WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 May 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

i SEVERE FIGHTING. BRITISH CO.MPKLLED TO WITHDRAW. EOT RECAPTURE HOST TRENCHES. HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES. A. and N.Z, Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received May 13, 5,5 p.m. [London, May 12. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy early in the morning launched their attack, using flammehwerfer, southward of the Souchez-river. After,threa (hours severe lighting, the enemy 4 weight and repeated asflanlts compelled our posts to, withdraw from a portion of the front. Our counter-attack in the afternoon tq? captured the whole of tha lost) trendies! The enemy's losses in the three attacks were heavy. Our position is unchanged.

HINDENBURG LINE ATTACKED. ALL OBJECTIVES GAINED. A. apd NvZ. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received !May> ,13, 5.5 p.m. London, Say 1-2. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports: Wo very successfully attacked the Hindenburg line tin the neighborhood of also astride the ArrasCambrai road and northward; of the Scarpe, gaining all objectives. We took some hundreds of prisoners. Local fighting resulted in our favor eastward of Lempire. The Allies were successful in raids eastward of Spres. ON THE FRENCH FRONT. VIOLENT ATTACKS. (SHATTERED. ENEMY BROUGHT DOWN. i Received! May; ,13, '5.5 p.m. ! J 'Paris, ,May 12. SAi French communique states: After a violent bombardment in the region of Cerny-en-Laonnois, enemy attacks mH.de on both sidec of the village were shattered by our artillery and machine-guns. The enemy gained! a footing in two hundred metres of trendies west of the village, but was immediately driven out. There ia violent cannonading on this part of our front. W© brought down five enemy aeroplanes,.jfour otiier& being seriously, damaged.

GERMAN LINE PENETRATED. ENEMY MUNITIONS DEPOT " DESTROYED. Received May 13, 5.5 p.m. London, May 12. A French communique states: Batteries of destructive fire, which were directed against the German organisations, blew up. a munitions depot northeast of Juvineouri. On the left of the Mease there <was an artillery duel of a violent nature all night. Detachments penetrated the German line north of Bezon and Vaux, and at various points in Alsace. We took .prisoners.

FRANTIC GERMAN EFFORTS. TO REGAIN INITIATIVE. RUPRECHT IN TIGHT CORNER. FUTILE ENEMY ATTACKS. Received May 13, 5.5 p.m. London, May 12. A correspondent at headquarters states that the G :ans are making frantic efforts to regain the initiative. Prince Ruppreclit is hard pressed, with his hack tight against positions which, if lost, would he fatal to his plans. Ho has been launching attack after attack at von Hinden burg's bidding, against the British, with little result. The Germans heavily hurled stormers between Gavrelle and the Souchea river, but the British artillery and' machinegun barrages, despite the darkness, tore the attackers to pieces, and threw back a strong attack eastward of Arleux l , with considerable losses. Tho Germans failed in their evening attacks against positions southward of the Souchez river. The Prussians, aided by liquid fire, again struck, but by the light of their own devilish machine they were mown down and defeated. The Germans attacked fiercely eastward of La Coulotte. The fighting continues. ,

ZEEBRUGGE AGAIN BOMBARDED. TERRIFIC EXPLOSIONS OCCUR, Received May 13, 11.10 p.m. ' " Amsterdam, May 13. An extensive aerial bombardment took place at Zeebrugge at three o'clock on Saturday morning, and subsequently there was a heavy naval bombardment ,lasting for ninety minutes. Terrific ex? plosions shook the surrounding country^

FURTHER BRITISH ADVANCE. IMPORTANT POSITION CAPTURED# A. & N.Z. Cable' Asociation & lleuter. Received-May 14, 1,55 a.m. London, May 13. Field MarsliaJ Sir Douglas Haig drives further details of laßt night's attack, and confirms the success of the operations;, Considerable enemy forces were .observed yesterday evening massing for a coun-ter-attack in the.,neighborhood of'Builecourt village. The fighting continues. An enemy attack on our new position was scattered by our artillery, we captured astride the Arras-Cambrai road 1200 yards of trenches, including a strong cavalry position. AVe stormed last night Itouex cemetery and chemical works. Further northwards we continued our advance tdwlay, carrying positions in this neighborhood on a front iof-lialf a mile, and taking many prisoners.

GERMAN ATTACK REPULSED. FRENCH SUCCESSES. London, May 11. Sir Douglas Haig reports that the Germans attaokjted last evening eastward of Arleux and southward of Soucliez River, but were repulsed by our artillery and 'machinq-gua lire. We drove off a- later attempt wherein the Germans were assisted bjf fiammortwerfer southwards of the Souchez River. We' successfully' night-raided eastward of Spres. '' A French communique Saya:—We carried a centre of resistance in the region of Chevreux, German grenade counter'attacks broke down under our fire, v.e repulsed a stronger attack on a salient north-east of California Plateau after lively fighting, wherein'the enemy suffered serious losgep. A lively artillery duel is proceeding' the Cerny-Hurtebise front. ( " T ' r Paris, May . 11. to Journal describes a grim scene in the reciprocal gas attacks on the western slopes of Fresnoy. Whole regiments of masked men fought at dead of night amidst black vapoury making the moonlight fantastic.' Extra,dtdinary hand-to-hand encounters place. The combatants discarded their arms andflpw at each other's throats' in their' efforts to tear away tlte :mapl{(j. There were few prisoners and fewer 'wounded. Le Gaulois says that Iliiidenburg's position is no two opytjirce parallel continuous' trenches', bjit atffirtifled zone composed of a sflriesof centres, for instance, liko subterranean fortresses ibehind a rampart of advanced trqnch&3. London, May 11. Sir Tliomas Robiyson has arranged on behalf of the War Office a new system to supply France wij Australian'" mutton, which is increasingly popular in the French 'Army, which i taking it by ship loads. A. trial, consignment of rab- j bits was very satisfactory as 'ley suit the French mode ofrcjioking. Australian bacon and further shipments -of rabbit? are going direct to France, opening up markets where they, were hitherto unknown. London, May 11. Sir Thomas Robinspn has returned from he polled the land troops on the referendum. H(j states that some in which Queenslanders predominate are now in tho thick of the fighting. VVhen he arrived in camp, Hindenburg wbb delivering great unsuccessful upon the trenches which the Australians captured. The behaviour of tho Australians was magnificent. They were full of fight and determination. a

MORE HUN TYRANNY. A RECENT DISCOVERY. Received May 13, 5.5 p.m. tParisl May 12. Commandant Gloss, who is administering twenty-five communes in the St:., Quentin region, issued a decree in 1915; that has just been discovered, compelling all workmen and children over 15, to work in the fields for seven dayß weekly? Idlers were to 'be punished l by sis months in gaol, with only bread and water every third day, while children shirking work were to',he flogged. The commandant reserved tho right to administer twenty strokes daily to all laborers who were found shirking. The decree concluded by stating that laborers in the communo of Vendelles had been severely punished.