WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 21 July 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

SERIOUS GERMAN REVERSE, GROUND COVERED WITH DEAD. The High Commissioner reports: LONDON, July 20. French official: In the region of Hurteboise and Craonne very violent fighting took place yesterday evening. A powerful concentration of artillery preceded the German assault witS important forces on our plateau. "Before Craonne an~d Vauclerc our men, fighting hand-to-hand, defended magnificently. The enemy was unable to set foot in our position which we maintained intact, despite heavy enemy sacrifices. The ground between the lines was covered with dead, testifying to the bloody defeat of the enemy. Between the Plateau Californie and Casemates the enemy attacks were equally unsuccessful. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. LONDON, July 19, Wireless German official. —Concentrated massed artillery fire in Flanders frustrated English reconnoitres in the coastal regiori eastward of Ypres.

We stormed a French height southwestward of St. Quentin on a kilometre front and captured many prisoners, defeating counter-attacks. We recaptured ground at Hachberg and Avocourt Wood.

We repulsed a Russian attack southward of Kalusz.

DETERMINED RAIDS REPULSED. LONDON, July 20. Sir Douglas Haig .reports: Enemy raids yesterday evening westward of Cfrerisy were pressed with great determination -and strongly supported by artillery. The raiders everywhere failed to reach our lines. .DETAILS OF FRENCH VICTORY... MAGNIFICENT FRENCH DASH. Received 11.20 a.m. PARIS, July 20. Details of the last brilliant success show that since the twenty-eighth, when the Germans, after violent artillorying with five hundred guns, secured the foremost French positions between Avocourt Wood and Hill 304, with its supporting positions . southward, they commanded the salient at tjite intermediate saddle cfellep Col d» Poniinerien. This overlooked all the French organisations, and threatened to outflank hill 304. The French determined to win it back, and prepared a plan of assault. Continuous bombardment caused heavy losses to the Tenth German Reserve holding Col de Pommcrien, some of its companies losing fifty per cent of its effectives, until reduced to fifty sixty bayonets. Reinforcements brought the numbers to seventy five bayonets, which a feudays' shelling again brought down to

fifty. Consequently the division was withdrawn and replaced by the twentyninth from Tahure, in' the Champagne. The latter were placed in rhe front line between Avocourt Wood and Hill 304. Forty-eight divisions just withdrawn from the Eussina front, though somewhat demoralised, were entrusted with the second position behind the twenty-ninth. The transference was in full swing when the French attacks opened. Prisoners were taken from all three divisions. There is clear proof of the enemy's disorganisation The French advanced magnificently on 11 miles front, and were ordered to capture the saddle and crest. They reached the third French, before the- enemr realised the first was taken. The victors swept over the crest and throe hundred yards beyond their objectives, firmly establishing themselves on Tinreceding slopes. The comften attack twelve later was slow and hesitating', and foredoomed *to failure.

ON THE BELGIAN COAST. ;\T/jNDON, July 20. Sir D,oug?,s. Ilalg reports. ) Under cover of heavy bombardment, to which we replied vigorously; The enemy re-attacked southward of Lonibartzyde. They reached our line on only a small portion of tke front. Counterattacks immediately drove out those entering the trenches. FRENCH COMMUNIQUE. LONDON, July 19. French communique.—T-here,. is reciprocal artillery fire on the whole front, it is particularly violent between the Scmme and th e Aisne and on the left bank of the Meuse. After a violent bombardment, the Germans attacked south of St. Quentin, on a front of 800 metres, east of Gauchy. They obtained a footing in the first line, but a counter-attack moved out the greater part. After most intense bombardment, the enemy yesterday evening coun-ter-attacked our new positions at Avocourt Wood. Our fire broke the attack. , •