WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 3 December 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

: *_ THE BRITISH OFFENSIVE. GERMAN OFFICIAL f. LONDON, Noevmber 30. A wireless German official report states: There is most violent artillerying on both sides of Poelcapelle and northward of Gheluvelt We repulsed an English attack west of Bourlon A GERMAN RAID LONDON, November 30 A French communique states: After a series of violent bombardments in the region of Les Chambrcttes the enemy carried out 'an important raid, which completely failed FRANCE AND THE VATICAN. RESUMPTION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS URGED. PARIS, December 2. Cardinal Amette, presided at a special of the Episcopate, which decided to urge the resumption of diplomatic relations with the Vatican. The matter is urgent because of the Allies, occupation of Palestine. GERMANS DELIVER NINE ATTACKS. ALL REPULSED WITH LOSS. LONDON, Dec 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—The enemy yesterday delivered nine separate attacks in the neighbourhood of Masnieres. We beat off all with heavy losses. Detachments of German infantry in the last attack obtained a foothold in the village of Les Ruis Vertes, on the west bank of the Canal, and at Delicourt, but our coun-ter-attacks drove them out. We repulsed raiders in the neigl bourhood of Avron and southward of Armentieres. A French communique states that artillery activity continues very great on the right bank of the Meuse. LOYAL MALAY STATES. Received 9. 30. LONDON Dec 2. 5 The Federal Council of the Malay States has, decided to- contribute a further half-million sterling to the British war expenditure this year, and seven hundred and fifty thousand in 1918.

GERMANS ATTEMPTS .TO RECAPTURE LOST GROUND.. REPULSED WITH SEVERE LOSS. 11,551 PRISONERS TAKEN. LONDON, Dec. 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Ou the various sectors of the Cambrai battle fronts captured orders and objective maps enable the following account to be given of the battle. The enemy’s intention was to deliver simultaneous encircling attacks with a large number of divisions and drive us out of the positions gained on November 20. General von der Marevitz, commanding the Second German army, on November 29, issued the following order;— “The English, by throwing into the fight countless tanks on November 20 gained a victory near Cambrai. Their intention was to break through, but they did not succeed, thanks to the brilliant resistance of our tropos, put in line to check the advance. We are now going to turn their embryonic victory into defeat by an encircling counter-attack.”

Sir Douglas Haig proceeds: to the magllmcent resistance and stubborn resistance of our troops the enemy’s object was completely defeated. The enemy advanced in masses from Vendhuille to a point two kilometres westward of Moeuvres, endeavouring to break through by weight of numbers. Prom Masnicres northward our positions are intact. Artillery, rifle and machine-gun fire nflicted the severest losses on the enemy where he temporarily broke through. He was caught by point blank fire by the artillery and driven back "by immediate counter-attacks. The enemy forced his way into our lines on a considerable front, southward of Crevecoeur, capturing a number of prisoners and reaching our gun positions in places. Our reserves counter-attacked and recaptured a great part of the ground, and to-day we took Connelieu ‘and St Quentin Spur. Southward thereof we took several hundred in these opertF besides many machine-guns, and inflicted heavy losses. The enemy in the afternoon made repeated attacks in the neighbourhood °f Masnieres, Marcoing, Fontaine, B'ourlon and Moeuvres, but was completely repulsed. We prisonered in November 11,551, including 214 officers, 138 guns (including 40 heavies), 303 machine-guns, 04 trench mortars, and a great quantity of engineering stores, ammunition and war material.

GERMANY GOING TO END THE WAR.

BY WHIRLWIND CAMPAIGN THIS WINTER.

BEFORE AMERICA IS READY,

Received 10.35

LONDON, December 2,

Mr. Cyril Brown, war correspondent, reports from Stockholm, that Germany will wage a whirlwind campaign in the winter, hoping to achieve a victory on the West front by the end of Spring or in the early summer, at any cost. She will take energetic advantage of the six months’ grace before the United States, will be able to turn the tide of battle, knowing that the new world is mobilising for battle, not bluff. The consensus of opinion is that the economic pressure in Germany is not unbearable, and that she will be able to survive a fourth winter.

