WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 July 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

OBSTINATE ENEMY ATTACKS. REPEATEDLY SMASHED BY FRENCH. London, July 28. A French comtminiune says: The Germans resumed their attacks obstinately Inst night on n front of three kilometres in tho region from Ihirtebiso to sout'i of" >m, liovelle. Althouirh they threw large forces into the action, they were only able to penetrate, after an incredible effort and with the inchest losses, Rome elements of our first line south of Allies. Our fire smashed repeated assault* on Hurtebise farm and further south. After an intense bombardment the Germans diligently attacked Mont Haut in the Champagne. The fight lasted all nisht, but we prevented an enemy advance.

After lively fighting north of Auberville we entered the German trenches. There is violent artiileiy work on both sides on the left bank of the Msuw.

STORM CENTRE FOR GERMAN SHELLS. DESPERATE FIGHTING EXPECTED. London, July 26. Mr. Gibbs »aya the enemy's gunfire '» increasing at various points on our front, and the coast sector continues to rival Lens as a storm centre for German shells. The infantry eveTywbwc Is inactive, eicept for unimportant British raids ! n the neighborhood of Yores. The Germans, bombarded Nieupori from 10 o'clock in the evening till 5 o'clock in the morning, with guns of every calibre up to dXJin. The air is vibrating all day and all night with the heavy shock of this great gunning. The flame of war also broke out eastward of Wor.ohy, where the Germanß advanced upon our trenches already smashed by concentrated artillery fire. The Germans attacked with flammenwerfer, which spread a line of scarlet tire before them. Some of our posts were driven in, causing a retirement on a small front. The enemy is clearly preparing for desperate fighting, and has massed great numbers of men and guns.

FIGHTING AT HURTEBISE. FRENCH RECOVER GROUND. UNSUCCESSFUL ENBMY ATTACKS. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Renter, Received July 28, 125 a.m. London, July 27. A French communique states: Fighting, accompanied by an intense bombardment of the Hurtebise plateau south of Allicr, continued all day. The enemy made not tho slightest progress, and we recovered ground at several points. There were unsuccessful enemy attacks in the Cliampagne, followed by a violent bombardment, which extended on tbe left to Mont Blonb, and on the right to tho neighborhood of Casque, to which our artillery vigorously replied and prevented the infantry /from advancing. The artillery was most active on both banks of the Meuse.

CROWX PRINCE'S REVERSE. Paris, July 26. Mr. Warner Allen says the success at tlie eastern extremity o' the Chemin dea Dames is only comparable- to tbo capture of DoiiaumontFort. Tho French have now regained the svholo first line positions lost on Sunday. Not a single observation post remains in German hands.

Other corespondents say that the Crown 'Prince lias suffered another great reverse within our lost ground, which it Lad taken the finest German troops five day? and night 9 of intense fighting to secure. The struggle for the California plateau was long indecisive; the Germans clung desperately to the northern slopes until the splendid dash of the French routed tho German reinforcements.

Tho attacks on Craonne are part of a deliberate attempt to bear down France, but the hour is coming when the United States wil! take the field and secure tiie triumph of the cause for which Frenchmen havo died.

DAYLIGHT RAIDS BY BRITISH. ! " London, July 2P. British war correspondents state that •the artillery battle reaches great intensity in certain sector.* Tbo firrmana [arc concentrating their ftro nUvit Lowbartzyde. Ypros, Zillebnke Lake, Armcnjiieies, Pioegstecrt, Neue* ChapaUi, and the suburbs of Lens.

They are a number of longran?o high velocity guns, the shells of which soraotlmej fall twenty mile* behind the lines. A feature of recent fighting is occasional daring daylight raids, which arc often more successful and less costly tuia night raids. A party of Britishers entered heavily-manned trenches at Ypres in full daylight, with little loss, and brought back "over a hundred prisoners. The curtain fire produces such smoke, dust and confusion that the Germans do not know how to meet the attack. Troops of high quality are needed for such raids.