THE ALLIES OFFENSIVE.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1917, Page 2

THE ALLIES OFFENSIVE.

THE ADVANCE CONTINUES. 2500 PRISONERS. CAPTURE OF HILL 70. j CANADAIN’S IRRESISTIBLE DASH. [PEE PEESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.] I ic iut-’il Service Telegrams.) LONDON, Aug. 16. | “Le Petit Parisien’s” correspondent, describing the capture ot Hill 70, writes; Driven back by bayonets and grenades the-Bosches scattered among the miners’ dwellings, mine shafts, and cellars, the openings of which bristled with machine guns. The Canadians’ dash was irresistible and in half an hour three groups of clwellings had been stormed. Those not killed fled to and other villages where machine-guns were massed. There was a scene of fierce fighting when the enemy launched a senes of counter-attacks. The Canadians’ success is the more jneritorious, because they attacked newly-arrived, and rested troops. The Germans have been forced to realise that the British arc strong enough to attack whereever, whenever, and however, they wish.

GERMAN ACCOUNT

CANADIAN SUCCESS ADMITTED

f ADMIRALTY PEE WIRELESS PRESS.]

f “EKUTER’s” TELEGRAM.] LONDON, Aug. 16. German offiuial : The second great Flanders battle hurst forth, with an artillery duel which was the most violent on the coast between the Yser aml the Deule. Bixsehoote and Wytschaete. Hie English attacked between Hullueh and Lens yesterday morning with four Canadian divisions and forced our first position, making an effort ' to deepen the gap in the sides of Loos village. Their gain is small. Eleven fresh attacks collapsed. We repulsed attacks southward of Hullueh and westward of Lens. The French fired 3000 shells into St. Quentin and sot fire to the Cathedral. French attacks between Corny and Hurtebise Farm failed.

ON A 9 MILE FRONT,

CONTINUOUS FIGHTING

[AUSTRALIAN A'. N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION & REUTER.]

(Received this day at 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 17. v

General Haig reports an advance on a front of nine miles northward in Ypres—Menin road was continued all day long, in the face of strong resistance.

The French on the left, advanced astride the Zuygschoato-Dixmude road and cleared a tongue of land between Yser Canal and Mar tie Vaast and captured the bridgehead at Briegrascliten. The British centre rapidly captured their first objectives and carried Langemarck after heavy fighting. They advanced ha’f a mile beyond, and established themselves in the German trench system the day’s final objective. There was fierce, continuous fighting on the right for high ground northward of Alenin Read.

The enemy repeatedly heavily coun-ter-attacked and pi e'Red us hack from part of the ground won earlier. Our artillery hyoke tho evening counter-attack in this neighbourhood.

Eighteen hundred prisoners in this attack have already been brought in. We progressed eastward of Loos and have -prisonered 896 since yesterdav on this front.

. 'Aeroplanes effectively ochoperated yesterday, and machine-gunned counter attackers.

We brought down twelve and drove down four. Three of ours are missing. There was- excellent aeroplane work to-day.

FRENCH OPERATIONS. & ... ' GALLANT ASSISTANCE. (Received this day at 12.30 n.m.) LONDON August 16. A French communique says in Belgium our attack was successfully continued The infantry broke the enemy resistance west of Steenbek and are progressing "in conjunction with the British. Tliey captured all tho enem,j positions. Considerable material was captured. The artillery was active, m the region of Laffaux and Hujtebise. The German fired on St. Quentin cathedral which was burning for several hours. OFFICIAL REPORTS. WELLINGTON, Aug. 17. Sir Douglas Haig reports that eastward of Loos in the direction of Cite St. Auguste, early last night the enemy twice counter-attacked, and the second time succeeded in pressing us back slightly at some points. Later, we re-established our positions and further hostile counter-attacks wore, repulsed. GERMAN claims. FAMIIKALTT—PER WIRELESS PRESS.] (Reoeived this day at 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug 17. German official. —We shattered tho Flanders assault on a front of thirty kilometres. The enemy only had local success at Driegrachten and Langeinnrek. Wo completely repulsed tho enemy everywhere J between St. Julien and Warnetton.

GERMAN APPREHENSION

ON WESTERN FRONT RESULTS

(United Service Telegrams.) LONDON, Aug 16.''

German newspapers aro fully olive to the menace on the western front. Their latest comment indicates that they have boon instructed to prepare for grave difficulties. 4U hopes centra on General Hindonburg.

THE BATTLE CONTINUES.

RESULT UNCERTAIN.

GREAT ENEMY LOSSES.

(Received This Day at 9.50. a.m.) LONDON, Aug 17.

Air. Phillip Gibbs says th'e battle con tinues and tho result iB uncertain. Many battalions of both sides have been heavily engaged. Tile enemy is prepared to sacrifice thousands rather than lose these defensive positions. The French progressed rapidly. Their only trouble was tho Champ AuSert farm, which had been transformed into a stronghold. They turned all guns upon it. and ultimately the white flag appeared above the ruins and sixty survivors surrendered.

The frightful gunfire had demoralised the enemy. A German colonel who was prisonercd, was dejected, his nerves being shaken. He spoke freely of his men’s groat losses. He belonged to a reserve division, hitherto holding Langemarck. The greatest sufferer was a battalion of the 262nd regiment, which was broken to pieces by the British attack across Steenbeke. A THRILLING ACCOUNT. (Received This Day at 9.30. a'.m.) LONDON, Aug. 17. Air Phillip Gibbs states "our gain ofc 1.500 yards on a wide front, includes Langemarck, and thence runs south towards the French.

We advanced along a swampy neck dubbed the “Peninsula,” bounded by deep floods on three sides. «■ The fighting on our right was most violent. The enemy repeatedly countered over the high ground between Nuns’ Wood and Glencorso Wood to Hunebeke river. His losses were high. Although the weather is stormy, making it had for our flyers, the assembly of enemy troops was quickly signalled, the guns smashing the formations with great slaughter.

The enemy’s latest method is of holding the front lines lightly, and concentrating their best troops behind, for counters. This saves man-power and reduces the casualties, but while sound in its policy of an army fighting in retreat of relinquishing ground at the highest cost, they are not returning by counter-attack to quit© the fame line, over which their assailants have flowed.

-.Groover, the success in life saving fig not there because, the Germans suffered hideously by shellfire. The counter-attacks were costly in blood, as illustrated in the counter-at-tacks on the Canadians at Lens. Successive waves were broken, wherein mere hoys were marching should to shoulder, according to tradition, and they were destroyed in great numbers. The Irish, on the extreme right were engaged in the fiercest fight towards Plvgon Wood, over frightful ground, where the enemy were in the , greatest strength. The Irish made headway before they were faced by masses of fresh German troops, advancing in the wake of an infernal shellfire.