THE WESTERN FRONT.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 September 1917, Page 2

THE WESTERN FRONT.

i THE BRITISH ADVANCE. ATTACK ON 6 MILE FRONT. TOWER. HAMLETS CAPTURED. ; f AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION I «fc REUTER.] (Received this day at 1.20 a.m.,) j LONDON, September 27. i General Haig reports we attacked i u | the morning on a six mile front south- ' ward of Tower Hamlets to eastward of | St. Julien and were entirely successful, j The enemy later made heavy counter attacks along tho new front. Hard fighting is continuing at certain points. | The attack carried out by English troops southward of Ypres-Menin road was successfully completed. Hie capture of Tower Hamlets was possessions!, and strong field works on the western slopes forming our objectives. Wo repulsed powerful counter attacks from Glieluvelt.

Wo met obstinate resistance on the right of our main attack; northward of Ypres-Menin road. There was heavy fighting in the area wlieresover the ; enomv counter-attacked yesterday.

I BIGGEST day of war [PEH PRESS ASSOCIATION. COPTRIGHT.] (■Received this day at 1.20 a.m.,) ! TONDO'N, September 27. Mr. Phillip Gibbs says Wednesday was one of the biggest day's fighting of the war. The Australian losses were not heavy ! Aeroplanes report they have search-

AUSTRALIANS WIN GOAL.

ed their furthest goals. Prisoners are surrendering freely. POLYGON WOOD CAPTURED. HEAVY FIGHTING CONTINUED (jlnited Service Telegrams). (Received this day at 1.20 a.m.,) LONDON, September 27. A general advance of a thousand yards was made including Polygon Mound. There is desperate fighting on the ■British front. Most of tho objectives have been gained. ;

1 SUBSTANTIAL SUCCESS. HOLDING CAPTURED GROUND WELLINGTON. This Day. ! The High Commissioner reports from Ijondon September 27th. at 11 a.m. ! General Haig’s later accounts show the fighting on Wednesday afternoon was exceedingly severe. The enemy spared no effort to regain the important ground captured between four and seven in the evening. , Fourseparato counter attacks of great strength were made on Tower Hamlets, and St. J alien, Gravenst and Gravensotapel road. The struggle was severest in the areas southwards of Polygon Wood, where the English, Scottish Welsh and Australians defeated repeated attempts, r to break in. The attacks were all rot pulsed after fierce. fighting with heavy ) German losses. The artillery and infantry fire was b extremely heavy. E loiter in the evening the fighting - gradually died down. We. are i n posi session of the ground captured during ? the day i 1 1

AERIAL ACTIVITY. GREAT WORK OX BRITISH FRONT 23 MACHINES DOWNED. ! f AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION | & REUTEII. J I (Received this day at 12.30 u.m.) LONDON, September 27. Genera] Haig reports that aeroplanes were extoremelv active yesterday, 'there were successful raids on aerodromes at C'ourtrui and Cambrai, billets eastwards of liens and hutments south-east of Routers. A further five tons wore dropped at night on Menin and Vcrica on troops in transportsy and roads loading to the battle-front. A number of hostile machines were a«»c#unted for. Twenty-three were brought down and a three soater bombing machine was shot down. One of our machines is missing. FRENCH REPORT. I'ACSTKALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION dr REUTER.] LONDON, Sept, 26th. A French communique reports an intense artillery struggle between Beaumont and Blan Vaux on the right of,the Meuse. Prisoners confirm that tbe enemy lost heavily in fruitless attacks north .of Chau me Wood. t OFFICIAL WAR NEWS. NAVAL AIRCRAFT GOOD WORK. ( AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION & REUTER.] (Received, This Day at 8.50. a.m.) LONDON, September 27. The Admiralty report that naval aircraft dropped many tons of bombs on Tuesday night on Thourout, liehtervelde and Cortemarck railway junctions They scored several direct hits on the lines. All our machines returned safely. HEAVY FRENCH FIGHTING. rAUSTRALIAN ,fc N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION . A REUTER.] LONDON, September 27. | A French communique reports mark- j ed artillery activity on both sides at various points of the Aisne front and ( right bank of the Afeu.se . j OPTIMISTIC NEWS. j [run i*uksß association.—coPTKicnr.! IiONDON, Sept. 26. " Mr. Bottom ley. in the paper “John Bull” describing a visit to the front, writes “Sir Douglas Haig says that he is absolutely oonfident of complete and early victory in the west. The enemy’s power is visibly weakening all along the line. Len,s can be captured when he wishes.”

BRITISH LEADERS IN FRANCE LONDON, Sept. 27. Mr. Lloyd George proceeded to France on Monday accompanied by Sir William Robertson. They conferred with Mr. Painleve on Tuesday and visited Sir Douglas Haig at British headquarters. They returned to London on "Wednesday evening. GERMAN REPORT. TADMIRALTY—PER WIRELESS PRESS.] LONDON, Sept. 27. %a German official: The battle be- * tween Langemarek and Hollebeke continues. The enemy in places penetrated to a depth of one kilometre of our fighting zone, where desperate fighting continues.

GERMAN REPORT. fADMIRALTY—PER WIBELEBS PRESS.] LONDONN, Sept. 25. German official.—We recaptured yesterday portion of the territory northward of Menin-Ypres Road,' and repulsed four violent counter-attacks. The English attacked this morning between Houtholst Wood and Com-minos-A pres Canal. The battle is in full swing. The enemy lost fifteen aeroplanes. Our aviators in the evening bombed Ramsgate, Margate, Dover, Boulogne, Calais and Dunkirk causing fires. One has not returned.