. ATTACK DEFINITELY FAILS. ENEMY RETAINS SOME GAINS. jIONDON, December 1. Reuter’s correspondent at Headquarters writes: Yesterday’s attack was a big, determined attempt to cut our'TaTfifoy communications in two places, with the object of making our salient probably untenable. The attempt definitely failed. The Germans retain some gains, but an insufficient area to have any tactical effect on our positions. Our counter attacks were so vigorouslypressed home that the northern • line was almost wholly restored, while south, and beyond occupying the village of Conuelieu, the Germans have little to show for the costly attack. It is believed that some guns which had to be abandoned under pressure of the first rush were blown up, At one time it looked like a serious reverse, but, thanks to the extraordinary gallantry and dogged tenacity of tSS’ troops, opposing great odds, the Ger-j man success whs very largely neutralised. A wireless German official message says the battle near Cambrai broke out with great violence. Our counterattack for the improvement of our positions met with complete success. We threw back the enemy on Graincourt and Anncux, stormed heights on both sides of Banteaux, captured Connelicu and Villers Guslain. The enemy’s counter-attacks aft Connelieu collapsed. We captured four thousand men and several batteries.

STRENUOUS FIGHTING ON WHOLE CAMBRAI FRONT. LONDON, December 1. Sir Douglas Haig reports: 'After a violent bombardment the jencmy,i jin strong force, at eight in the morning attacked on a wide front southward of Cambrai, between VeiitThuiTe and Grevecoeur. Shortly afterwards heavy attacks also developed against our positions westward of Cambrai, in the neighbourhood of Bourlon Wood and Moeuvres, and all the front from Masonieres to Moeuvres, These -were repulsed after many hours fierce fighting, in which great losses were inflicted on the enemy infantry by our artillery, rifle and machine-gun fire. Southward of Masonieres, £rom £he neighbourhood of Bonavis to Villersguislain, the enemy succeeded In entering positions at different points and penetrated as far as Lavacqueric and Gouzeaucourt. Our counter-attacks have already regained Lavacqueric, and driven back the enemy from Gouzeaucourt and the ridge to the eastward. The enemy’s advance has been chocked elsewhere. Fighting continues. A later message states that the of emy has not attempted to renew nis principal attacks on the Cambrai battle | front. We successfully repulsed local j attacks southward of Vendhiule. Hos- ! tile artillery is active in the Scarpe j Valley. We drove off three attempted j raids last night, south westward of La j Bassce, and carried out two successful j raids in the neighbourhood of Warnc- I ton. j

Admiralty wireless. German ofiieial: A new struggle is developing on the CambfoT battlefield, and so far is in our favour.'

The United Press correspondent at the British Headquarters says: Despite the lavish use of guns lately galloped up, the enemy is apparently unable to make progress in his new attack near Counelieu, on our extreme southern flank of the new ' battle ground. The enemy shelled Courlon Wood and the vicinity all night and there was continuous shelling to-day. Prisoners declare that ihciir officers are fearful lest the British wedge at Bourlon force a German withdrawal from the area south of the Scarpe. Civilians have already evacuated the Cambrai region, and the Germans have begun destroying the city by torch and explosives. A French communique reports: The artillery duel has increased in intensitj T on the right bank of the Meuse and in the Beaumont-Chaurae Wood sector, followed by a violent attack on our positions north of Fosses Wood. Our assailants were driven back, after lively fighting Our lino is entirely maintained :1 -A

CIVILIAN GERMAN ROBBERS TRUE TO TYPE. Received 10.35. PARIS, Dec 2

The Matin's Zurich correspondent states that over one hundred arrests have been made at Cologne, including high postal officers, in connection with robberies of goods from postal packets.

AMERICAN TROOPS. ARRIVAL IN FRANCE. WASHINGTON, Dee. 1. It is announced here that a draft composed of National Guardsmen, from every State, and numbering 27,000 besides a contingent of aviators has arrived safely in France where they arc now undergoing training. FIELDS STREWN WITH GERMAN DEAD. LONDON, Dec. I. The Germans launched a very heavy counter-attack on the Cambrai battlefront, between Moeuvres and Bourlon, Prince Rupp'reeht was out-generalled by General Byng, and decided to put every available German life in the balance in an effort to regain some, if not all, of our newly-won ground, and likewise some of his lost prestige. The blow is perhaps the hardest struck by the Germans since Verdun, in February last year. Vast masses charged in the teeth of British machine-gun fire, while our artillery filled the'ff?Td with fresh strips of manged pawns of the Prince. In the Germans’ thrust southward towards Graincourt every forward yard was bought by countless dead. It is manifest that Prince’Eupprecht ? s pride will not allow General Byng to retain has winnings if the Gormans are able to re-buy them.'Meanwhile the British infantry is vigorously countef-attacking.

SEVERE FIGHTING. Sir Douglas Haig reports that the battle is still proceeding but the enemy were completely repulsed. The air-fighting is most severe, and has resulted greatly in our favour. A French commuinque records violent artillery fire at St. Quentin ,south of Juvincourt. We repulsed the enemy’s coup-de-main north of Bezonvaux,