WAR NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 27 April 1917, Page 2

WAR NEWS.

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

FIERCE FIGHTING. LONDON, April 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Further information regarding Monday's battle shows that the fighting was exceptionally fierce. Seven German divisions wer e engaged on the CroisellesGavrelle front. Several points of tactical importance changed hands more than once, but all remained ours except a few buildings north of Rouex. Our massed artillery shattered frequent counter-attacks, while those

penetrating our barrages were cut down by machine-gun fire. One British corps took prisoners belonging to >to four divisions. We advanced on the whole front. There was considerable fighting to-day—though it was somewhat less fierce—at a number of points on the battle front. Progress continued between the Sensee rivers and the Monchy-le-Preur line. We advanced within a few hundred yards of Fontain.le Croiselle and Cherisy. Counter-attacks by strong forces in the neighbourhood of Gavrelle in the afternoon were broken by artillery and driven back in disorder. Over 2000 prisoners have passed to the rear since Monday morning. Others are yet uncounted.

There was a greater amount of air fighting on Monday than on any one previous day. Aeroplanes attacked the enemy's machines wherever they were found, going far behind the lines bombing railways, dumps and aerodromes, compelling the enemy to give battle. Fifteen German macnines were destroyed and twenty-four were driven down. A large three-seater was brought down in our lines. Two of our machines ar e missing.

Mr. Gibbs says: The Germans are fighting desperately to regain the key Ito the position at Monc-hy. Airmen discovered 4000 Germans in th P Bois D'Asart intending to attack. JB'ritish batteries filled the wood with gas shells, the German casualties being [ horrible. The Germans are fighting I with better spirit than at the Vimy [ battle, no doubt because they are I fresh troops only just flung into the fighting line. The second phas e of the battle of Arras is in our favour. Many prisoners have been taken and our . losses are much lighter than the Germans. We ar e now confronted by the main German armies. They are no longer fighting rearguard actions, I but are standing to battle and striking back hard, j] [ The War Office regards Tuesday's

German wireless communique as the

tv -st encouraging yet received, indicating the state of mind of the German army and people, and the anxiety at headquarters concerning the situation.

THE HINDENBURG- LINE. LONDON, April 25. Mr Gibbs says: The Hindcnburg Line is not a German myth. It is a very fatal thing running through Drocourt and Queant. Its defences arc not yet finished. Pioneer battalions are followingarmies of force,] labour, including French civilians ami Russian prisoners, working day and night against trenches and emplacements. The General Staff ordered the Germans to hold the forward positions to the death to enable the completion of the line. Fresh troops were rushed up on Monday to relieve the battalions already broken in the British attacks, the reinforcements in some cases, flung back our line, but we regained the ground. After the Scotchmen took Guemappe, reinforcements retook it in the evening, but a second Scottish attack recaptured it, many Germans being prisonered. Correspondents at the British Headquarters state that St. George's Day witnessed terrific fighting. Many troops wore red and white favors in honour of the anniversary. The centres of the struggle were Gavrclle and Guemappe. Both were retaken, but finally were ours. Gavrclle is important because it forms the southern end of the famous trench running north through Oppy. Until Guemappe was taken, progress between the Cojcul and the Sensoe was \ German prisoners, istate that they had to win back the ground or retire behind the Drocourt-Queant line. i

A TITANIC STRUGGLE.

LONDON, April 25

Wireless German official: On the Vrra« battlefield the British troops, standiii" on French territory., yosterunv deli ed the second great thrust to bro-il-through the German lines. a mnß \ heavy battle has been raging for days

Tlw. civ my has been hurling masses of shop. " every description against our

positions. Early in the morning of the 23rd ■. ■vfjllerv battle increased to "a

vr-ry :3! 1x»: Jvmn fire. Soon :If'l‘er\vm-ds the 3‘lu.r__7'lish. ’rllrus4;ing ’rrnops which Woro rvfh‘-n Ind ‘by fl-mks, burst forward on 1‘: H!7H\.* 1.-"7lnn‘.(‘fT(’. fron’r.. Behind #7’ ' ‘ ‘Vim f’or'.~url tlmm in .171 _. 3} .~-_, .., \.‘.'i‘Ulldl".l\\' with heavy

losses., |'At lother points tjhlc battle sways backward and forward with great bitterness. Whenever the enemy gained ground, our brave and eager infantry drove them back. The suburbs of Lens, 'Avion (directly south of Lens), Gavrelle, Eoeux, and Guemappe were the hottest places in the fierce struggle. Their names will be associated with deeds of heroism by regiments from almost every German district between the sea and the Alps. A further attack of particular intensity, with new masses, followed in the evening on both sides of the Scarpc. The strength of this attack also broke under our fire. After hand-to-hand fighting the enemy gained a few hundred yards on the Cambrai-Arras road and the ruins of Guemappe remained in his hands. The German soldier at the front knows that every man and woman at home is working increasingly to support him in this life and death battle.