WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

ENTIRE CREST LINE CAPTURED, WYTSQHAETE FOLLOWS. enemy suffers severely. A. and X.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received June 9, 5.5 p.m. London, June 8. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig further reports:— The last of our troopß immediately pressed on up the western slopes of the ■Mesines-Wytschaete ridge, and within three hours of the storming the entire Crestline had been captured from the south northwards. Shortly afterwards the whole of Messines was captured. We also completed the capture of Wytsehaete village before midday, after hand-to-hand fighting. • THE SECOND STAGE. Our troops in tlie second stage of the attack pushed down the eastern slopes of the ridge and advanced against a | powerful line or rear defences. Heavy fighting occurred in a further series of fortified woods and strong points. We captured the village of Mostavern during the afternoon, ,lying just west- I •ward of the centre line. Practically the, whole of this trench system is in our Hands. WHOLE OF OBJECTIVES GAINED. By nightfall we had gained the whole of the day's objectives. The great numbers of German dead which are lying in the captured positions proved the severity of the enemy's losses, a la,rge proportion 'being Bavarians. Our losses were light. 'HOW SUCCESS WAS ACHIEVED. As the result of General Plumer's great earc and thoroughness in preparations we achieved complete success. This is chiefly ascribed to the destruction caused by the mines, the violence and accuracy of the bombardment, the very fine work of the Royal Flying Corps, and the incomparable dash and courage of the infantry. EVERY ARM OF SERVICE SHARES IN VICTORY. The whole force acted in perfect combination, the work of the tanks being excellent. In fact, every means of offensive at our disposal was used, and thus every arm of the service shares in the victory. i FURTHER PROGRESS MADE. OTHER SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS. . Received June 10, 11.5 p.m. London, June 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The day has been quiet on the battlefront south of Ypres, except for some mutual artillerying. We. slightly progressed right flank of our new positions. We have taken over 7000 prisoners since Thursday morning. A great number of guns, machine-guns and trench mortar*, were buried in the debris. We improved our' i positionfi on the Scarpe. In the neighborhood of Greenland Hill our aeroplanes are bombing enemy railway stations. They detonated by a bomb a large accumulation of rolling stock containing ammunition. Fires and explosions continued until dawn. We 'brought down 3 German aeroplanes and drove four others, which were uncontrolable. Six of ours are missing. Northwest of Braye en Lannois an enemy raid was easily repulsed. The day has been quiet elsewhere. A BRILLIANT VICTORY. PLUMER'S FIRST GREAT OFFENSIVE. London, June 8. Correspondents at British headquarters insist that the enemy knew for weeks of the coming attack on Messines, and made every possible effort to make their positions impregnable. Yet General Plumer haß 'broken their lines. This is General Plumer's first great offensive. Hitherto he has had the ugly task of holding the Ypres salient. There is stem fighting certainly ahead, as the Germans are sure to use the troops already massed for counter-attacks. The first success, however, is a brilliant victory, and represents an advance in -the centre of 4000 or 5000 yards. Irishmen assisted the New Zealanders to capture the ridge, Australians and Englishmen fighting nearby. There was particularly stiff fighting at Battle Wood, where the Germans' still hold a corner, this being the only setback to the British during the whole glorious day. There iwas also heavy fighting round the White Chateau. Before a large part of the ridge there is a dip in the ground, where the British artillery was unable to cut the wire. But the attackers went through everything with irresistible dash, A feature of the battle was the success of General Plumer's aviators. Though they downed 44 German machines they only lost 10. In one case five British aeroplanes (ought 25 Germans, wrecking eight. All the British returned safely. IMPORTANCE OF POSITION. London, June 8. Sir Douglas Haig reports that the position captured yesterday is one of the most important enemy strongholds on the West front, dominating the Ypres salient and giving the enemy complete observation. The Germans had neglected no precaution to render the position impregnable. These preparations enabled the enemy to overlook all preparations for attack, and he moved up reinforcements to maet us. The battle therefore became a gauge of the Germans' ability to stop our advance under the most favorable conditions, they possesing every advantage of ground and preparation and knowing that an attack was impending. The German forward defences consisted of an elaborate and intricate system of well-wired trenches and strong points, forming a. defensive belt over a mile in depth. Numerous farms and woods were thoroughly prepared for defence, which included large numbers of machine-guns. The Germans brought increased numbers of guns ot nil calibres bo bear not only on our front )»ut «» the-JJfla 1 " ef our -abtaoW

NEW LINE MADE SECURE.

