BATTLE OF ARRAS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1917, Page 1

BATTLE OF ARRAS

A Great Struygia

French Report

WELLINGTON, April 25,

The High Commissioner reports nom London :oil April 21th 11s follows: French official.—We' continued the destruction, firing on enemy batteries and organisations in the regions of St. Quetin, Oise, Corbenz, Juvincourt, a#ul Champagne. Near Moronvillcrs our light foices penetrated the German trenches which were found filled with corpses.

Haig's Review.

Progress Continces.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association

and Reuter.)

LONDON, April 25

.Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Further information regarding Monday’s' battle shows that the fighting was exception, ally, fierce. /• Seven German divisions wore engaged on the. Croisclles, Gavrelle front. Several points of tactical importance changed hands more than once, but all remained ours except a few buildings north of Roeux.

Our. massed artillery shattered frequent counter-attacks while those pene trating our barrages were cut down by rifle and machine gun fire. One British corps took prisoners belonging to four divisions. \

We advanced on the whole front,

There was considerable fighting today though it was somewhat less fierce. At a number of points on the battle front, our progress continued. Between the Scnsee river and the Monchy-le-Preux line .*"*we advanced within a few yards of Fontaine le Croisille and Cherisy.

Counter attacks by strong forces in the neighbourhood of Gavrelle in the afternoon were broken by our artillery and driven hack in disorder.

Over two thousand prisoners have passed to the rear since, Monday morning and others are yet uncounted. There was a greater amount of air fighting on, Monday than on any one previous' day. Our aeroplanes attacked enemy macli ines wherever they found them, going far behind the lines and bombing ‘•railways, dumps, and aerodromes, and compelling the enemy to give battle'.

Fifteen German machines were destroyed and twenty-four driven down. A large three seater was brought down in our lines. Two of our machines are missing.

German Report

A Terrific Struggle

LONDON, April 25

A wireless German official message staees :—On the Arras battlefield the British troops now standing on French territory, yesterday delivered a second great thrust to break through tho German lines.

If, was a very heavy battle. For days the British have been hurling masses of shells of every description against our positions). Early in the morning of April 23rd the artillery battle, increased to very strong drumfire' and soon, afterwards the English thrusting troops' led often ,by “tanks” burst forward on a thirty kilometre front behind this wall of fire.

Our fire forced them in many places to withdraw with heavy losses, and at other points the battle sways backwards and forwards' with great bitterness.

Whenever the oiiefy gained ground our brave eager 'infqjptry drove him back. ( The suburbs of Lens, Avion, Gavrelle, Rouex, and Guemopp© were the hottest places in the fierce struggle. Their names will bo associated with 'deeds of heroism by regiments., from almost every German, district between the sea and the Alps. A further attack with particular intensity and with new masses followed in the evening on both sides of the Slcarpe. 'The strength of this attack wa s also broke, under our fire. In handrto-hand fighting the enemy gained a. few hundred yards on the Oam-bra'i-Arras road and the ruins of Guemeppe remained in bis hand!. Tho German soldier at the front knows every man and woman at homo is

working increasingly to support him in this life and death battle.

LONDON, April 23. German Official.—The English on Sunday penetrated our first line northwestward of Lens on a 500 metres front A strong French attack northwestward of La Oilleaux-Bois was heavily repulsed. We brought down eleven aeroplacns.

French Report

LONDON, April 25

A French communique reports tne day was chiefly marked by artillery in g on the whole front. In the regions of St. Quentin, Oise, Corbenz, Juvincourt and Champagne, explosions were observed in a certain number of batteries. We brought back four 105 millimetre mortars, which wore captured dining the 'fighting on the plateau at Chemdn-des Games, and had not boon hitherto counted in our gains. Near Moronvillcrs our light troops penetrated German trenches and found them full of corpses. LONDON, April 24 A French communique states: Two German reconnaissances endeavouring to reach our lines lin the direction of Harmon ft were repulsed uitli hoaiy losses'. There was a violent artillery struggle ill the region of Hcut'tbis. the Foil ion Valley and C'raonne, and minor actions, enabling us to advance and improve our positions, on the plateau Chemiii des Dames and in the direction of Juvincourt, where we carried a Ger. man post. We successfully bombarded enemy lines' of communication in Cham pagne.