THE WESTERN FRONT.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 November 1917, Page 2

THE WESTERN FRONT.

HUSHING UP TROOPS. STREET FIGHTING. F AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] , LONDON, 23. The Germans are rushing up troops from all directions, and the resistance is stiffening at Cambrai. The British have consolidated some places, and have fallen back in others. They captured Tagpole Copse, westward of Moeuvres. Street fighting is going on in Cantaing. FRENCH OPERATIONS. i AUSTRALIAN * N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION REUTER.] LONDON, Nov. 23. A French communique says hi the region of Corny and Juvencourt, our fire stopped an enemy attack on the left of the positions we won on the 2'lst. HAIG’S LATEST REPORT.

AUSTRALIAN X N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] 'I; REUTER.]

LONDON November 24

Marshal Haig reports: —Operations were continued to-day against positions westward of Oambrai.i Latest reports are that they are developing satisfctiorily. Hostile artillery is very active in the neighbourhood of Passchendaele.

AROUND CAMBRAI

SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS

FAUSTRALIAN ifc N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION]

LONDON November 25. Marshal Haig reports successful operations yesterday west of Cambrai. After severe fighting and stubborn resistance we stormed important and dominating high ground about Bourlon Wood. To the east of Bourlon Wood some progress in the neighbourhood of Fontaine Notre Dame and to the west of Bourlon Wood. Wo made further progress along the Hindenburg line astride the canal DuNord, in the neighbourhood of Moc Juvres; while further west, between Moeuvres and Queant, the London Scottish captured an important spur giving observation over the HindenImrg line to the north and west-. In the neighbourhood of Bullecourt we gained further ground during the night, capturing a strong point- with guns. Since the 20th. we captured over a hundred guns including several heavyup to eight inchers.

PRUSSIAN GUARDS ATTACK. all advances CHECKED. (United Service Telegrams.) LONDON, Nov. 24. Mr Phillips reports: A counter-at-tack yesterday against Masnieres came from the north-east when the Prussian Guards were advancing in solid lines. Wo awaited them, and our massed machine-guns proved better weapons than flesh and blood. The Prussians were checked, baited, and broke. None got nearer than a thousand yards. Later other Guards came up from mo Cambrai line, but never gained impetUA third attack at Noyolles resulted in bitter close quarters struggles for two hours, but was equally unsuccessful, though the enemy fought well and proved that- they had not forgotten how to fight in open warfare. Both sides used" the bayonet, and there were many single combats .with fists a n d broken bricks, where the men had lost their weapons.

RUSHING I’-' TROOPS. LONDON November 23. Additional German artillery maehineguns and aeroplanes live arm - chiueguns and aeroplanes have arrived on the scene and heavy fighting has developed in parts of the new battle front . Evidently civilians evacuated C-an-taing in the nick of time. German low-flying aeroplanes aie busy over the- British advanced lines while heavy machinegun fire opposed the advance in the direction of Crevo coeur. The hulk of tho enemy artillery i s directed against- the British in the region of Cantoup and Bourlon Wood. The British Engineer’s .work was little short of miraculous.

THE GERMAN STORY

LONDON November 23,

A wireless German official message states; The enemy yesterday repeated ly and fruitlessly attacked at Aloe-; uvres. We retired with slight initial successes. Desperate hand (to hand fighting around Fontaine took place, and we threw back the enemy stormed Fontaine and cleared La Folie M ood. English attacks against Ruonillv, Banteaux and Venhiulle collapsed. Fresh fighting is progressing since early this morning on the southern edge of MoeuvTes. Fighting between the Brenta and Piave river is progressing in our favour. Wireless German official: —There are great violent wave* of fire between the railways Bosinghe to Tostadem, and Tpres to Beiders. A strong English attack at Tneliy collapsed. We stubbornly defended Moeuvres againstmany assaults and English thrusts against- Bourlon., Fontaine, and La Folie with a wave of tanks in close formation broke down. Our counterthrusts ejected the enemy from Bourlon and Bourlon Wood We shot to pieces thirty tanks before Fontaine. Wireless German official: —The renewed English attempts to break through csouth-east of Gambrai was shattered with most- severe losses to the enemy .