enemy Counter- attacks repulsed. VALUABLE AID BY AIRCRAFT. Received June 10, 5.5 p.m. London, June 9. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The new line south of Ypres has been organised and secured. German counter-attacks south-east and north-east of Costaverno, and east of Mcssino?, were repulsed with loss by our infantry, or broken by our artillery. We have taken 6400 prisoners, whereof 132 are officers. Over twenty guns have been collected. Our air craft valiantly co-operated with the infantry and artillery, and also successfully bombed machine-guns, aerodromes, balloons, trains, billets and depots for troops. They also prevented enemy aircraft from participating in the battle. We brought down twelve German machines and drove down eight in an uncontKollable state. Fourteen of our machines are missing. A French communique states: On the Chemin des Dames artillery activity is lively. The enemy did not attempt to re-attack. POWERFUL COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED. Received June 10. 10 p.m. London, June 9. In a further report, Sir Douglas Haig states: The enemy, at 7 p.m. yesterday, after heavy artillery preparation, launched a powerful counter-attack against nearly the whole of our new I front south of Ypres, from St. Yves to northwards of the Ypres—St. Yves caijal, a distance of six miles. The large force was composed of fresh divisions, which delivered their attack with great determination, but under our destructive artillery and machine-gun fire the attack was completely repulsed at all points. ALL GAINS HELD. The fighting was particularly fierce eastward of Messines, also in the neigh- : borhood of Klein Zillebeke, northwards of the canal. The enemy's attacks were broken by midnight, with great loss. All along the line we retain possession of the whole ground captured since the commencement of the battle. FURTHER SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS. We carried out operations with complete success yesternight, further southward, on a wide front from southward of Lens to La Bassee. Our troopß entered German positions southward of the Souchea river, on a front of over two miles, and penetrated to a depth of over half a mile. We inflicted heavy casualties, but our casualties were light. We successfully entered trenches northward of the Souchez river, south-east-ward of Loos, and south-eastward of La Bassee, killing a large number cf Germans, and greatly damaging the enemy's defences. We raided a sector of the Hindenburg line still held by the enemy westward of Bullecourt, a number of the garrison being killed or taken prisoner. The enemy directed a strong fire eastward of Wytschaete and Messines, but no mased attacks were launched. The Australians fruitlessly attacked eastward of Messines. Fresh fighting developed in the evening astride of the Ypres-Comines canal and on the Douve lowlands. The enemy 'were unable to gain any advantage. Fighting activity has increased from the La Bassee canal to the Sensee brook. The enemy repeatedly attaoked northeastward of Vermelles. southward of Loos, aud eastward of Croiselles. We repulsed them by strong counter-attacks. Hand-to-hand fighting took place with the enemy detachments which penetrated our trenches on the Souchez brook, Givenehy, Avion, Vimey, and Gricourt roads. The positions are completely ours. We repulsed French advances at Braye and Cerny. MESSAGE FROM THE KING. His Majesty the King telegraphed to Sir Douglas Haig: "I rejoice in extending my thanks for the thorough preparations, and splendid co-operation of all arms, whereby, the important Messines ridge, the scene of many memorable struggles, is again in our hands. Tell General Plumer and the Second Army how proud we are of their achievement, by which, in a few hours, the enemy was driven out of the strongly-entrenched positions he has held for two and a-half years." FRENCH DISPERSE ENEMY ATTACKS. A French communique states: Our batteries were most active last niglit in the region north of St. Quentin. ,The Germans renewed their attempts on various points at the Chemin des Dames, from south of Filain to east of Cerny, where the artillery duel continued to be violent. Our fire dispersed four successive attacks north-east of Cerny, also two coups de main north of Froidmont farm. The enemy, suffered heavily, i I MARVELLOUS "GERMAN IMAGINATION. ! THE USUAL EXPLANATION OF DEFEAT. A. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Received June 10, 5.5 p.m. j London, Juno 9. j A wireless German official message states: English attacks, after days of strong destructive fire 'between Ypres and Ploegsteert wood, northward of Armentieres, were repulsed. Southward of ypres we also fought successfully. The southern wing of the enemy, as a result of numerous explosions, penetrated positions at St. Eloi, Wytschaete, and Messines, and advanced by stubborn fighting via Wytschaete and Messines. A strong counter-attack drove the enemy back in the direction of Messinos. Further fresh reserves'brought the enemy to a standstill. Later we withdrew from the western salient to a prepared position two kilometres westward of Mareton. There have been artillery duels of great intensity on the Arras front, also at Chemin-des-Dames ridge on the AisneMarne canal. Wo repulsed French detachments in the Vosges at Sundgau, There have been many air fights, during which we downed 15 enemy machines. (It will be noticed that the number of German machines lost is not stated.) A later German official report states: The English were unable to continue the ' battle of Flanders with the forces emj ployed yesterday. We repulsed a local (advaneft,iMeaaines. ""

ANZACS BREAK ALL RECORDS.

