CROWN PRINCE HELD.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1917, Page 4

CROWN PRINCE HELD.

FRENCH RETAIN CAINS. Paris, July 29 In nor- more than an hour the C'tmvn Prince yesterday lost the precarious foothold which the finest German troops had obtained on the California and Casemates plateaux near Craonne at the expense of five days aud nights of the fiercest lighting. ,

Pet-nils of the battle which have reached. Paris show that the French p.i limiliary bombardment was ex tivmolv violent but of short duration, it being essential that the enemy should not be given time to mass his res i ves The infantry went into aim ion just- before seven o’clock in the morning and the Germans resisted with the greatest stubbornness. Tim TtliMiml Btii Westphalian storm b.t '.alions, supported by a portion of til.' I Bth I>i vision, which participated in ihe furious assaults delivered agiiust. th'* plateaux last week, oon-ti-s'.- l eiv'-r i oh of tlie ground and lac rlied \ rous counter-attacks, hu! finally had to give way before the spl udid dash of the .French troops. The California plateau struggle relief s-vl indecisive for some time. The Ger.u.i's idung desperately to tlie northern slopes of the ridge until, with one supreme, irresistible drive, the French swept them hack, annihilated their rearguards, and routed their reinforcements. By eight o’clock our Allies were again complete masters of the position and the Germans returned to their burrows in the Vauclerc Forest. The French encountered less difficulty on the Casemates plateau. They completely smashed the German hold in a few minutes, beat off two swift counter-attacks, and then pursued the enemy to his own cover, capturing (300 yards of trend).