ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1917, Page 3

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

(Per Press Association. —Copyright.) french” report. GERMAN ATTACKS REPELLED. LONDON, August 2. A French communique states: In Belgium there is persistent rain. Our troops continue to organise the positions won;' North'of the Aisne there is reciprocal artillery activity in the Craonne- * Hujrtebise sector. The. German s attacked west of Cerny but were repulsed. X' Thre is an artillery duel on the right ; bank of the Meuse.’ . „

PHILIP GIBBS’ REPORT. AWFUL GERMAN SUFFERINGS f AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION (Received, This Daw at 8.50. a.m.) LONDON, August A Mr Philip Gibbs’ "reports states that a rainstorm veils the battlefield like a dense mist making it wretched. The German infantry lying in the open were in a frightful condition being wot to tho skin and cut off by our barrages. \•} - . The Bufferings of the Germans in the riddled exposed places wore as hideous as anything in human agency. They were .flashed to bits by tho storms of shells" and urged forward in counterattacks knowing that death was inevitable. The prisoners have the look 01, men who have passed through hell. Their drenched boots were full of water. With sunken eyes and ashen grey faces they were like those of a sick

hunted animal. Many wore groaning loudly and piteously with cramp in the stomach from. long exposure and \ hunger others wept bitterly) saying they hate the war. They do not hide the sufferings of the people at home. The "army is filled with gloomy -foro- * bodings and living in terror of our tremendous gunfire. ' About one fourth of the prisons are anaemic .lads who are terrorised and incapable bf fighting. gome of our own men were stunned by the terrific blast of the gunfire ano were, amazed to find the field guns _ . wheel'~to wheel, ’ • , , .They described rows of German dead including a Brigade - staff cjasping their gas masks who were caught suddenly by tho blackest terror of modern warfare. . . The military critics point out the significance of a Berlin communique mendaciously implying that Tuesday s assault was triumphantly repelled, and and the day brought a great German victory, ' Newspapers interpret that the rhetorical communique is a sign of political desperation and consider it a remarkable pendant to the Kaiser’s two bombastic defiant proclamations.

THE FRENCH FIGHTING

IN DIFFICULT GROUND

AVIATORS GREAT WORK

[AUSTRALIA!* & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION]

,R e „i.ed Ihi.

The Daily Chrtmicle’s correspondent at the French Headquarters in Flanders says:— The French Army is fighting in the sector between Nordschote and Boesinghe, a difficult flat, country offering little possibility of concealment, while the,’inundations extend south to the neighbourhood •of Ferryman's' house. The sector is important because it is pointing eastward and left, to the forest of Hautgoulst; a German stronghold since the autumn of 1914, and on the right to Bottlers. The German first line is beyond the Canal and already untenable by Sunday’s .bombardment. ' The abandoned passago of a moderate waforcoilrse, proved a relatively easy proposition, and whole of three stretches of field -works of the first P° sl * tion were in the French hand in three hours) the armies holding the ground won, after breaking successive counterattacks. .. • , . The German staff have not y e t abandoned the hope of recapturing; the lost defences. We are awaiting their efforts with calm confidence. The battle was a signal triumph for tho gunners and infantry. It was the first great battle of the war entirely without tho assistance of aeroplane observation but the venturesome aviators played a new part and flew low, through dense mi&t and engaged the machine gun redoubts and silencod many strong points and thus became the cavalry of tho air. Some intrepid pilots wore dropping so low that tho wing nearly brushed the concrete forts while the machineguns* wero raking tho surrounding trenches. It had been a laborious day for the gunners bringing batteries over flooded roadaiin the dismal drizale, which continued alTday long.

HAIG’S REPORT.

, ATTACKS REPULSED

r AUSTRALIAN - & N.Z. OABUS ASSOCIATION & BEUTBB.ij

(Received This Dnv at 1T.25. a.iQ.) LONDON, uLugusv General Haig reports forty eight hours of incessant rain.^. The enemy yesterday afternoon succeeded at a great cost, in gaining a foothold in our advanced positions near Ypres-Roulers Tailway. Our counter-attack drove him out at all points completely -re-establish-ing the former line. W® auocessfully (raided south-east-ward of Hargiootirt.

'»®PJrIAN iLQ&SES.

20,000 ON FIRST DAT.

FRIGHTFUL CARNAGE.

(Received - This Day at 11.25. a.m., .V , PARIS, Aug 2.

It is estimated that the German casualties on the first day. were twenty thousand.

I The Petit Parisen’s correspondent ' says after the first day’s formidable 1 bound, the Allied troops were commented in repulsing strong counter-attacks ‘especially in Ypres sector. The Germans threw formidable' massed forces. The British endured the struggle rendered hardier by the first day’s work. The heavy artillery continues its devastation though the sodden ground renders it less effective. When the Welsh had cleared all the enemy trenches with grenades they penetrated St. Julien on three sides. After fierce street fighting they'had to lay a siege of every house in turn. The carnage was frightful but the Welsh - covered themselves with &.*ry. The Prussian Guard obeyed orders to sit on the spot and that prisoners Were not to be taken. One young prisoner declared the Guards had been promised that they would not participate in this fight, but were to constitute the last reserve, hut as things were going badly they had to 6° f° r " ward. Only two out of 150 were left alive .

The tanks did great work, - oije attacked a concrete redoubt, and all inside. < surrendered Another made foi a spinney bristling with machine guns and crushed everything flat. The garrison then surrendered. M. Plainleve telegraphed to Lord Derby stating the advance had aroused the enthusiasm of France. The heroism of your troops has dealt the Germans one of the heaviest blows of the war.

THE GRUELLING GIVEN

GERMAN DIVISIONS

[AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] (tomved This During Tuesday’s battle we used, from the booty; a quantity of the. newest German gas shells. ' The Red Cross surpassed itself in the immediate and unceasing succour of the wounded. . Specialists and surgeons attended a surgical station on the edge of the battlefield, where body wounds were as expertly tended, as in tho base hospitals, while within a couple of hours of the injury the same treatment was extended to the. German wounded. Four German divisions, pounded, pummelled and wrecked by the bombardment were taken out.before the battle proper, and wore followed by six others who in the battle faced the artillery, burning oil, gas and molten liquid, showers, before they encountered tho Allies indomitable infantry.

Altogether the bulk of thirteen divisions were so punished and shaken that recovery will bo slow and costly.

The Welshmen captured Pilkqnville and a largo portion of the ridge, other troops assisting,' while tlio Scottish and English captured the slope of Zonnebeko rdge. • .

Experts consider the lino of Lys River where wo are facing determination and opposition, is of more importance strategically than the country further north. FRENCH REPORT. [AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION it Reuter.] / VANCOUVER, August 2. A French communique states bad .weather continues. There is violent nrtillerying in various sectors. Germans ■ rosultlessly • ro-attacked Ayocourt Wood. v HOLDING THE GAINS. (Reuter’■ Telegrams.) (Received this day at 1-30 p.m.) LONDON, August 2. Headquarters state despite bad weather impeding operations in severe fighting in.,.the past twenty-four hours the Germans manifestly perturbed at our gaining so much high ground at Pilkem Ridge, launched several desperate counter-attacks throwing in their best storming troops to try and retrieve tho situation. The Allies preponderance of gun power enables us to maintain steady barrage on the German rear-guard, through which tiio reinforcements have to come before an attack is organisablo.