WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 17 August 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

CLOSING ON LENS. ' ANOTHER GREAT ADVANCE. FAMOUS HILL 70 CAPTURED. GERMANS SUFFER HEAVILY. LONDON, August 1(5. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The Canadians, to th 6 southward and eastward of Loos, on a front of two miles, carried the formidable defences of Hill 70, which, since September .1915, when it resisted our attacks, has been strengthened by every device. After storming the first trench system the whole front advanced as far as the western defences of Cite St. Auguste, penetrating to a depth of a mile. We took possession of Cite St. Elizaveth, Cite So. Bmille, Cite St. Laurent, Bosrase and the western half of Bois Hugo. We captured all our objectives. Our casualties were slight. We repulsed five counter-attacks, one being by the Prussian Guards. The enemy’s losses were heavy. We completely repulsed an attack in the neighbourhood of Pilkcm-Lange-marck road . .We brought down nine German aeroplanes and drove down five. Seven of ours are missing, two of which were overtaken by a violent storm. CANADIANS’ SPLENDID WORK. A SUBSTANTIAL ADVANCE. LONDON, August 16. The Canadians also stormed positions near Hill 70, carrying everything with irresistible dash, and achieving the day’s objectives in the first rush along a 1000 yards’ front to a depth of nearly a mile. Rasewood, Cite St. Laurent, Cite St. Emilie, parts of Cite St. Elisabeth, Hugowood and a number of other important positions about Lens passed into British possession. Several hundred prisoners are already reported. Lens will be merely a death trap if the Germans continue to hold it. THE GERMAN ACCOUNT LONDON, August 15 Wireless German official. —An artillery battle continued all night in Flanders We repulsed the English southward of Frezenberg and on both sides, of Hooge. There is a violent artillery duel between Hulluch and Len S-. Wireless German official —French attacks on Corny failed. Russian attacks to the south-eastward of Tarnopol and southward of the Trotus valley failed. We pushed beyond Soveja. We are pursuing the retreating enemy on both sides of the Putna. We stormed Baltaretu bridgehead on the west bank of the Sereth, prisonering 3000 and taking several guns. German official —Infantry engagements are proceeding eastward of Cerny-cn-Laonnois. . ALLIES’ ARTILLERY STRIKING.. IN UNISON. ' Marcel Hutin says the artillery of all the Allies appears to be striking in unison. Unfavourable weather in Flanders hampers aviation work, preventing the British artillery from achieving its maximum effort. TRENCH ALSO MAKE PROGRESS. LONDON, August 15. A French communique says: We made appreciable progress west of the Dixmude road in Belgium. There was an active artillery duel on both banks of the Meuse. An enemy attack west of Hill 304 was repulsed. LONDON, August 15. A French communique states: — An artillery duel is in progress, in Belgium and on both banks of the Meuse, Enemy raids at different points were easily repulsed. FURTHER BRITISH VICTORY HUN CONCENTRATIONS BROKEN. Received 1.5 p.m. LONDON, August 16. Sir Douglas Haig reports that eastward and northward of Ypres, at attacked on a wide front with heavy fighting. Progress was made at all points, despite stubborn resistance of the enemy. On the Lens battle front three more enemy counter attacks, during the night, were repulsed. At Cite St, Auguste our artillery broke up the enemy concentration. j THE FRENCH FIGHTING, KEEPS PACE WITH THE BRITISH Received 1.5 p.m. LONDON, August 16. ■A French, official states: Our troops in Belgium are keeping pace with the British, and have captured their objectives, including Stensbeck.

A BRITISH ASSAULT. | | WITH MERCILESS SWIFTNESS. FALL OF LENS IMMINENT Received 11.50 a.m. I LONDON, August 16. ( The Paris Matin says that Britishers made an impetuous assault, the most violent witnessed for ten months. The merciless violence of the fight and its swiftness explain the small number of captured. The few prisoners were completely exhausted and depressed. They belonged to the old classes, many invalided from early in the war. The Petit Journal states that if British attacks north of Lens are continued the fall of Lens, is imminent. WOUNDED FROM FLANDERS. THIRTY TRAIN LOADS DAILY Received 8.45 a.m. AMSTERDAM, August 16. Twenty or thirty train loads of women are traversing from Liege, daily for Germans.