MOST MOMENTOUS BATTLE IN HISTORY COMMENCED

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 2 August 1917, Page 5

MOST MOMENTOUS BATTLE IN HISTORY COMMENCED

Simultaneous Franco-British Advance CEDMARI TAKEN tniViAN rUdlilufiu ihIVIW Germany's Crack Troops Badly Beaten

NEW ZEALANBERS PARTICIPATE

THE FLANDERS BATTLE. LONDON, July 31. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "In conjunction with a French operation on our left, we attacked at 3.50 this morning on a wide front northwards of the River Lys. The Allies captured their first objectives on the whole front attacked, and are reported to be making satisfactory progress at all points.'' COLOSSAL BATTLE .SOUTH-BAST OF YPRES. LONDON, July 31. The United Press Association's correspondent states that a colossal battle began at dawn to-day in mist and fog, the French and British attacking simultaneously.

BRITISH TAKE OFFENSIVE.

; ON TEN-MILE FRONT. LONDON, July 81. Reuter's headquarters' correspondent reports that the tension during the past few' days snapped at three o'clock this morning, when the British took the offensive in what is believed to be the biggest battle of the war, from the Lys, on the Franco-Bel-gian frontier, to Boesinghe, three and a-quarter miles north of Ypres, a total front of over ten miles. This whole front is blazing and booming with artillery and infantry attacks. GERMANS SENT REELING FROM BELGIAN DEATH VALLEY. LONDON, July 31. The United Press Asoeiation correspondent reports that the artillery preparation and barrage were unprecedented. The first lines were obliterated in the Yser area, and the Allies met slight resistance, but encountered heavy resistants as they penetrated eastward, where the Germans resisted stubbornly, especially from the concrete "pillboxes," as the ma-chine-gun turrets are called. The enemy barrage was feeble and erratic. British airmen swooped under the clouds, which were scarcely five hundred feet high ,and machine-gunned the startled Germans, doing great service. They reported progress which the observers were unable to see.

The first reports indicate that the British in the Ypres region have taken the enemy's system of front trenches, and are still advancing, the artillery moving up with extraordinary rapidity.

Tanks were observed well forward. Basseville, a mile and a-quarter east of the Ypres-Comines Canal, and four and a-quarter miles southeast of Ypres was captured. Counter-attacks were repulsed, and the position was consolidated. The French also crossed the canal, capturing the first and second lines of trenches. The advance continues, and many prisoners and much booty have been captured. The Allies are now moving eastward into higher ground beyond the Yser.

The Germans expected an attack, but Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, their leader, was not prepared for the unparalleled blow which sent him reeling fr.om Belgium's Death Valley. THE. WHOLE ARMY ADVANCES. PRISONERS STREAMING IN. INFANTRY SHOWING GREAT DASH. LONDON, August 1. Reuter's headquarters correspondent reported at four o'clock this afternoon: We got on famously during the last twelve hours The whole British army has advanced to an average depth of a thousand yards by 10,000. During the morning prisoners were streaming in, many readily surrendering. We crossed the Yser at many places. Bridging work was wonderful. One division alone, exposed to fire the whole time, threw over seventeen bridges. The artillery are literally pursuing the enemy. One minute after the appointed moment for the beginning of the attack our guns were moving forward. Our troops, imbued with a fine spirit of determination, crept up close behind the barrage ready to rush the trenches when the fuses were lengthened. In one case they actually dashed through their own fire in order to prevent the escape of a large number of Germans who were preparing to flee. They bagged numerous prisoners at small cost.

GREAT FRENCH ENGINEERING FEAT. AUSTRALIANS AND NE.W ZEALANDERS BEAR A NOBLE PART Received 8.55. LONDON August 1. Other correspondents state our air supremacy was again unquestionable, An astonishing feat of engineering is credited to the French, who built 28 bridges within the day under a heavy fire, and crossed with few casualties, despite the peculiarly difficult ground and exceeded the prescribed goal. Two British units took prisoners in excess of their total casualties. The British faced thirteen divisions, whereof four were Bavarian, namely, Fourth, Sixth, Reserve, Tenth and Sixteenth. None held the. first or second line of trenches against us any appreciable time. The Third battalion of Guards and Fusilier known as "Berlin Cockchafers," which the Kaiser has styled his crack battalions, were never more roughly handled and decisively beaten than at the hands of the Welsh, whose magnificent onslaught is reminiscent of their grand attack at Mamery Wood in 1916. The Guards traversed every obstacle with extraordinary dash. The Highlanders passed over entanglements, trenches, redoubts, and fortified positons as if on parade, our rapid advance alternately resting and pushing on in regular stages, was as brilliant as anything seen on the Western Front, while the British describe French comrades irresistible, and the Australians and New Zealanders bearing a noble part in the first day's successful struggle. At the outset of the offensive the Germans cunningly withdrew the foremost heavy guns to the rear, the next line firing field guns Trom the abandoned battery positon, and then hauling back to give the impression that the batteries were still there. A notable success Avas the storming of two entire defensive systems and the capture of ten fortresses and villages", thus placng the British in re-possession of numerous points, the scenes of some of the most shattering combats in 1914 and the early days of 1915.

