THE WESTERN FRONT.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1917, Page 2

THE WESTERN FRONT.

HAIG’S REPORT. LONDON August Jst>. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Fresh enemy troops counter-attacked our positions in the neighbourhood of the Ypres Menin road. Their repeated assaults forced back our advanced troops . Fiorco fighting at Invernss copse and Glencorsc Wood continues Our artillery dispersed concentrations in this area. The onemy’B losses were heavy. Wo advanced, slightlw south-east of Saint. Julien and captured a length of German trench in the neighbourhood of Lombartwestward of Lens and an enemy post zyde securing prisoners. Tho artillery was active.

HAIG’S REPORT. (Received this day at 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 25. General Haig reports: The enemy have heavily bombarded the positions of the trenches northeast of ’ farm. We are sAu in possession of the farm. , . , . We advanced our line slightly northeast of Lens. WONDERFUL CANADIANS. LONDON, Aug. 25. Mr Phillip Gibbs, describing the Canadians’ wonderful fighting against heavy odds at Lens, states that six Guards Divisions which attacked have been shattered. Portions of other divisions engaged by the Germans used over fifty battalions. Their losses are estimated at,, between 12,000 and 15,000. After ten days’ furious counter-at-tacks the Canadians seized Green Grassier. The enemy came in strength and thrust them from the crest, bur tho Canadians still clung to the western side.

The fighting consists of an .uninterrupted series of fierce and bloody encounters, . above and below ground for redoubts, emplacements, houses and slag heaps The engagements are mostly hand to hand, with every kind of weapon. The shell-fire is indescribable and men coming out of the inferno seem stricken with nightmare. (Lens has become a Prussian tomb and a city of. abomination. .

ANOTHER CANADIAN CAPTURE

f AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION]

Received, this day at 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 26.

English Headquarters reports tn«* Canadians, with another irresistible spurt, captured another important trench, curving round the centre and western outskirts of Lens, and a second one running east, across the Arms road.

DASHING FRENCH ATTACKS

(Reuter’s Telegrams.)

LONDON, Aug. 24

A French .communique states: We dashingly attacked this morning between Avocourt Wood and Mort Hommo and went considerably beyond u<u objectives. We carried the formidable hill 304 at a single rush, also westward of the line of fortifications northward of the hill. We reached the south bank of Forgqs Brok,, between oourt and Bethineourt. The average depth of the advance was over two kilometres. A vigorous offensivo east of tho Esnes-Bethincourfc road enabled us to widen our positions north of Mort Homme to a depth of a kilometre. FRENCH REPORT. LONDON, Aug. 25. A French communique steates: In the Champagne there is rather a lively artillery duel in the region of Teton. On the Verdun front hostile artillery bombarded our new first line, especially north of Hill 304 and between Samogneux and Chambrettes Farm.

PRISONERS CAPTURED

AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT.

LONDON, Aug. ,

British Official.—Since April 9th, th British have captured 86,155 Germans. The French have captured 43,722 and and the Italians 40,681, chiefly Austrians. The Russians have captured 37,220, chiefly Austrians. ;V The British have taken prisoner 103,218 Germans during the war period while the Germans took prisoner approximately 43,000, including Indians.

The British have taken prisoner in all theatres during the war period 131,776 men, including African natives. Our enemies have taken prisoner during the war period approximately 56,400 British trops, excluding African Natives. BIG FRENCH CAPTURE. OF BRANDENBURG DIVISION. f AUSTRALIAN ib N.Z. CABT.E ASSOCIATION'! (Received. This Day at 8.50. a.m.) PARIS, Aug. 26.

French Headquarters, in connection with the capture of Hill 804, says the Brandenburg Reserve Division was practically wiped out. Sixty-nine officers and 2,794 men of its three regiments, were prisonered, well over a third of the entire bayonet strength. The prisoners include tho whole divisional organisation, with cooks, cyclists and even the band, which was sent to the front line at Goose Hill, as fighting men.