A GERMAN OPINION

THEY WON’T LEAVE FLANDERS.

(Reuter’s Telegrams.) AMSTERDAM November 23.

The “Lokal Anseiger” says: One hundred and fifty-one to 200 tanks were employed in the British attack and it declares that this abortive offensive did not avert the Hermans attention from Flanders where the British are certain to renew their efforts to get rid of the dangerous submarine bases .

PHILLIP GIBB’S ACCOUNT,

GERMANY’S PLIGHT,

LONDON November 24.

Mr. Phillip Gibbs says: When we smashed through the Hindenburg line on Tuesday the German High Command as soon as they knew what happened, hurried reinforcements in omnibuses from the camp near Cambrai. They were so hard pressed that they actually cleared the camp of cripples and convalescents, and hurried N patients ' into the fighting line. It was brutal and stupid to assault the men who were too ill to fight and are now too ill to stand up in the prison cages. Mr. Gibbs conversed with one on a stretcher in the last stages of consumption. He was sent to an isolation hospital. The reinforcements-included the first Guards reserve from Lens.

The Germans are rushing all available troops to make a stand round Cambrai. Our men had no walk-over after the first surprise. The Germans holding the woods and villages behind the Hindenburg line fought hard and well and endeavoured to beat us back with many counterattacks. Our gunfire mowed down a heavy countertack north-east of Masnieres where the Germans advanced as during 1914 in massed formations the wave s appearing shoulder to shoulder. Another similar attack was attempted at Marcoing. The Germans meet-

ing our fire dropped into the trenches and never reappeared. The Northumberland Yeomanry skirmishing at Crevdcourt discovered a l,elt of wire, dismounted and crawled through, and captured guns.

The troops in the Bullecourt- secLor captured a great tunnel at Queant.

A BIG ADVANCE

INFANTRY’S RECORD WORK,

LONDON November 24. Mr. Robinson writes: During the hrust the infantry put up new records Phe Ulsters bombed and cleared out four thousnd yards of tbe Hindenburg trencli which was honey combed with dugouts n ecessitating most stubborn lighting. , .

The West Riding Troops, cleared seven thousand yards, the longest infantry record for a single push on the western front; but- did no bombing or advancing across the open country, '[’hey took prisoners from six divisions including some from the Russian front 'Pile outstanding feature throughout the operations was the success of the tanks. Besides flattening cleaning trenches and strong points they .took and 'held strongly defended villages and even captured batteries of heavy guns, butting in between the guns and machine gunning the"gunners Some of the tanks broke down owing to mechanical difficulties and were utilised as stationary strong points, proving them to be superior to the German pill boxes.

HAIG REPORTS PROGRESS. LIVELY OPERATIONS. [ AUSTRALIAN A N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] & REUTER.] (Received this day at 12.30 a.m.) LONDON November 25. General Haig reports fierce fighting in the neighbourhood of Bourlon Wood. The enemv made several determined attacks with fresh troops to regain possession of the high ground. A strong attack in' the morning compelled us to give ground slightly in thi s area. Wo counter attacked later and re-es-tablished our foriper line. We made improvement to our positions in the neighbourhood of Banteaux. Hostile artillery was active at Passchendaele Aeroplanes co-operated with the infantry and also attacked German reinforcements and transports and bombed important railway stations, where rolling stock was collected, detaining the progress of tho enemy. Aeroplanes were more active attacking our bombing, low flying machines. We downed six enemy machines. Nine of ours are missing.

FRENCH REPORT. (Received this day at 12.30 a.m.] LONDON November 24. A French commnique states there was intense artillerying on the right bank of the Meuse, in the region of Bezonvaux and intermittently elsewhere..