COMPLETENESS OF BRITISH SUCCESS. Australian Cable Association Received -JW 10, 5.5 p.m. (London, June 9. Correspondents at British headquarters state that the Australians made a Email local attack at Battle wood on Friday morning, rounding off Thursday's gains. The whole operation was so successful that it was completed at 9.20 in the morning. The total prisoners naw number 7000. More than a hundred guns were knocked out. The Australians and New Zealanders broke all records on Thursday, digging successive lines of trenches six feet deep during the morning attack. The British success was so complete that even the heavy guns Were able to move into the German lines in a few hours. The attack on Messines ridge was worked out in the open air on a model covering an area of four tennis courts, which included sucli minute' detail as an isolated tree stump. A. MARVEL OF DARING. iLondtto, June 8. Mr. Beach Thomas says that General' Plumer's army, which has fought a fine stonewall battle for nearly two years, took in hand the biggest and boldest attack of the war. It will remain a miracle how human beings in the midst of the storm 'kept sense and courage enough to move their iimbs as they wished, much leas to carry through complicated tactics in the turmoil, where no man could liear an order or recognise landscape signs, where he could scarcely catch sight of his neighbor or of the enemy. Nobody eoukl hear our own infantry, English, Scotch, Irish, and from the Dominions, walking calmly up to the thunder and lighting of our own shells and daring more than human tissue has endured in history. The defence included the pick of the Bavarian and Prussian troops, with reserves heavily massed behind. When the Anzacs went to storm the crown of the famous ridge the enemy stopped them not at all. The Anzacs waited for the advance of their own barrage, but the most ardent spirits declined to wait and dodged forward among their own shells and sent up hilarious rockets announcing their arrival. While some dug in with gusto and skill on the back of the ridge, others pushed down the slope, where at the moment of writing their adventure Is in full career. Reuter's headquarters correspondent states that two complete rehearsals of the present operation were carried out with realistic completeness of detail. LIGHTNESS OF LOSSES. A GREAT DAY FOR NEW: ZEALANDEBB, NOTHING STOPS THE IRISHMEN. GERMANS DEMORALISED BY iSHELLFIRE THE TABLES TURNED. '' ; Australian Cable Service. Received June 10, 5.5 p.m. London, June 9. Mr. Philip Gibba says the capture of Messines ridge has given our men a remarkable sense of their great achievement. They 'knew how formidable was their task, but carried it out with extraordinarily light losses, the proportion of lightly wounded being high. At least one Irish company took their objective without a single casualty. The victory was unclouded: >by the heavy sacrifices of the battle of the Somme. The New Zealanders say it was a great day for New Zealand. Mr. Gibbs describes his visit to Wytschaete, iwihere the Irish Nationalists and Ulstermen vied with the exploits of the New Zealanders in carrying the Messines ridge. The Irishmen state that the bombardment wipe,d out Wyt9chaete wood, width was 800 yards square. Nothing stayed the Irish attack except occasional small bodies of Germans with machine-guns. The village was a fortress in a position capable of defence on all sides, but the Irish, surrounded and captured it easily. The garrison was demoralised by long shellfire. The Dublin and Munstcr men took a thousand prisoners, and the Ulsfermen another thousand. The Germans on Friday continued massing at Warneton for counterAttacks, but each time our guns scattered them. The new ridge gives us the observation point, and the tables have thus been turned. ENEMY LOSSES ESTIMATED. BRITISH SUPREMACY EVIDENT. Reuter Service. '' 7 Received June 10,111.55 p.m. London, June 10. Renter's correspondent at headquarters, writing on the evening of the 9tfc, relative to the great aggressive activity on our front, says the Germans have never been so, harried as they were by the four raids on their front by the First Army yesternight. The Canadians were most successful south of Lens, from Kvhence they brought back a record bag of prisoners. The latest news of the _ German counter-attack on our new positions at the Messines ridge yesternight shows that it was most costly for the enemy, our gunfire and machine-guns mowing down the Germans, whose losses since Thursday morning are estimated at five times the total prisoners taken. The third Bavarian division met with a record disaster, only a shattered remnant 'being left to withdraw. This is an Instance of the extraordinary efficiency of our artillery. lam permitted to state that the batteries advanced so smartly after'the infantry that a few hours after the batle began they had actually a more intense concentration of fire on the vital sections of attack than at the opening, when every weapon was in its long-planned position. It has now been demonstrated that the British army can take the initiative against the Germans at any time and place it chooses, with a confident aasur- »,<• a' victorji

k GERMANS DUMBFOUNDED.

