WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 13 November 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

GERMANS DESPERATE RESISTANCE. WORSE THAN AT PASSCHENDAELE. LONDON, November 11. Mr. Philip Gibbs reports: The German resistance on Saturday was more desperate than in the battle for Passchendaele The Germans used all their batteries for miles around, concentrating a most deadly fire on the outer lines of Passchcndaele Eieight. British traversed a storm of shells, took a few prisoners and killed many Germans owingvpto the stubbornness of the resistance. The attack by English, Irish and Canadians succeeded in widening our defensive positions upon Passchcndaele Ridge, driving the enemy further down the far side The weather was dismal. There was hard The enemy had re-grouped their

long in a rainstorm. The The enemy had re grouped their guns since our capture of the crest, and their artillery answering our barrage on Saturday was extremely violent. Infantrymen declare that they had seen nothing like it during the previous attacks. It was a frightful spectacle, and they marvel at their escape from such a hurricane of high explosives. We reached the enemy’s pill boxes, where sonic Germans fought at close quarters The Canadians upon the right had better ground than the English, who, lower, down, had a hard time fighting up the slopes againts the blockhouses, fiercely resisting numerous counter-attacks from the direction bf Roosebcek, which drove back some of our outposts. Heavy shelling, coupled with the difficulty of holding Canadians later to withdraw from some of their foremost positions, bul the key to Passchendaele and the neighbourhood is securely held. The Canadians had an anxious time during six sleepless days and nights. They went forward gallantly, determined to take the crests at all costs. The commander says: “The men were fine.”

Wireless German official. —An English attack northand westward of Passchendaclc sanguinarily collapsed. 1 . o . ■ i ANOTHER BRITISH THRUST, j ; V . : LONDON, November' 12.! Sir Douglas Haig reports: Wc attacked this morning with British and Canadians on a front of one mile on sides of .Passchendaclc, and west of Eoosepekc road. DespTfp the weather and, marshes, our objectives wore gained. Counter-attacks were partially successful. LONDON, Nov. 11. Wireless German official.—The Eng-' lish five times attacked crater-land, between Poeleapelle and Passchendaclc They penetrated our centre, but were thrown out with heavy losses. RAID NEAR LENS. A LONDON, November 12. Sir Douglas Haig Reports:. We ; repulsed with loss a raid westward of Lens, The organisation -of the ground captured on Saturday continues. Aviation is restricted, owing to rain