WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 20 August 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

BATTLE OF LANGEMARCK. \ MOST HEROIC 'AND BLOODY. BRITISH OVERCOME GREAT OBSTACLES. Mr. Gibbs writes: The Battle of Langemarck on Thursday and‘ all the struggles in the vicinity of the wood and Inverness Copse, was one of the most heroic and bloody day’s fighting during the war. The enemy put up a fierce resistance. Except where puny, underfed boys wer e thrust out in shell holes, as at Langemarck, behind them, prepared for ultimate counter-attacks were some of the finest troops, including the Fifty-fourth Division, which had already been severely mauled by gun-fire, and was utterly exhausted, but others like the Thirty-fourth, facing the Londoners, were fresh and strong, having only just been placed in the battle-line, Behind the immediate supporting troops were massed reserves, held ready to hurry to any part most threatened, or where counter-attacks might inflict the greatest damage. The gun-power of the enemy was strong. They had prepared a great concentration of guns south-east of our right flank. Whatever their reserves of ammunition, they had gathered great stores for this battle. They occupied high ground on our right. They held the crest of Polyon Wood, the slopes of Abraham heights and Grauenstafel Ridge. “This,” says Mr. Gibbs, ‘‘is the big door he must slam.in our face at all costs, because it opens out on to the plains. Our men had no walk over. The ground was hideous' —worse than the Somme in winter. We were fighting amidst hundreds of thousands of shell holes three to ten feet deep, half full of water. Many were connected, forming lakes deep enough to drown men and horses, Such is the present position around Langemarck, Glencoe’s Wood, Inverness Copse, Shrewbury Forest, and Polygon Wood. The courage of the men attacking over such ground must needs be great. With grim stubborness our soldiers advanced through these bogs. They would, not be beaten, though they slipped, fell and stuck deep, while machine-gun, bullets played through their lines and high explosives burst along the bogland through which they were compelled to pass. It was one of the most splendid and tragic things on record. Our left gained and held all the ground as planned, but it was different on the right, where the enemy fought hardest and counter-at-tacked most fiercely and often. ThQ.ro they had concentrated the heaviest artillery. Her e were the Irish and English county troops and London battalions, all involved in desperate fighting. When withdrawing under pressure, they made the enemy pay a big price in blood for portions of the old ground. The Londoners fought their way with great dash to Wood and Nun’s Wood. Parties of the Middlesex entering Polygon Wood and bringing out prisoners, but the enemy were very strong at the Zonnebeke position. Counter-attacks developed to the southward and northward, and the Londoners were shut in by terrible gun fire. Many of their groups In exposed positions fought separate battles against odds, trying to hold rearguards positions while their comrades retreated in good order. This they did until they died or remnants reluctantly surrendered. i

TRENCHES. AND .PRISONERS ) CAPTURED. LONDON, August 18. The High Commissioner cables; Sir Douglas Haig reports that southeast of Epehy we were successful, capturing trenches and prisoners. FURTHER GROUND GAINED. LONDON, August IS. A British official message says; ‘‘On the Ypres battle front our Allies improved their positions slightly in the neighbourhood of the Btcehbeek, taking further prisoners. On the Loos battlefront we have secured positions captured by us yesterday afternoon, gaining further ground west of Lens. i GALLANT CANADIANS HILL SEVENTY HELD. LONDON, August 17 Heavy night fighting has developed on the outskirts of Lens, the Bavarians charging and counter-charging against the Canadians in a mad but vain effort to retake Hill 70. Eventually the Prussian Guards, assisted by Bavarians, in an atack on the centre of the new Lens batle-front, fell back under artillery and machine-gun fire.

•i.’T»'sh 11 ■ "> n! c came rn the eastern elopes of HTil] 7 n . forcing the Canadians nosts back on the left to yesterday morning’s line. The Canadians soon moved them out in confusion, re-estab-lishing the positions westward of Cite St. Auguste, and repulsing counter-at-tacks. The Germans left a considerable number of guns stuck in the mud.

further franco-british PROGRESS. LONDON, August 18. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We repulsed another counter-attack against the recently captured positions northwest of Lens. There has been considerable hostile artillery fire in this neighbourhood, also north-east of Ypres, A French communique records progress north of the Bixschootc-Lange-marck road. French communique.— In Belgium the Germans have made no fresh attempt. Our troops are organising the captured fifteen guns and numerous machine-guns. Cannonade has been rather lively at different points on the Aisne front, particularly in the district of the plateau before Craonne. 250 shells were thrOAvu into Rheims. On the right of the Meuse an artillery duel continues violently in the Courtercs Wood-Bczonvaux sector. Special guns brought down two enemy aeroplanes. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Two enemy countcr-atacks were made this morning eastward of Loos, in the neighourhood of Bois Hugo. Our barrage and machine-guns drove .back the first attack. The enemy, supported by flammenwerfer. failed in their second attack.

Twelve German aeroplanes were brought down, and 18 driven down. Twelve of ours are missing, Sir Douglas Haig reports: The French slightly improved their position in the neighbourhood of Steinbeck. The enemy has not attempted further coun-ter-attacks. The Anglo-French have now captured 25 guns, including a number of heavies. We secured the positions on the Loos battlefront which we captured yesterday and made fresh progress westward of Lens. The prisoners in this area now number 1120. We successfully raided eatward of Vermelles, reaching the enemy ’s support line. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: “The enemy twie counter-attacked our restored positions east of Loos. We repulsed further a ' counter-attack. Great reciprocal artillery activity is in progress eastward of Ypres. ” GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. LONDON, August 17. Wireless German Official. —The second day of a Flanders battle was decided in our favour. The Anglo-French yesterday morning attacked on a front of thirty kilometers from the Yser to the Lys. They ran over our advanced posts on the Yser Canal, near Driergrachten, captured ground northward and eastward of Bixchoote, penetrated near Langcmarek, and advanced as far as Poelkapelle. We recaptured Langemarck and other positions, The enemy also penetrated near St. Julten and numerous points to the southward as far as Warneton.

Wc regained the positions lost near Loos, We prisonered 600 in Gautiers’ Wood Wc shot down sixteen aeroplanes. GERMANS ADMIT LOSS OF LANGEMARCK. , • LONDON, August 18. Wireless German offiical. —There was an increased artillery duel on the coast north-eastward of Ypres. The enemy launched this afternoon a strong surprise local attack astride of the Boesinghe-Staden railway. As a result we lost Langcmarck after severe fighting. We occupy the- flat bend in front of the village. We brought down twenty-six aero-

planes. THE FRENCH CAMPAIGN. LONDON, August 18 French Communique.—ln Belgium, an enemy attack on our now positions on bothsides of Steenbeck completely* failed. The enemy yesterday evening, after an intense bombardment, vigorously attacked on a two kilometre front, between Vauclerc Mill and California Plateau, inclusive. They* were repulsed by artillery and rifle fire. They did not succeed in reaching our lines anywhere. Violent and repeated attacks on the positions we recently won east of Corny wore also sanguinarily defeated. After a short bombardment, the Germans yesterday evening, violently* attacked between Cauviercs Wood and Bezonvaux on the right bank of the Meuse. We repulsed almost everywhere the enemy, wlm had gained a footing in advanced elements of our first line. Our aeroplanes actively* participated in the operations. , NO REST FOR THE HUN. PARIS, August 17. M. Marcel Hutin, writing in the “Echo de Paris,” states that aeroplanes and artillery* are playing an important role in the British methodical advance, which is directed at small objectives, surprise blows being- row- 1 which the French are adopting. Thaccessory* to this plan of advance. Germans must not expect any rest in the west front.