IMPORTANT SUCCESS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 October 1917, Page 2

IMPORTANT SUCCESS.

HEAVY FIGHTING ALL DAY.

GERMAN STORY CONTRADICTED

[AUSTRALIAN &.N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION

& BEUTEB.]

LONDON, Oct. 27/ Marshal Haig reports that opera-

tions with limited objectives were jointly undertaken. A fine day, Thursday, with a fine drying wind, promised improved fighting conditions ; but a sudden change came during the night, and heavy, almost incessant, rain has fallen since.

At an early hour in die morning not-

withstanding < the jgreafc difficulties facing the Allied troops, they made considerabe progress and won valuable positions on the greater part of the front they attacked.

The main operation was carried out by the English and Canadian regiments, from the north-west of the Ypres-Rouler s railway. The .Canadian battalions advanced along the main ridge near Fasschendaele, and passing beyond their objectives, established themselves on rising ground southward of the village. Other Canadian battalions with troops of English Naval Brigade battlions, and London Territorials, made further progress in the face of strong opposition along the spurs between the main ridge and our positions eastward of Poelcapello. They captured a number of strong points and fortified farms. Heavy fighting occurred east and north-east of Poelcapello, wherein the West Lancashire and North Country troops progressed at certain points. Subsidiary simultaneous attacks by the English troops in the neighbourhood of the Menin road and iby the French northward of Bixschoote, were made.

There wa s fierce fighting all day astride the Menin road and eastward of Polderhock, wherein progress was made and a considerable number of prisoners taken.

Northward of Bixchoote the French attacking with great gallantry, crossing the Saint Jeanheck which was flood ed, and captured objectives beyond, with a number of prisoners taken.

The Allies in the course of the operations took 800 prisoners.

During an air raid on the night of 24th 25th, another ton of bombs were dropped on the Burback works. Three of the , particTpating aeroplanes are missing.

Our aeroplanes on Thursday night attacked four aerodromes, and fortyfive heavy bombs were dropped, securing a direct hit in one instance on, a group of hangars. One machine has not returned.

Marshal Haig later reports that the Canadians successfully repulsed two heavy counter-attacks yesterday afternoon southward and westward of Passchendacle, taking a number of prisoners. 1

We consolidated our gains without interference and made further progress westward of Pasßchendaele, capturing eighteen machine-guns.

SUCCESSFUL AIR. BOMBING. London; Oct. 27

The Admiralty reports that naval aircraft •bombed <he Varssenaise .aerodrome and Thourout railway station yesterday. The weather rendered observation difficult. All the machines returned.

Taß FRENCH ADVANCE. \ LONDON, Oct. 26. A French' western official message says: There were no enemy counterattacks in Belgium. Fbllowing up our successes on our right, north of the Aisne, we an»e the enemy back from the region north of Chapelle St. Bertha to the reservoir capturing the village of Filain. Further east we went beyond the crest of the plateau north of Chev- _ rigny Spur. < - The situation elsewhere is unchanged. We counted a hundred and sixty guns captured since October 23rd, including several six-inch howitzers, and many heavy guns. To of the enemy’s attempted coup le mains in tho Champagne failed. Cannonading is proceeding all day - on the right bank of the Meuse. * M TARDY GERMAN ADMISSION. LONDON, Oot. 27. A wireless German official message says there is violent artillery fighting at Houlthulst Wood as far as Hollebeke, which increased to drum-fire In the morning. The Anglo-French nocturnal attacks all failed. The enemy attacked at seven points since dawn. The French yesterday attacked in the Ailotte region. ~vVe, after a short engagement at Pinon Wood, withdrew behind the, canal near Chavoignon. We stormed positions at Chaume Wood on a width of 1200 metres.

BELL VUE SLOPES HELD. LONDON, Oot. 27. Mr iPhillip states that the majority of the four hundred garrisoning Die Polderhock Chateau- wore killed or taken prisoners. Those in the dugbuts at Gheluvet Wood held out after we passed, constituting a temporary menace. The fiercest battle raged near the centre attack, we obtaining a sharply contested grip of the Belvue slopes. * The Canadians played an honourable part in th© battle. V THE LATEST ACCOUNTS. (UNDATED.) The attack began in a drizzle, the„ ground being slippery on tho ridges, while in he lowland the bogs were impassable in places. The enemy, fighting stubbornly for fortified farms, reinforced buildings, concrete blockhouses, shell-craters, and pill-boxes. . The airmen participated despite the weather, and engaged the enemy artillery, transports, and marching columns behind the lines. Others ma-chine-gunned the troops in the front line from a few yards altitude. The British troops at"' 6.50 were seen entering the pill-boxes on Bellevue Spur, . one of the most’ important of the German positions which were two thousand yards westward of Passehendaele. Half | an hour later they were seen fighting around Polderhock Chateau, the Tom- | mies hustling prisoners from the J strongest walls, the upper floors whereof were sand-bagged yards deep, making cellars and sub-cellars a Gibraltar 1 of security.

v JOY IN FRANCE. fAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] & BEUTEB.] LONDON, Oct. 26. The sweeping French victory is causing intense joy ip France. General von Hindenburg chose one of- the strongest ridges in France for a challenge of battle, and it resulted in a demoralising defeat and the loss of eleven thousand prisoners. It is no longer a case of falling back to take new positions to avoid losses. FRENCH REPORT. fAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION & BEUTEB.] (Received Yesterday at 11.10. p.m.) LONDON, October 27. A French communique says in Belgium our troops are maintaining the action between Bresachten and Draibank captured new German trenches north of the objectives reached yesterday progress continues satisfactorily, despite the difficulty of the ground. South of the Aisne there is intermittent artillerying. German aeroplanes dropped twenty bombs of large calibre on Dunkirk. There were SO civilian victims.

'RAID’S REPORT. ' making ’progress. I ——— - (Received Yesterday at 1-1.10. p.m.) , LONDON, October 28. General Haig reports the operations of the French in the morning northward of Jansbeek, were continued with auooess, the French advancing astride Bixsohoote-Dixmude road, despite the : difficulties of floods and heavy ground They captured the villages of Aschoop Kippe and Nentem, with many farms and strong points, taking a number of prisoners. There was great reciprocal artillerying on the British battle-front and infantry actions. The number of prisoners since yesterday morning exceeds 1,100 whereof 300 were taken yb the French. Despite the rain our aeroplanes yesterday performed valuable work. Four German machines were brought dow n and two of ours are miissing.