THE WESTERN FRONT.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 June 1917, Page 2

THE WESTERN FRONT.

THIRD LINE REACHED.

[“reuter’s” telegram.]

LONDON, June 1

A correspondent at headquarters reports that the British reached the third-line of the German trenches last night in a raid near Loos. Wo stormed and occupied two enemy posts westward of Cherisy. There way a stiff fight in the Scarpe Valley between our raiding party and a German patrol.

MAY CAPTURES.

LONDON, Juno 1

Sir Douglas Haig reports: During May we took prisoner 3412 Germans. Wo captured a field-gun, 80 machineguns, and 21 trench mortars. , We successfully raided a number of occupied dngouts southward of Ypres. There is considerable artillery activity south-eastward of Epehy, on both banks of the Scarpe and. in the Ypres sector. Long . distance bombing raids by aeroplanes on Wednesday obtained good results against ammunition depots aiid railway stations.

Sir Douglas Haig reports: Tho enemy. artillery is active against our positions at Bullecourt and Virny Village. There is nothing of interest to report.

BRITISH LOSSES. [“EEUTEri’s” TELEGRAM.]. LONDON, June 2. Tho army casualty lists for May to tailed 5891 officers and 107,095 ?. men. The naval lists totalled 177 officers' and 2437 men.

GERMANY’S LOSSES.

LONDON, Juno 1,

Reuter’s French headquarters correspondent states that between loth April and 24th May the French took prisoner 31.829 Germans of which number 28,045 were unwounded, making with the British and Italian captures of the past eight weeks a total of over 75,000 equivalent in bayonet strength to nine divisions as tho enemy’s divisions are now constituted •

Estimating tho killed and seriously wounded at twice the number of prisoners the Germans on the Aisno and Champagne fronts lost during the periol mentioned an average, of a regiment daily, but in reality their losses are heavier, since, according to their own computation, the killed are much more numerous than the prisoners, and the proportion of wounded, to killed, cannot bo put at less than four to one.

LOSSES OF AIRCRAFT

LONDON, Juno 2.

A French communique states: The enemy at night violently bombarded our first lines north of L’Affaux mill oil tho Califorfiio plateau and in Cheveux Woods. Between 17tli and 31st May we destroyed 32 enemy aeroplanes and 57 cithers were seriously, damaged and probably brought, down in their/ own lines.

A FRENCH REPORT.

LONDON, June 2.

A French - communique states 1 : North of L’ Affaux mill after a lively, bombardment tb© enemy obtained a footing at some points in our advanced trenches. Our counter-attack largely eiected liim. Tho artillery duel con-tinues-here. Wo repulsed several attacks against Hill 304. -•

GERMAN REPORT. * LONDON, Juno 2. Gorfan official: We^successfully engaged the enemy north-east of Soisonse

ADMIRALTY REPORT. LONDON, ' June 2. The Admiralty reports: Naval air craft, carried out several raids from Dunkirk last night and dropped many tons of bombs with good results on Oxtend Zeebruggo; and 'Bruges. All the machines returned safely. -