WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

SUPREMACY OF THE AIR. GERMANY'S BOLD BID. London, July 13. There is tremendous air activity on all frunts, and the machines are now reckoned in thousands where there were tens at tiie beginning of the war. The struggle is fiercest on the Flemish coast, where the colossal British air offensive foreshadow.* portentous events. Swarms of machines are raining horr ; is day and niglit on (icrman military works, conjmunications, dumps and depots. While v.e are using all tvpeg of machines the Germans apparently pin their faith to the large two-engined Gulha !>attle-planes, of which they have new squadrons constantly appearing on the west front in Flanders. There are »lsu numerous machines withdrawn from the Kussian front. The (Jermans are undoubtedly making the boldest bid 'or air supremacy, but the British coinmunicjues reveal that the enemy is unable to hold Mb own against the Uritisli pilots. AVIATORS ATTACK BELGIAN OOAST Amsterdam, duly 18. It is reported that aviators three times attacked the Belgian coast between midnight and one o'clock yesterday.

SUCCESSFUL BRITISH RAIDS. NUMEROUS AIR RAIDS. FRENCH REPULSE ENEMY ATTACKS Aus and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Received July 19, 10.55 p.m. London, July 19. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We successfully raided in the neigl borhood of Fresnry. A number of air fights took place yesterday evening, wherein large formation* were engaged. We brought down nine machines and drove down six. Four of ours are missing. A French communique states: We repulsed a German attack west of Cerny sugar factory. VIOLENT ENEMY COUNTER ATTACKS. ALL SHATTERED WITH HEAVY LOSSES. Received July 19, 5.30 p.m. London, July 18. A French communique states: After a violent bombardment, the Centum-, made several counter-attacks on the positions we captured yesterday from Avocourt wood as fur as the slopes on the west of Hill 304, but all were shattered with ■.anguinary losses, without regaining the least portion of the conquered ground. IMPORTANCE OF FRENCH ADVANCE. Received July 10. 9.40 p.m. Paris, July 19. Semi-official: Yesterday's advance on the left of the Meuse is of considerable importance. It releases Hill 301, which the enemy has been closely pressing, and has also done much to clear the approaches to Verdun. FURTHER BRITISH GAIN. London, July 18. Sir Douglas Haig reports: There was local fighting eastward of Moiichy-le-Preux, which resulted in a further gain of ground and capture of prisoners. We successfully raided north-east of Oosaverne and near Boesinghe.

| BRILLIANT FRENCH BLOW. Paris, July 18. The French Second Army struck a fine blow in the Avocourt sector, where the Germans during the last few weeks had made num. row attacks, and had succeeded two or three times in biting into the French trenches. The French refrained from attack, awaiting a favorable opportunity. Yesterday a formidable artillery bombardment completely crushed the German trenches, and the infantry rushed through to the enemy's supporting positions, whore he was sheltering from the artillery fire. The Germans at bay fought stubbornly: thoso refusing to surrender were killed, and the Test surrendered. The Freneh pained at the end of the battle an advance of a kilometre on a 1\ kilometre front. A THIEVING PRINCE. Washington, July 18. The Paris correspondent of the New York Herald has evidence that Prince Tute! Friedvkh looted the furniture anrt then blew up the chateau of the Conite do Balny, on the Oifie, in which, he lived-, lie spent most of his time in a shellproof dug-out connected, with the chateau by a subterranean passage. He transported numerous wagon loads of furniture to Germany. The owner has lodged with the French authorities a formal charge of theft against Prince Eitel. The Herald comments that the spectacle of a Prince of the Blood Royal con>mitting theft has not evoked a protest or criticism in the German press, a fact that indicates the depths to which the Germans have fallen.