STERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1917, Page 5

STERN ATTACK.

, PROGRESS AT BULLECOURT, I OA?Il®E OP ENEMY SUPPORT JJNES. London, May 10. ' Sir Douglas Haig reports:—The fighting- at Bullecourt was severe and confinuous. We progressed, despite the jßnemy'g repeated costly and fruitless efforts to shake our hold on his positions in the advanced line eastward of Gri«ourt and southward of the Souchez River. _ At the latter place we captured ft portion, of the German front support { ~ A COMPANY CUT OFF. BRAVERY OP CARKTERS. (United Service). • «. < ,i London, May 10. Mr. Keith Murdoch, writing from Anjfeao hittdquarters,' says that the Gerjnans' failure to throw us out of a position that theoretically could not he held indicates how thoroughly mauled their reserves are. During the most severe counter-attack, When our flanks were pushed in by Strong, bombing parties supported by a fusilade from trench mortars, word reached our men to retire. They replied: "Who said retire? We will wait until £ur officers say retire." The men stuck out when it seemed certain that they Would be encircled, the officers and men having agreed to fight their way back together if surrounded.

The troops who got beyond the Hindenburg line suffered the most severe losses. One company was cut off during •the retirement and sold their lives dearly; only seventeen regained our lines. v The Germans mowed down stretcherbearers, who bravely tried, under the white flag, and by other means, to rescue wounded. One ambulance lost 40 per cent.. of its stretcher-bearers.

the infantry have shown a great fighting spirit. Amongst the bravest havo leen the carriers, who have repeatedly carried great loads of bombs across the open With the finest'quiet gallantry. The Australians continue to improve Jheir .position.

£ GERMAN STATEMENT. London, May. 10. f X wireless German official report says: Artillery work at Arras continues with (increasing violence. Fresnoy remains ours, despite repeated attacks. The fighting for the position at Bullecourt fluctuates. Between Soissons and Rheims we repulsed by bitter hand-to-jfcand. fighting the French attacks on •Wlnterberg, Ste. Marie farm, and Coriniey. Enemy advances north.-west of Sroaneg failed. We brought down ten «nemy aeroplanes. The battle continued tfitb/ tbe greatest bitterness and violence. SHELTER tS CATACOMBS 4&J , ■ TUNNEL, ':■. .\^<Z . londffli, May ,10. Mr. Percival Phillips gays that the Hmdenburg line at affords unusual .shelter, as a 'great tunnel runs beneath the line, big enough to* allow reinforcements to be moved quickly. There is also a series of catacombs, dating from medieval times, atjeommodating six battalions of infantry, •THE HINDENBURG LINeI' "...','..' Some confusion, is likely to be caused by the vague way in which the term "Hmdenburg line" is used by the correspondents. It was previously applied only to the new line designed by Hindcnburg when he ordered the retirement - from the Somme. That retirement pivoted upon a point to the south-east of Arras, and so the Hindenburg line ran from near Arris to the Aisne. But now that the Hindenburg is retiring east and northeast of Arras the name in "being applied to the new line taken up on that front also.' This is made clear by Mr. Beach Thomas when he says: "There was a similar success 15 miles away, near Bullecourt, where the new and the old Hindenburg lines join." It was in the neighborhood of Bullecourt that Hindenburg pivoted for his retreat from the Somme. Another message states that .the attack up a 13-mile front represents an attempt to break the Wotan switch line, and declares that fwith Vimy, Oppy. Gavrelle, Roeux, and Guemappe in our hands, Sir Douglas Haig is able to threaten the whole Wotan defence." This Vfotan line is what the rther correspondents are beginning to call the new Hindenburg line, which joins up with the old , one near Bullecourt. Apparently tno i 'tony lure, which formerly covered the an Hindenburg line, baa practicaHi I

BRITISH LINE ADVANCED. ENEMY: ATTACKS REPULSED. SEVERE AERIAL FIGHTING. A, & N.Z. Cable Association and Eeuter. Received May 11, 6.30 p.m. London, May 10. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports: We advanced our lines slightly this morning on the southern bank of the Scarpe. The enemy, at noon, renewed his attacks on our positions on the Hindenburg line eastward of Bullecourt, but was completely repulsed. Further counter-attacks, at night time, near Fre3noy, were equally unsuccessful. There iras severe air fighting on Wednesday, when 11 German machines were brought down. Five of ours are missing. CAPTURED TRENCHES HELD. AGAINST ENEMY ATTACKS. Received May 11» 10 p.m. London, May 11. 'A French communique states:—There was cannonading north-easC of Soissons and Chemin des Dames. By local operations we carried the system of trenches north of Sancy. Fresh enemy attempts to expel us from the trenches we captured at Chevreux on the Bth were shattered by our barrage of macliine guns. We progressed north-west of Prosnes. ZEEBROGGE RAIDED. Received May 11, 8.30 p.m. Amsterdam, May 11. was twice raided last :iight. English warships were in the vicinity of the coast. FRANCE MUST HAVE ALSACELORRAINE. Received May 11, 5.5 p.m. New York, May 10. M. Viviani announced that France wi'.i not make peace until Alsace and Lorraine are restored to France. FRENCH PROGRESS.

Wellington, May 11. The High Commissioner reports under date London, May 10 (3.30 p.m.) : A French official message says:— tyn 4he Ohemin-des-Dames several counterattacks failed under our fire. In the region of Chevereua prompt enemy coun-ter-attacks also failed. We made further progress, taking a fortified pointd'appui, capturing some prisoners and machine-guns, on the Vauclere Plateau. We carried out on the slopes a detail operation, enabling us to improve our position.

ANZACS IN FRANCE. '' ~., A THRILLING INCIDENT. "„ Mr' C. E. W, Bean', .official correspondent with ' the A.1.F,,, cabling from the Australian France; on Aprfl 3u, says:r- ■ .. , j. ,■',' ~,,, , 'During the., German attacl^' ( on; Ajju la s»er«,' .occurred an. incse.r^,,fpbj s,,' ff m five .as long as t have now seen, the; actually t*w the whole thing happeji.-';, "';,' ~A small .post of W^fern.Australians bad been cut off early ,jn the.atta'qk, but they, managed to get a, messenger through stating that they were bowling over the enemy like ninepins, but needed ammunition. By the time the message arrived it was impossible to get ammunition through the surrounding Germans. The post waß visible a mile down the valley, still holding out,, and the watchers gazed anxiously as more and more Germans debouched opposite it. All well knew the end must shortly tome. After an hour and a-half the rifle fire from the post suddenly seemed to cease, and then a Ijne of men sprang to their feet and charged down hill into a mass of Germans. Bayonets were se«n working, then the mass swarmed round our "men, who were lost to sight. The bodies of four or five of them, including an officer, have since been found. *-- To-day and yesterday, voting for the Commonwealth election took place at about 600 centres of Australian soldiers In Fiance. The poll was taken under Conditions almost exactly reminding one of polling days in Australia. The wintry weather was broken finally three days ago, since when a most glorious spring has suddenly arrived, covering patches of the Somme battlefield at once with a sprinkling of green grass. But the '.shattered trees mostly will awar sorout a.a«.h,