RESERVES UNAVAILING. Rauter Service. Received. June 10, 5.5 p.m. London, .Tune 0. The British victory at Messines has dumbfounded the enemy, who brought up four reserve divisions to assist the six divisions of his best troops facing the British. Tho movement was immediately observed, f.nd the British artillery opened fire. The German heavies replied at a very long range, but the precision of thei British guns neutralised the German lire, which was lacking in proper artillery support. The Germans twice attacked half-heartedly and lyARRANGEMENTS PERFECT. GROUND WON CONSOLIDATED. London, June 8. The United Press correspondent at headquarters states that GOCO prisoners have been taken. The success was so complete that British cavalry entered the action. Our advance was over three miles deep at the centre, and the Ypres salient has been wiped out and all objectives on the Mesines ridge fully won. The battlo was carried out perfectly. Ulsterites and Nationalists fought together shoulder to shoulder like demons aud stormed the ridge. The night was spent in consolidating the ground won. Detaohments of cavalry entered the actio* The Germans eastward of the ridge are in a critical position, because the river Lys and the Comines canal converge behind , them and meet at Comines. Thus, even if thev succeeded in crossing the waterways, their losses from sheilffre will be enormous. The prisoners were terror-stricken at the quaking of the earth. They thftught their last day had arrived and were much shaken. Their counter-attacks resembled dying kicks. Record rain and hailstorms occurred in the afternoon, it is believed duo to explosions plus artillery, which surpassed anything seen (taring the war. The British success was largely due to the air service. Our aeroplanes manoeuvred ceaselessly, scoring heavy aerial barrages. Sir Douglas ■Haig's preparations were so perfect that he was able to advise Mr. Lloyd Georgo of the exact moment when the attack would begin. A HEROIC NEW ZEALANDER. | , AWARDED THE VICTORIA CROSS. DEEDS OF EXTRAORDINARY VALOR. Received June 9, 5.5 p.m. London, Jun* 8. Thirty Victoria Crosses have been gazetted, including six Australians and one New Zealander—Private Donald Forrester Brown, of the infantry. His company had very heavy casualties in. Officers and men from inachine-gun fire. Brown, with a comrade, reached within thirty yards of the enemy guns, killed four of the gun crew, and captured the gun. The company again was similarly held up. Brown and a comrade, with great gallantry, rushed the gun and killed the crew. The company nvas then heavily shelled. Brown's contempt oi danger and his coolneßs kept up the men's spirits. Subsequently, as Sergeant Vrown, he made a single-handed attack upon a machine-gun and killed the crew and captured the gun. Later, whilst sniping the retreating enemy, this gallant soldier was killed. (Further details relating to Sergeant Brown's career appear on page 4). A WONDERFUL RECORD. AVIATOR DESTROYS 43 AERO- '' PLANES. Received June 9, 5.5 p.m. London, April 8, Other Victoria Crosses include Captain Albert Ball,, aviator. Between April 2o ! and May 5 he participated in twentysix combats, destroyed eleven machines, downed two, and forced several to descend. Ball, flying alone, once fought six machines, twice five, and once four. When leading two other British aviators Ball attacked eight enemy machines, and on every occasion downed at least one. His aeroplane was several times badly damaged. Once all the control wires were shot away. Altogether Ball destroyed forty-three aeroplanes and one balloon. His courage, determination, and skill have always been exceptional. ACTIVITY ON FRENCH FRONT. London, June 8. A French communique reports great activity on the whole front from north of Lauffaux Mill to south of Filain. At i Cerny artillery fighting was occasionally violent, the enemy repeatedly attempting attacks, which collapsed. HUN TYRANNY AT HONS. • Amsterdam, June 8. The newspaper Les Mouvelles states that the Germans havfc fined Mons half a million marks on the pretext that the Allied air raids were due to the published statement that Prince Ruppi'cchfc and his staff were there. The Mons newspaper states that there is reason to believe that a German general, and possibly another high officer, were killed during the raids. SUCCESSFUL AERO WORK. London, June 8. The Admiralty reports that naval aeroplanes on Wednesday attacked and drove down two enemy aeroplanes, which were rendered uncontrollable three miles north-eastward of Dixmude. A naval pilot downed another uncontrollable live miles north-eastward of Dixmude.