SCENE OF THE FIGHTING. LONUON, July 31. The country where the heaviest fighting i s developing may be likened to a vast saucer, of which the German positions form the rim. Nowhere is there any great ridge to tackle such as at Vimy and Messines, but a steady incline, scarcely appreciable to the eye, is rendered difficult by stubbly growth and sparse trees to where, further north, it merges into the Yser swamps. The hurricane bombardment, which reached its final maximum shortly before the infantry went over, was the heaviest ever experienced. The earth rocked under the drum-fire tempest.

INTENSE EXCITEMENT IN LONDON. LONDON, July 31. There was intense excitement in London on receipt of the news that Sir Douglas Haig's offensive -had been re-commenced on a big scale. The attack has a front of eighteen miles, extending from the Lys to well north of Ypres, menacing Menin, which is the key to Roubaix, Turcoing, and Lille. It is not known whether Sir Douglas Haig Haig intends a sensational advance, or is only seeking to bleed the Germans white".

EFFECT OF THE BOMBARDMENT. Received 9.55. LONDON, August 1. The Morning Post's correspondent in Flanders states that prisoners u.. terrible stories of losses under c-ur concentrated artillery fire. Oik- German battery changed crews iune times and the guns live tidies. We caught many reliefs, ana iac Germans at the last moment threw in the Third Guards Division and Fifty-Second lieserve Division, the latter relieving the 238th two hours before the present offensive, while the Third Guards Division, which we so effectively depleted at Montauban and the Somme, were still busy relieving the 23rd Bavarian Divison. Prsoners from both elements began to arrive at our collecting cages this morning. The Sixth German army facing us not only included the divisions punished by the bombardment, but new ones. The familiar line was suddenly plunged with wreckage, the trenches obviously being at a disadvantage when caught by the flood of men and tanks, let loose by the greatest barrage of all, yet they had not broken the men's fighting spirit, which in places was good. They nowhere appear to have turned

The Lys valley is flat, and the recent rains have converted it into thick mud. The country is always so water-logged that it is impossible to dig deep trenches or dug-outs. The enemy, instead, are using concrete cupolas for machine-guns. 3500 PRISONERS ALREADY COUNTED. LONDON, 'August 1. Sir Douglas Haig Teports British divisions on the centre and left centre pentrated to a depth of two miles and secured crossings on the Hanncbeck river, which were their final objectives. In the course of their attack they stormed two powerful defensive sysstems and carried the villages of Verlowenhek, Frezenberg, St. Julicn and Pilkem, also many strongly defended farms, woods and organised localities, further south of our right centre, after gaining th e whole of their first objectives, including Hooge sanctuary wood, advanced against obstinate resistance and in difficult country, in the neighbourhood of the Ypres-Menin road they carried Westhoek and penetrated the enemy defences to a depth of a mile in this neighbourhood, where heavy fighting lasted all day and is still continuing. We repulsed a number of powerful counter-attacks. "We gained the whole of our, objectives early in the day on our extreme right, southward of Zillbeke-Zanvoor-de road, capturing La Bassce Ville and Hollebcke. In addition to inflicting heavy casualties, 3500 prisoners have been brought in. It is impossible yet to accurately estimate the captures. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: We gained ground everywhere, We captured positions across the Yser Canal, thrust the enemy back on a wide stretch between Palekem and Hollebcke. The enemy are fighting desperately, supported by a great weight of artillery.

