BATTLE ON WHOLE FRONT

THE RECAPTURE OF VILLERS BRETONNEUX ENEMY GAINS DRANOUTRE AND MONT KEMMEL , By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright • ; London, April 26,12.10 a.m. Sir Douglas Haig Teports:—"The French and British positions north of Bailleul to east of Wytschaete were heavily attacked all day. The fighting was of great severity on the whole of this front, particularly in the neighbourhoods of Dranoutre, Kemmel, and Vierstraat. In the course of repeated attacks and tountor-attacks the Allies were compelled to withdraw from the positions held this morning The fighting continues south of the. Somme. Successful Australian and English, counter-attacks last night regained the positions in , and around Villers Bretonneux. We advanced our line to within a short distance of the former front and : took over. 000 prisoners. The village is now in. our hands. The enemy employed at least four divisions in the attack en this front. Prisoners state that their objectives included. Cachy village and the Cachy-Fouilloy • Eoad (which runs north i mile west of Villers) The objectives weie not reached anywhere. The numbers of dead found in the recaptured positions show that the enemy's losses were very heavy. Jn spite of the mist yesterday our aviators attacked troops in the neighbourhood of Villers-Bretonneux from a low height. Our nightfliers dropped 5J tons of bombson Estaires, Armentieres, and Roulers, Mid also on the railway stations of Courtrai and Thourout, and all returned."-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. London, April 26, 1.30 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports :-"After severe fighting all day on the Bailleul-Holle-bete front against greatly superior forces, the Allied troops were compelled to give ground, and the enemy gained a footing on tho ICemmol Hill. Fighting in the aeighbourhood of Dralioutre, Keninwl, and Vierstraat continues. Wβ carried ■ out a minor operation at night west of Merville.' The hostile artillery is activo ";°i?J.,t nB River L . vs to Givenchy. We cleared out some enemy posts* f.outh-east of Villers-Bretonneux. The enemy shelled this area with gas.'-Aus.-N.Z.. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. (Roc. April 28, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 27, Sir Douglas Haig reports (April 26, 11.45 p.m.):—"Tho battle is continuing fiercely on the whole front from the neighbourhood of Dranoutre to the YpresComines Canal. The enemy has captured Dranutre and Kemmel Hill and village. The enemy's attack yesterday was made in great strength by nine divisions. Early this morning the French and British counter-attacked, and succeeded first in making some progress and capturing prisoners. Later in tho day the enemy renewed his attacks, particularly against the positions from Locre to La Clytte and astride the Ypres-Coinines. Canal. We held all tho attacks in the neighbourhood of La Clytte and Scherpenberg, but after .severe fighting, in which we repulsed a series of determined attacks with heavy losses, thp enemy succeeded in Dressing back our line in the direction of Locre. He .also progressed astride the ■ ■pres-Comines Canal. Tho French and British, this morning attacked (ho ' enemy's position in the neighbourhood of Hangard and Hangard Wood, and advanced the lino at certain points by heavy fighting."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assii.-Beu-ter. ' ■ (Eec. April 28," 5.5 p.m.) London, April .27. Sir Douglas Haig reports (April 27, 2 p.m.):—"There was great reciprocal iirtil- . lcry activity last night on the whole battlefront northward of the Lys Eiver. The fighting in this area yesterday was very severe, tho enemy repeatedly making determined attempts to develop the advantage gained the previous day. After many, hours of fluctuating battle tho enemy advance was held at all points, and heavy casualties were inflicted. The enemy's assaults from Locre to La Clytte were pressed with extreme violence. Three attacks were beaten off with great enemy loss. The enemy succeeded on tho fourth attempt in carrying Locre village. Our Allies counter-attacked in the evening and drove the enemy out of possession of . the village. At other points all the enemy attacks were repulsed. There was fierce fighting northward of Kemmel village and in the neighbourhood of Yoorniezeele, which,- after a prolonged struggle, remiiins in our possession. The enemy heavily attacked in the afternoon our positions on the ridge and in the wood to the south-west of Voormezeele, but was completely repulsed. We took some hunx tlreds of prisoners.in local fighting yesterday at noon in the neighbourhood of Givenchy. The fighting continued in the afteftioon and evening to our advantage. In tho Hnngard-Villers Bretonneux sector our line was advanced at certain points, and we broke up a.hostile attack,-accompanied by tanks, in the afternoon. We took in this area over 900 prisoners. We carried out successful raids in the night-time in thn neighbourhood of the Arlenx-Viexberquin sector. Thunderstorms yesterday compelled our aviators to fly within 'a few feet of the ground when reconnoitring in' the neighbourhood of ICemmol. Wo dropped 650 bombs on Menin, Roulers, and Armentieres. We bronght down ten and drove down two enemy machines, while our anti-aircraft guns brought down four other.?, and the infantry shot down, another enemy machine. Two of our machines are missing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Rcuter. (Eec. April 28, 11.10 p.m.) London, April 27, 10.10 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Tho enemy captured a post in the neighbourhood of Festubert. Our fire broke up a local attack westward of Merville. Our ar- ' tillory effectively engaged infantry assembling eastward if Villers Bretonneux. The mist interfered with flyinf. Our infantry brought down two low-flying ma-chines."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutei\ POSITIONS WEST OF KEMMEL RECAPTURED "1 THE ENEMY HELD EVERYWHERE. (Rec. April 28, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 27. The French have recaptured positions west of Kemmel. Tho enemy adTBnce is 'held everywhere.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. TERRIFIC STRUGGLE.ON KEMMEL HILL GERMANS PAY DEARLY FOR THEIR GAINS. London, April 20, 4.30 p.m. There was a tempestuous struggle on the Kemmel Hill. The French heroes on the crest raked the slopes with their machine-guns. Another' French unit held Kemmel village wit hequal tenacity. From the slopes'of Scherpenber.g, Jlont Rouge, Mont Vidocbe, and Mont Noir the French poured in machine-gun fire, and the batteries rftked Iho middle slopes of Mont Kemmel. Tho infantry coun-ter-attacked in one whirlpool battle. The British on both flanks enfiladed Von Bernhardi's alpine divisions, turning the green flower-filled valley between Kemmel and the Eed end Black Hills into a sizzling hell. The Germans paid dearly for their gains. Hardy and specially-picked storm troops charged the Kenr.ncl Hill, attacking fiercely to the north-west from Wytschaete. Finally they drove a wedgo between the British and French flanks, nnd crossed the Kemmel-Ypres I?oad, where they were held f or two hours. Then they turned south, and poured down the valley west of Kemmel Hill, which they, finally surrounded, though tho French on the crest held out like lions. The German lines to-day apparently run westward of Kemmel, but the ultimate winner is still a matter of doubt. Another dispatch says:—"Tho Germans havo apparently captured Mont Kemmel. A French remnant on the crest fought all night, preferring death to surrender. The ultimate mastery of the hill is still problematical."—Aus.-N7;. Cable Assn. WORK OF AMERICAN AVIATORS 339 GERMAN AEROPLANES BROUGHT DOWN. . (Rec. April 28, 5.5 p.m.) Washington, April 27. Official reports, state that American aviators in France havo brought down 839 enomy , aeToplanes since America's entry into the war.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.