THE GREAT OFFENSIVE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1743, 2 August 1917, Page 3

THE GREAT OFFENSIVE.

The Battle Opens. Whole Front Blazing. Haig’s Report. SUCCESS AFTER SUCCESS. SEVERAL TOWNS TAKEN. ALL OBJECTIVES GAINED, AND MORE. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The Allied operations were succcpslnlly continued. Despite nutuvouruble weather conditions we advanced on the enemy's positions. We advanced our line on a front of over .15 miles from Lu Basseville,.on the Lys river, to Stcenstnuit, on the Ysor liver. Wo took possession of both villages; the French closely co-operat-ing and protecting the British left think. We captured Stcensl rant, rapidly penetrating the German defence to a depth of two miles. Having gained the day’s objectives at an early hour our troops and the Allies continued to attack with the greatest gallantry and captured Bixschootc and positions sonili-onst word and westward of tile village on a trout oi die miles, including Kmdikeer and Cabaret. Wc repulsed u counter-attack in the afternoon. The British divisions in the eenlro. and left of the (-mil re penetrated to a deplh of two miles and secured ihe crossings of the St ecu lick river, which were (heir liaal objeelives. In the course of their attack they stormed two power I til defensive systems amt carried the villages of Ver-lorcuhm-k, Feezeubceg, SI. Julian, and I'ilkcin, also many strongly defended farms and woods and organised localities further south. (lur right rent re, after gaining the whole of its Jirst object ivcw, including ]Lunge and ,Sanctuary Wood, advanced against obstinate resistance in diliic-ulf countrv in the neighbourhood of Hie Ypres-.Menln road. They carried Westhm-k and 'penetrated the enemy's defences to a depth of a mile in tiiis neighbourhood, when 1 heavy lighting continued all day long and is still continuing. We repulsed a number of powerful connler-atlacks. We gained the whole of our objectives early in the day on the extreme right and southward of the /iillebekcZ.uivoorde mad, capturing Fa Masseville and Iloliebinc. In addition to indicting heavy casualties, IISOU prisoners have already been brought in. It is impossible yet to accurately estimate the captures.