. AUSTRALIANS TAKE LA BASSE

LONDON, July 31

The " Times'' correspondent reports that it is understood the Australians took La Basse Villa. TRENCH SUCCESS. LONDON, August 1. ' Sir Douglas Haig reports: Allied operations were 'successfully continued despite unfavourable weather. Wc advanced our line on a front of over 15 miles, from La Basse Ville on the Lys river We took possession of both villages. The Prench closely co-opera-ting and protecting the British left bank, captured Steenstraat, rapidly penetrating the German defences to a depth of two miles. Having gained the day's objectives at an early hour, Ithey continued the attack with the greatest gallantry and captured Bixschoote and positions south-eastward of the village on a front of 2J miles, including Kortikar, Cabarat. They repulsed a counter-attack in the afternoon. A GREAT DAY'S WORK. LONDON, August 1. French communique: After crossing the Yser Canal in the night, the French at 4 o 'clock this morning, attacked in conjunction with the British on their right. Formidable artillery preparations had completely levelled the German organisations and inflicted heavy losses. By the end of the morning we had captured both enemy positions. The troops, ardently passing the objective, advanced ou the Lizernc-Dix-munde Road, capturing Bixschoote and Korteker Cabaret. Our losses were insignificant. We took much material and prisoners. The battlefield is covered with German dead.

Artillery fire on the Aisne was most violent. Details of the Royer e fight? ing show that the French on the whole battle-front exceeded their objectives, and \ver o able to clean up the trenches which were choked with German dead. The enemy, at 11 o'clock this morning attacked West of Chcvregny, but were repulsed.

Three German regiments attacked east of Cerny, but were driven back by immediate counter-attacks.

The Fourth Army group, under the Crown Prince and Prince Rupprecht, is bearing the brunt of the offensive. Several divisions are known to have been badly knocked about. It is believed that some were recently withdrawn. A big proportion of these troops are mere boys. As an example, one regiment, with a normal strength of 2,400 recently received a refit draft of 600 lads of the 1918 Class, indicating the extent to which Germany is feeling the drain on her man-power.

[ tail and run, but there was less determined fighting at isolated strong posts than marked the earlier phases of the Somme battle. There was a greater inclination particularly on the northern tip of the salient and ground thereabout to surrender immediately they were cut off. GERMANS TAKEN BY SURPRISE. WONDERFUL ARTILLERY AI\ T D| INFANTRY WORK. Received 9.25. LONDON August 1. The Morning Post says the two first lines we overrun by breakfast time nowise afforded as good shelter as the trenches and dugouts on the Somme and at Arras, being built with a forward slope below the tip of the saucer. They were without deep underground refuges, but solid concrete pill-boxes more easily overturned than wholly smashed "by bombardment. The enemy's infantry lay mostly in shell holes behind uninhabitable vestiges of the front line, then came the so-called "Sturtzpunkt" in better condition, though not strong, being capable of good defence. Yhe Germans made little or no effort to repair the damage done by the guns, but rested as best they could in craters, dependent on frequent lulls in the bombardment to bring up supplies for the hungry men. At the hour of attack they were surprised, for though the enemy expected us, he, as once before, was mistaken in the time, and night gave him no hint of our completed concentration, or that our shadowy legions were already in position for the assault. The barrage, which broke the news, was greater than any of its predecessors. Every sort ,of gun from the eighteen-pounder to the heaviest howitzer contributed to the curtain, setting shells dOAvn with the same wonderful accuracy, and giving the infantry a travelling shield that advanced with almost human intelligence. The infantry moved with the same precision.

FRENCH ACCOUNTS OF ADVANCE. ON A PRE-DETERMINED FRONT. Received 11.15. PARIS, August 1. M. Tudesq in Le Journal, says the artillery fire lias spread to Lens. The terrific cannonade has wiped out the last, mining village. We are fighting to-day the most monotonous battle of the war, and are no longer concerned with the mere conquest of a town or village, or gaining a height. It will be a sovereign encounter between two peoples, each of whom has reached its maximum efforts of science and hate. It is the most colossal collision ever recorded, and must only end in finally crushing the entire German military force.

Le Petit Parisien 's correspondent says we must not forget the battle which has opened so formidably is going to last some weeks, as a strategic battle whereon the French and British hitherto unknown. Th e French are commanded by a general who played an important role in the last battle in the Champagne below Verdun. At nightfall the French sent large forces across the Yser Canal. When the bombardment of the third German line began the French advanced and occupied the first line without resistance, then protected by the barrage advanced so rapidly that for the time being the British were left behind. But not for long, as soon th e whole German positions on a six mile front were in the Allies' hands. The second line was carried as easily as the first. South of Roulers Road the British met strong resistance, and thriv was more uneven pressure, the Germans being able to preserve sonpoints at d'Appiu. But th e British

fought valorously and the Germans soon fell back, and still, at the end of the day the Germans held some portion of the second positions on the right wing. Marcel Hutin says: Just as in the battles of the fc-'omme, Anere, Wytschaate, and Messines, the depth advance is being systematically limited. On e pre-determined front of FrancoBritish secures ail observation points and intermediary positions around Ypres. whereto the capture of YVytSchaate and Messines was a preliminary Step.