WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 18 June 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

LOCAL ACTIONS ON THE FRENCH FRONT LONDON, June 16. A French, communique reports: "Successful local actions were fought northeast of the Bois do Genles, south of Dammard, and in the region of Ville. Eneimy attempts to cross the Matz at its junction with the Oise failed under fire. A GREAT GAS ATTACK. »* _ > LONDON, June 17. The New York "Times" correspondent with the American army states: The Germans fired more than 1500 gas shells on the American positions north-west of Chateau Thierry in two hours and a-half. This was the heaviesct gas attack yet withstood by the Americans. A THOUSAND GERMAN CASUALTIES. ■. Mr. Pirrie Robinson states: A successful British atack at Bethune led pfto a hard all-night struggle with bombs and bayonets. The. fight was especially fierce at : La Fannerie, where the Germans were posted In . strong positions. The enemy casual- , ties were nearly a thousand. The whole position was occupied by dawn. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: Suffolks .and Gordons at La Bassee Canal made a daring attack on a front of two miles and secured 200 prisoners and twenty-five machine guns. The sector was chiefly a mining village, there" being slag heaps with shellbroken pit-heads. The German defence was based on linked shell cratters and machine gun posts. The de- . fenders* were notorious as belonging to the Eiglteenth Reserve--Division, who were responsible for the campaign of frightfulness at Louvain and Termonde in 1914. Our attack was carried out in the darkness and utterly surprised the Germans, many being prisonered before they coulu get their arms. Others fought bravely in shell craters, and were bayonetted at their posts. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. LONDON, June 16. Ailmiralty wireless: 'A German official message says: We repulsed English local attacks, which entered our foremost lines westward of Locon, and repulsed enemy attacks at Dommiers and Villers Cotteret. GERMANS ATTACK AMERICAN FRONT. Received 9 a.m. 'WASHINGTON, June 17. Despatches from the American front at Toul state that German shock troops attacked the village of Ovray, following a heavy bombardment, and penetrated to the village but the Americans countered and threw out the Germans, , a few being prisonered. AUSTRALIANS CLAIM 15,000 PRISONERS. Received 10,20 ia.m. LONDON, June 17. Tie Australians claim 15,000 prisoners captured at Camporile. AN AMERICAN REPORT. Beceived 10,20 ia.m. LONDON, June 17. • An American official report states: "We repulsed with severe enemy losses at Woevre. We broke up jj|p%* attacks in the region of Chateau -Tliierry. There is active reciprocal artperying at Chateau Thierry and ia Pielrdy.