THE WESTERN FRONT.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 July 1917, Page 2

THE WESTERN FRONT.

OFFICIAL REPORT. WELLINGTON, This Day. The High Commissioner reports:— London July 1. at 11.0. p.m. French Official: In the sector Cernj’-Aillos the bombardment by large calibre shells was of redoubled intensity towards the end of last night. It was succeeded by a very violent enemy attack eastward of Cemy which occupied on a front of 500 metres our front Ijino [elements. Tho trenches, which were deluged with projectiles, were evacuated by our troops. The concentrated fire of our batteries caused great ravages in the enemy ranks.

BRITISH CAPTURES/ 'LAST MONTH’S TOTAL. fAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION & REUTER.] LONDON, July 1. Field-Marshall Sir Douglas Haig reports: There is considerable enemy artillery activity in th 6 Scarp® V allev aind in the neighbourhood of Lens. During June wo captured 8686 Germans including 175 including two heavy guns, 102 trench mortars, 345 machine-guns, and great quantities of other material. OSTEND DAMAGE. "LONDON, July 1 Aeroplane photographs of the recent bombardment or Ostend show that little damage was done to the residential portions of the town, but there was much wreckage of wharves, destroyers and submarine shelters and the pier. There has been much bombardment of the coast for over a week. DUNKIRK SHELLED. (Australia & N.Z, Cable Association.) PARIS, July 1. German long-range guns fired forty eight shells into Dunkirk killing »* few. civilians.

THE GERMANS SHORT OF GUNS

BRITISH BATTERY WORK.

LONDON, July 1

Th 0 “Morning post’s” special article on the West Front states tnut there are abundant indications that h 0 Germans are short of guns and ammunition, and although many . guns have been massed at certain points iu th® West the lino has been skinned in order to do so. i Hid British courater-battery work never ceases, and when an enemy battery is detected suddenly anything from 150 to 500 British heavy shells are turned on to the spot. In this way it is estimated that the Britisn have destroyed 1280 Germans gwi s in twenty-three weeks.

FLYING ABOVE STORM

LONDON, June 29

Reuter’s correspondent at British head quarters states there has been a series of the most violonfc thunderstorms in the buttle area accompanied by typhoons which unrooted trees and bowled over wagons as if they were more playthings. “Despite these deluges,” says the correspondent, “to-day is hotter than ever. It is wonlerful that during the entire storm'our airmen operated serenly in the sunlit blue, above the thundering canopv which was emptying its streams earthward. Indeed, i t vyas actually one of their most successful days.