WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

A BRITISH CHECK. GERMANS RECAPTURE FRESNOY. Received May 9, 7.40 p.m. v London, May 9. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Heavy counter-attacks early fn the morning in the neighborhood of Fresnoy obtained a firm foothold in our trenches north-eastward of the village. The ground lost shortly afterwards was recovered. Two fresh German divisions then delivered an attack in force eastward of Fresnoy. They were repulsed on the right with heavy casualties and our positions were successfully maintained. On the other after a iierce resistance on the left, we were compelled to withdraw from Fresnoy village* and wood. Seven of our aeroplanes on Monday brought down seven observation balloons in flames. Six German aeroplanes were brought down and two others were shot dovvm. Seven were downed in an uncontrollable state, whilst eight of ours are missing. . (The village of Fresnoy is three mileß east of Vimy, and a mile and a-lialf due north of Oppy. Fresnoy was captured by the Canadians.) ' ..

ATTACK ON BULLECOURT. GERMANS SURRENDER. GALLANTRY OF THE SCOTS. AUSTRALIANS COOPERATE. Received 'May 10, 12.10 p.m. London, May 9. The Morning Post's correspondent states that the Germans surrendered Bullecourt with the strongest possible defences. New troops, lielonging to the 207 th Division, were brought from Ypres at the weekend to garrison the village. The Scots captured many of them yesterday and found the majority concealed in the dug-outs when they attacked. After a thorough "bombardment, which lasted throughout the night, the Germans surrendered. Severe casualties were inflicted tbefore, the Scots attacked. Later, the Germans made several attempts to recover the trenches, but the Scots held their ground, the Australian 'bombers giving effective co-operation. Bullecourt is not destined to long remain a German stronghold. The Germans themselves realise the fact, and are trying to dig new trenches behind the village, but our artillery disperses every working party. Bodies lie thick among the abandoned entrenching tools. THE HINDENBURG LINE.

SCOTTISH SECURE FIRMICR GRIP. Received May 9, 7.5 p.ni. % : London, May 9. Correspondents at the British headquarters state that the Scottish secured a firmer grip of the I-lindenburg line at Bullecourt and captured a corner o£ the village, thus linking up with the Australians in the Hindenburg trenches, ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACKS.

CLOSE-QUARTERS FIGHTIXG. Received May 9, 7.30 p.m. ' London, May 9. Mr 'Philip Gibbs, reporting on Tuesday evening, says the enemy's gunfire at Loos and Lens to the southward was vory heavy throughout the night. They launched a violent counter-attack upon the new line which the Canadians captured at Fresnoy. Further south the Soots, at Bullecourfc were fighting at close quarters, mainly with, .bombs, routing the enemy down their trenches and out of the village. Elsewhere at night there were small raids, accompanied; by the heaviest artillery Are. FRENCH OFFICIAL'- REPORT. , ARTILLERY: ACTIVITY, SUCCESSFUL. AEROPLANE .WORK. . 'A. Keuter j; Received May 9,10,20.,p,m. May, 9. communique states:--fifiemy infaiitry has been inactive of Scissons and the Ohewin des Damesj, but the artillery has been active. Ours violently counter-bombarded, the Qerny, UurteMse, aid Onusine seotoir%Grenadp skirmishes took place east of Vjluxaillon, elsewhere there being ctumoßftding. Twenty-five German aeroplanes were indubitably destroyed ia, -the air fighting from the .let to'the 7th Mp-y, besides 51 which were in the German lines.

REPINGTON GREATLY IMPRESSED, NOTHING TO CARP AT. _ r London, May 8. Colonel Ropington is gveatly impre-ssed by the British artillery and aerial superiority. Hindenburg proposed to double his guns last winter, but there are no signs that he did so. The enemy is often no better than a passive resister. We have abundant gas, which we release'in clouds and which the eiitnny dreads and suffers from. Ho must curse the day he first decided on its use. Although the Germans have by swarms a new type of battle-planes and have made a great effort to suppress our airmen, the latter, though having an uncommonly warm time, took the offensive and drove bac-k the Germans. It is foolish to criticise the type of machines, because every typo is wanted. We should have few birds in the air if we stuck to one type. The latest type equals Germany's best, but a grater quantity and a constant succession of new types nre needed, because an aeroplane's fighting life is two months. An airman rarely lasts longer than nine months owing to the great strain.

BRITISH AVIATOR CAPTURED. London, May 8. Advice has been received that Lt-lit. Robinson, the famous airman, is a prisoner at Karlsruhe. The Daily Telegraph's Rotterdam correspondent reports that Lieut. Festner had a thrilling fight with Robinson, whose engine was hit, compelling him to descend. Robinson kept Festner at bay with a machine-gun until soldiers took him prisoner. He was not wounded. Festner has since been killed. GERMANS GAIN GROUND AT FRESNOY. London, May 8. 'V corresponds at staff? thai the fighting for Bulle-.vir' cor.' ir :• *. The Germans attempted to r-i ■ the portion of the Hindenburg line -n the southwest border of the vilI:- after entering that quarter of Bulkjr.urt, but faulted. The Germans attacked at night northeastward of Fresnoy but, despite their number, only succeeded in gaining a little ground. EXPANDED GERMAN CLAIM.

Wellington, May 9. The High Commissioner reports under date London, May 8 (6 p.m.):— In a wireless message the Germans claim to have captured Fresnoy this morning and to be holding the village against JBritish attempts to recapture it. FRENCH CARRY ENEMY CENTRE. London, May 8. A Frencli communique states: There has teen considerable artillery activity between the Somme and the Oise. The enemy counter-attacked east of Vauxaillon and the Chemin-des-Dames. in the direction of Pantheon and Cerny our fire smashed all attempts. The artillery struggle was • occasionally violent further east on the Vauclerc plateau and in the Craonne district. A coup-de-main carried the enemy centre of resistance north of Vauclerc plateau. Enemy attempts to recapture ground north-west of Rhoims and south of Berry-au-Bnc ended to our advantage. We repulsed a ptrong attack on the crest of Teton, north-east of Mont Haut. , BRITISH AERIAL SUCCESS. , New York, May 8. Mr. 'Simms, American correspondent with the British forces, reports that seven British airmen destroyed seven German balloons, three in mid-air and fewo as they were emerging from the JiangaTs. The fighting around Bulleoourt is continuous, the Germans counter-attacking fruitlessly.

TIGHTER BLOCKADE URGED. * Paris, May 8. M, 'Jean Horhett, in the Echo-de.Paris, insists on the urgent necessity for tightening the blockade, quoting statistics from a confidential report showing the enormous increases in the exports of foodstuffs from 'Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark and Holland to Germany in 1910 compared with 1913. If necessary the conventions made with the Netherlands Oversea Trust and the Societe de Surveillance, Switzerland, must bo denounced. Germany's neighbors must be told either to ceaße supplying food to Germany or to cease purchasing goods abroad. The United States can alter the whola aspect of the war by putting forward .demands, in accord with her European allies, in a form which wilt f be<decisive.