WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 25 August 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

HEAVY LOCAL FIGHTING. BRITISH .MAKE FUETHEE. PROGRESS. LONDON, August 24. Sir Doug Has Haig reports heavy local fighting all day for Green Cassier, an important enemy stronghold southward of Lens. We obtained a foothold during the morning and repulsed several counter-attacks with heavy enemy losses. Fierce fighting continues.

We repulsed an attack northward of the Ypres-Boulers railway and advanced slightly north-eastward of Langemarck. The week's air fighting has been incessant and more severe than during any other similar period of the war. A change in the wind favoured our aeroplanes yesterday. They brought down twelve and drove down s'ix. Two of ours arc missing. One landed on Ostend beach. Our aeroplanes dropped five tons of explosives on objectives behind the enemy's lines. CANADIANS GRIPPING LENS. j ANOTHER BRILLIANT OPEBA- * TION. I LONDON, Aug. 21. A Headquarters correspondent records another Canadian success. Early this morning they crossed the Souchez, ' deploying and pushing on along a 700 yards front. As the result of a brilliant operation, General Currie's left fliank is secured from the south, r Lens now lies in a deep, close-grip-ing enclave. Prisoners admit that life in Lens is unendurable. Two special counter-attack divisions of the Prussian Guards reserve, recently brought up, suffering so severely that they are apparently incapable of further formidable effort. The enemy are unable to employ their artillery to the fulLest advantage, owing to the closeness : of the salient and our command of the ground. Lens has become nothing else Uhan a death-trap for the enemy. GERMAN CLAIM SUCCESS, LONDON. August 23. Wireless German official!.. —Bepeatcd English attacks betweeu Langemarck and Hollebeke were driven back after stubborn hand-to-hand fighting, Many tanks were destroyed, We maintained our positions on fifteen-kiJomctre front except at two places eastward of St. Julien and the Ypres-Menin road, We repulsed attacks at. Lens, Fighting continues, French attacks at Verdun gained a foothold in a trench. A DESTRUCTIVE .SHELL. Received 10.55. PARIS, August 24. A French shell on the Verdun fron blew up a German gas-shell dump, asphyxiating three batteries. HEAVY GERMAN LOSSES. Received 10.30 LONDON, August 24 General Haig reports fierce fighting southward of Lens. We hold the German trenohes northwest of Gv< Crassier. The enemy's losses are particularly heavy. The Portuguese repuJsed two raids north-west of La Bassee. German artillery is active northwest of Ypres. i

BOMBING EXPEDITIONS. Received .30 LONDON, August 24 I The Admiralty reports that yesterday morning the naval air service dropped bombs on Middlekirke dump, Raversyde dump, an Hortyve aerodrome. All machines returned safely. GERMANS FEAR FALL OF LENS. WILL WEAKEN GERMAN MORALE Received .30 . PARIS, August 24. The Petit Parisien' s correspondent says the Germans have been orde'- n to hold Lens at all costs, and new troops are arriving. German headquarters fear its fall will weaken the army's morale, but its fall i s inev: able. FRENCH AND BRITISH REPORTS • LONDON, Aupust 24. The High Commissioner reports:— French official!: To, the left of the Mouse at 4.50 this morning we attacked between Avocourt Wood and Morthomme. All objectives were reached and largely exceeded. Hill 304, for midably organised, was captured, also Camarad Wood and the line of firmly fortified work to southward of Orges. The average depth of our penetration is over two kilometres. British official.—During the past week air fighting has been incessant, and more severe than during any other similar period of the war.

GERMAN THREATS TO NEUTRALS HELP IN RETURN FOR SUPPLIES WASHINGTON,- August 2:?. The State- Department is informed that Germany has threatened to giv< Holland no more steel for shipbuilding unless Holland agrees that ships contracted therewith are used in the interests of Germany for the duration' of the war and for five years thereafter. Holland has also informed that, slit must send miners to Germany if she desires more than a certain allotment of coal. It is understood Germany is using the same tactics with Denmark. DEALING WITH. PROFITEERS Received 10.30 LONDON, August 24 It is understood that Lord RhonSa is pressing for imprisonment in bad cases of profiteering. Fine s were often no deterrent with regard to gal profits.