THE WESTERN FRONT.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 August 1917, Page 2

THE WESTERN FRONT.

FRENCH OPERATIONS.

LONDON August 22.

A French communique states-; there is somewhat great reciprocal artil lery activity in the region of Vauxillon, the Plateau, Cerny and Craonne. Ocr destructive fire in the Champagne against the German organisation in the St. Hillaare sector caused an explosion of gas reservoirs. Shortly afterwards scouting parties found tne enemy trenches evacuated and full oi corpses. On the Verdun front the battle continues at several points everywhere to our advantage. On tho left bank of the Meuse we captured and entirely occupy Goose Hill and Regnevillo yillage and on the right bank we brilliantly conducted an attack. We conquered Samongneux, also the entire system of fortified trenches connecting the village -with the organisation at Hill 344. We repulsed counter-attacks Wc have taken more prisoners but they have not yet been counted.

FURTHER BRITISH GAINSLONDON August 21. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Early this morning we attacked and captured the enemy’s positions on a front of 2000 yards westward anu north-westward of Lens. Heavy fighting We repulsed strong counter-attacks north-westward ot Lens. Our artillery broke a third attack to the southward. We captured a number of prisoners and repulsed raiders north-eastward of Messines. Our aeroplanes were successful, despite the enemy’s aggressiveness and brought down nine and drove down seven. Four of ours are missing.

TROOPS FROM THE EAST. t, AMSTERDAM, August 21. News from the frontier states that numerous troops from. Galicia are arriving in Flanders. AROUND LENS. CANADIANS PUSHING ON: (Reoeived this day at 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 22.* Mr. Phillip Gibbs says the Canadians’ “attack tightened the lines around Lens, some are already within Die city, having penetrated places with vast defensive systems but d,. not yet beyond the outlying house*. ‘ : '' V ‘ I PREPARING TO EVACUATE ROULKRS. (Reoeived tins day at 12.30 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, August 22. The Germans are forcing tho eiviila'n to prepare to evacuate Beiders They are feverishly bringing up reinforcements. FRENCH REPORT. LONDON August 21. A French communique states. Enemy aircraft bombed our area particularly the prisoner’s collecting camps. A great number of prisoners were hit. Our aircal't bombed a number of rail way stations and dunrps with important results. We downed twenty-one German machines. GAS CLOUDS AT VERDUN. THE PRISONKttS TAKEN. PARIS, August 21. The Germans discharged, unprecedented quantities of gas clouds and gas-shells at Verdun. The ‘Journal's” states: “We established our incontestable superiority in heavy arjillerv on the -whole sector of eighteen kilometres. This is a new factor of the Verdun fighting.” Mr. Marcel Hutin states: “Tho G--mans withdrew from their front lines the bulk of their forces for the prepartition. of a countor-attack. Therefor© the 400 prisoners taken must be considered an enormous number.”

NEW GERMAN HORROR.

LONDON August 21

Mr. Perris states that at Verdun the first day’s offensive more than fulfilled , expectations. Dead Maui. Hill was the battle pivot and its capture in a single day though it was tunnelled and strongly entrenched contrasts with the enemy’s prolonged effort to capture it last summer. The German losses are believed to greatly exceed the French.

The enemy’s latest devilry is tiie so-called “mustard shell’’ which gives out corrosive poisonous gas, astacking the eyes and lungs.

BRITISH PROGRESS,

WELLINGTON, ’This Day,

The High Commissioner reports from London, Augst 21st, at 10.30 a.m. :• — British Official.—This morning we captured a line of trenohes skirting west and north-west of Lons, on a front of 2000 yards. Heavy fighting continued at noon, when two strong Germsi counter-attacks were beaten off, .while a third, southward of the town, was broken up by our artillery.