WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 24 July 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

TREMENDOUS BATTLE.

ENEMY COMPLETELY REPULSED

LONDON, July 23.

French communique.—There was a violent enemy bombardment on the Aisne front from Checugny Spur to south of Lornbeny. The Germans at daybreak powerfuly attacked with fresh troops brought up the previous evening between Hurtebise and the casemates of the plateau. Hostile waves of assault were shattered by our fire and thrown back on their own trenches.

Our heavy batteries dispersed enemy masses south of the Ailette with severe losses. Simultaneously our troops brilliantly repelled a violent attack on the casemates of California Plateau. The artillery duel continues with redoubled intensity in the whole, region. The enemy was very active at night time on both banks of the Mouse. There were lively artillery duels in the region of Avocourt and Bezonvaux. In the St. Mihiel sector, the Germans atacked at two points north of Bezonvaux. After a sharp fight, we completely drove them out of some elements wherein they had gained a footing. Two enemjr attempts to reach our trenches on the heights of the Meuse at Touchot, near Chevaliers, Woods, failed.

A DESPERATE ALL-DAY BATTLE. GREAT GALLANTRY OF FRENCH TROOPS. LONDON. July 22. A battle continued all day with extreme? violence in the region of Hurt-ebise-Craonne. Observers located numerous German batteries, whose principal efforts were directed against the casemates of California Plateau, which powerful effectives incessantly attached, oun troop* resisting with admirable bravery and vigorously counter-attack-ing. The enemy were thrown back often from the casemates, to w r hich they had clung with enormous losses. The enemy obtained a foothold on the California Plateau first line during the afternoon. Fighting v continues desperately. Artillery fire was very lively in Champagne and on the left bank of the Meuse.

FURTHER DETAILS. LONDON, July 22. Reuter 's correspondent at the French headquarters, describing the attack on a four-mile front in the Chemin des Dames sector on the 18th, wherein the Fifieth Division of the Prussian Guards composed of picked battalions, participated and were repulsed, says: Every where along the the crescent the Germans have only a stone's throw climb to reach the French front line. In some places they are only fifteen yards apart the French hanging almost vertically over the Germans. The latter obtained a single success at one point because it was practically impossible for the French artillery to protect their own front line A desperate hand-to-hand conflict raged all night, but the enemy were driven out of all momentary gains by the morning. GERMANS CLAIM SUCCESS. LONDON, July 22. Wireless German official.—The enemy's fighting activity has increased generally on the West front. We successfully penetrated French positions at Braye and Corny. SUCCESSFUL LOCAL OPERATIONS

Received 10.25. LONDON, July 23. General Haig reports a successful local operation, southwards of Avion, which reached its objective wife little loss. We raided and bombed dugouts southward of Havincourt Trf'the neighbourhood of Bullecourt and Hollbeke. We repulsed raids at Lombaertzyde, south-eastward of Loos. THE SAND DUNES DEFEAT. GERMAN GENERAL'S OPINION. BRITISH PLAN SPOILT.

LONDON, July 23

Discussing the Dunes battle, General von Ardenne writes to the Tageblatt that the English meant to make Nieuport the starting point of an advance upon Ostend and Zeebrugge, which bases of submarines are thorns in the flesh. The loss of the bridges over the Yser spoilt the plan. For the next great attack they intended their left wing, under shelter of the fleet, to envelop the German right. Ardenne forecasts the British will proceed with their plans despite their partial failure, remarking the tremendous artillerying and other signs indicate a great English attack shortly.

STRUGGLE FOR CALIFORNIA PLATEAU. GERMANS REPULSED. Received 10.25. LONDON, July 23. A French communique states. German attacks, accompanied by violent bombardments, continued yesternight on the plateau before Craonne to the casemates. After the finish extremely violent attempts succeeded in pentrating our first line. Immediate vigorous counter-attacks ejected him from all but a small portion. The struggle on California Plateau only ended late at night. Despite all efforts, the enemy was unable to drive us off the Plateau. BRITISH FIRING DEATH DEALING BOMBS. BURYING 80 DEAD GERMANS A DAY. Received 9 a.m. LONDON, July 23.

Mr. Philip Gibbs states that since the German thrust at Lombaertyde on the 10th 'there have been no important actions on the British front, but many raids and minor activities take place. Shelling continues, sometimes with great violence about Lens, Ypres and close to the coast. The enemy is suffering a great wastage of men. The men of a single division which went to Lens have been burying eighty Germans daily for several weeks. Blood flows in a steady stream from the Germans at Lens. The Germans retaliate by shelling Wytschaate, Messin es, Loos, and Armentieres, but the* bombardment does not reveal any definite purpose. The enemy pour out gas shells, and we retaliate with gas clouds which creep into German craters and trenches and kill any men taking breath. The enemy were particularly ferocious in their bombardment to-day between Lombaertzyde and Nieuport, using many gas shells, apparently doubtful when and where the next blow will fall, and trying to do as much damage as possible before that happens, when the heavy guns must hurry back as at Wytschaate and Messines.

GREAT GERMAN ACTIVITY EVERYWHERE. TO IMPRESS GERMANS. THAT MILITARY SITUATION IS GOOD. Received 11.10. PARIS, July 23. Le Matin states it cannot be denied there is a great recrudescence of enemy activity against Russia, also a multiplicity of attacks pn the West front extending to the whole of St. Mihiel region, as well as enterprises of lesser importance orii the heights (of the Meuse and in Upper Alsace. The enemy is striving to regain a number of observation points. Le Matin regards the renewed activity as an outcome of Hindenburg's desire to impress politicals in Germany that the military situation is good.