WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 29 October 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

BELLEVUE SPUR CLEARED BY ..TOMMIES. LONDON, October 26. The United Press Association correspondent states that the attack began in a drizzle, the ground being slippery on the ridges, while the lowland bogs were impassable in places. The enemy fought stubbornly from fortified farms, reinforced buildings, concreted blockhouses, shell-craters, and pillboxes. Airmen participated, despite the weather and engaged the enemy artillery, transparts and marching columns belftind the lines. Others 'machine-gunned troops in the front line from a few yards' altitude. The British troops at 6.50 were seen entering the pill-boxes 'on Bellevuc Spur, one of the most important German positions, which is 2,000. yards westward of Passchendaele Half an 'hour later they were seen fighting round Polderhoek Chateau, the Tommies hustling prisoners from the strongest walls of buildings, the upper floors of which were sandbagged yards deep, making the cellars' and sub cellars a Gibraltar &c security. A German official report says: "Violent artillery fire continues from Houthulst Wood as far as Hollebcke. It increased to drumfire this morning. British and French nocturnal attacks failed. TiTe enemy attacked sc reral points since dawn. "The French yesterday attacked the Aiiette region. We after a short engagement in Pinon Wood, withdrew to the northern bank of the Oise-Aisne Canal, and, also in accordance with plans, withdrew behind the canal near Chavignon. We stormed position in La Chaume Wood, in the Verdun sector, on a width of 1,200 metres on the northern wing.''

DEMORALISING DEFEAT OF HINDENBURG'S FORCES. INTENSE JOY IN FRANCE . LONDON Oct 26. The sweeping French victory is causing intense joy in France. Hindenburg;,:chase one of the strongest .ridges; in France- for his-, challenge; and the .battle, resulted.in hi s demoralising defeat .w.ithi.,l.l',ooo prisoners. It is no longer, a case .of .the. French falling back to take new positions -to avoid; lossea. Amsterdam'advices state that General L.udendorff, Hindenburg's Chiefof.Staff, admits that he gave way to French pressure. The Cologne newspaper "Volkszeitung" and'the "Frankfurter Zeitung" show how impossible it is to minimise the importance of the French success. THE ONE BIG FACT. HUNS MUST STAND UP TO IT. .(From Captain C. E. W. Bean.)' '' ;--: : October '^l7^'

Th? .significance of the five great battles which have just been fought before Ypres, and in which Australians and New Zealanders have taken a really great part, may be lost sight of by attaching'too much weight to the fact the last two were not completely successful This makes not the slightest difference to the one all-important fact, which is, that we know the method which, given sufficient, preparation and decent weather, enables us :o beat the German every time we decide to attack him. The following broad view is worth keeping in mind by Australians in order to understand the present series of battle.

The German cannot foil us by any evacuation or retreat here as he attempted at the Somme. He is bound to stand up to every knock down blow we give him, simply because any retreat on a considerable scale on this part of the line opens up the way to Lille and Belgian coast. He must either give them both up or fight, holding on at any cost, whatever, his losses That is why the German correspondents are warning the Germans that they are righting for existence on this'battlefield. The position has never been so hopeful before during the war, because the way is now clearly seen by which, sooner or later, we will win through. OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. FROM FRANCE AND ITALY. Received 8.35. LONDON, October 28. Sir Douglas Haig reports that westward of Passchendaele we further progressed, capturing eighteen machineguns. Eastwards and southwards of Passchendaele, two heavy counter-at-tacks, yesterday afternoon, were repulsed. During the night our ground was consolidated. An Italian official report says thatafter crossing the boundary between Mount Canin and the head of the Jud, «s valley, the enemy attempted to reach the opening to the plains on the Carso. The hostile effort is increasing, but their offensive thrusts were repulsed.

IMPORTANT MOVEMENT IN FLANDERS. VALUABLE PROGRESS. LONDON, Octobre 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Operations with limited objectives were jointly undertaken. A fine day on Thursday with a fine drying wind, promised imj proved fighting conditions, but a sudden change came during the night, and heavy, almost incessant, rain has fallen since an early hour in the mornig. Notwithstanding the great difficulties facing the Allied troops, they made considerable progress and won va.liable points on the greater part of the front attacked.

The main operation was carried out by rJnglish and Canadian regiments on i\ front northward of the YpresEoulers railway. The. Canadian battalions advanced along the main ridge at Passchendaele, and, passing "oeyond their objectives, established themselves on rising ground southward of the vil, hi go. Other Canadian battalions with troops from the English naval brigade, and battalions of London territorials, made further progress in the face of strong opposition along the spurs between the main ridge of our positions eastwards of Poelcapelle and captured a number of strong points and fortified farms, Heavy fighting occurred east and north-east of Poelcapelle, wherein the West Lancashire and north country troops progressed at certain points.

Subsidiary simultaneous attacks were made by the English troops in the neighbourhood of the Mehin road, and by the French northward of Bixschoote.

There was fierce fighting all day astride the Menin road and eastward of Polderhoek, wherein progress was made. A considerable number were prisonered. Northward of Bixschoote the French attacking with great gallantry, crossed the Saint Jeansbeck, which was flooded , and captured objectives beyond, with a number of prisoners.

The Allies, in the course of these operations, prisonered 800.

The Canadians, successfully repulsed counter-attacks yesterday afternoon southward and. westward of Passchendaeje and prisonered a number.

.. We consolidated our gains without interference and made further progress westward "of Passchendaele,] capturing eighteen machine-guns. ; Sir Douglas Saig reports: The operation's of the French , 'this ' morning, northward of the St. Jansbeck were continued with success. TToe French" are advancing astride Dixmude road. Despite tile"difficulties, caused by floods and heayyv,ground, they captured the villages of Aschoop, Kippe, and Merkem, with' many farms and strong points, taking a number of prisoners. '"' :i ' '

There has been great reciprocal artillery fife oh the' British 'battle-front bu tno" infantry action. ;

.Thenumber of prisoners since yesterday morning exceeds 1100, of whom 300 were 'taken by the French. Despite rain, our aeroplanes yesterday performed valuable work. Four German machines were brought down. Two of ours are missing.

CANADIANS PLAY HONOURABLE PART. LONDON, Oct 27. Mr Gibbs states: The majority of the four hundred who garrisoned Polderhoek Chateau were killed or prisonered. Those in dug-outs in Gheluvelt Wood held out after we passed, constituting a temporary menace. A very fierce battle raged near the centre of the attack, we obtaining a sharply contested grip of Bellevue Slopes # The Canadians played an honourable part in the battle. FRENCH EXTEND THEIR GAINS BIG CAPTURE OF GUNS. LONDON, October 27. French communique: Following up our successes on the right and north of the Aisne, we drove the enemy back from the region north of Chapelle St. Berthe to the reservoir, capturing the village of Filain. Farther east wc went beyond* the crcast of the plateau, north of Chevrigny spur. The situation elsewhere is unchanged. We" have counted 160 guns captured since October 23rd, including several six-inch howitzers and many heavy guns. Two attempted coups-de-main by the enemy in the Champagne failed. ' MUTINY AT COLOGNE. LONDON, October 27. The "Daily Express's" 'Amsterdam, correspondent states that 2000 infantry in Cologne barracks who were ordered to Flanders, mutinied. They disobeyed their colonel's orders, destroyed rifles, a <* equipment and stoned the general commanding Cologne from, the barracks. The mutineers were arrested and 2(> were court-martialled