THE WESTERN FRONT

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1918, Page 2

THE WESTERN FRONT

BELGIAN OPERATIONS. [AUSTRALIAN <fe N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION * RKCTER.] LONDON March 2. ABelgian communique states follow ing a bombardment, an enemy’s corrida main north of Dixmude failed. | number of rafts employed were destroy- | pd,. also pontoons bridge which enemy were building across rl.c Y-er Heavy nrtillerying in the region of ' i Nieuport, Pervyse and Dixmude ennj tin ues. AN IMPORTANT RAID’. \ 1 AUSTRALIAN X N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] t* REUTER.] LONDON March I. General Haig reports our troops 1 riiade a successful raid near Gonellieio. The Dorsets, Manchester;*, Lancasbires, ; and 'Scots, in a raid last night southward of Houthulst forest* penetrated I to a depth of twelve hundred yards, ! taking prisoners and inflicting a large j casualties. 1 Hostile artillery was active at St. Quentin, -Armentieres and Zonnebeke.

GREAT ENEMY ACTIVITY. ON BRITISH FRONT. T AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASBOCIAT UV« & REUTER.] (Received Yesterday at 11.10. p.m.) LONDON, March 3. , General Haig reports great enemy raiding activity on the whole British front, but all parties were driven off, after sharp fighting, with considerable enemy losses. . / v ) ' The ~ British air service was active, and downed four Germans. I : « H AIG’S REPORT. , * LONDON, March 2. Marshal Haig reports successful raids, southward of Armentieres and the neighbourhood of Arleux Engolielle. Two enemy night raids entered the British trenches and captured a few prisoners. . In a third raid all the raiders were killed on captured. j After liea'vy bombardment on a wide front northward of Neuve Chapelle, a strong party attacked and entered the j Portuguese front trenches and were ■ immediately ejected, and the . position restored. N The British repulsed raids on the Ypres.Comines Canal and southward of Houlthoulst forest.

I FRENCH OPERATIONS. (Received Yesterday at 11.10." p.m.) , LONDON, March 3. I A French communique says:—We ; completely reestablished our lines at j Pompelle where the enemy attacked on ! Friday night. There was lively artil--1 cry ing on the right of the Meuse, north of BezonvanxL ; HEAVY ENEMY ATTACK. 1 ON FRENCH LINES. ■ LONDON, March 2. ' ; A French communique says. There | was intense artillery fighting in many j points from Cliemin des Dames to the ! Meuse. I The enemy is aggressively active, J notably north-west and south-east of i Rheims. An attempted debouche was ; made against the salient at Neufchatel, j but a counter-attack drove, out the eleI ments which succeeded in getting a | footing in our advance posts. | Simultaneously he fruitlessly attacked Lapomelle,r and then violently re-attacked,, making renewed efforts to reach the fort at Lapompelle. Isolatelements succeeded in gaining a footing on the northern portion of a small work west of the fort. Elements also abortively attacked east and south of Labeatonerie, in the Champagne. Tlie Germans attiacked in the direction of Mont Cormillet on a front of eight hundred nietres but found four trenches previously evacuated under instructions. The enemy immediately were driven out. A counter attack on the position entirely re-established it. Our fire broke another attack east of the Teton. We inflicted serious losses. A violent bombardment is proceeding south-east of Butte de Mesnil. Enemy raids in Lorraine and the Vosges.

FIGHTING NEAR RHEIMS. LONDON, March 2. A French communique says there were intense artillery duels in the region north and north-west of Rheims, and at Champagne, and south-west of Butte de Mesnil. The enemy, after- being driven out by counter-attacks from some points, re-assaulted with fresh forces, and after several unsuccessful attempts with heavy losses, the engmy regained a footing in part of onr positions which we captured on the 13th. , The enemy violently bombarded our first lines on the front at Beaumontchaume Wood; also at Suchepoez, where a‘ big raid was repulsed at two points yesternight. In to-day’s attack the American troops contacted with special raiding troops. The Americans everywhere held their lines intact, inflicting appreciable losses. ATTACK ON AMERICANS, MANY CASUALTIES. NEW YORK, March 2. Americans completely repulsed a strong German attack at St. Mihiel. There were many casualties on both sides. AMERICANS GASSED. A CAPTAIN’S GALLANTRY. LONDON, March 2. A correspondent at headquarters reports that the raid upon the St. Miliiol salient was preceded by a gas attack. The ground in the front trenches were strewn with German dead. The Americans lost many killed and wounded. The American captain led a company in no man’s land after the Germans were repulsed and decimated them with machine guns. The captain was killed.