WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

BICCEST BATTLE OF THE WAR. COLOSSAL ANGLO-FRENCH OFFENSIVE. ADVANCE CONTINUES. WHOLE FRONT BLAZING AND DOOMING. London, July 1)1. Hie United Press correspondent gays that a nnlo-s.il batllp began at dawn in mist aii.l fog, the French and 'British at lav king simultaneously. T.ie Or-it reports .state that the British in the Ypre* region have taken a system of fixint trcii.-hos and arc still tulvan. iiig. The artillery is moving up wiih c unionlinary rapidity. Tanks liavo been observed well forward.

La i!asse Villo (near Warneton) has been captured, counter-attacks repulsed, and tlie pusition eon-oliduted. Tin- French crossed the Canal (Ypres to Confines) capturing the first and second lines of trenches. Tile advance continue?.

Many prisoners and much booty have been taken. ] The Allies are now moving eastward into higher ground bevond the Yser.

Kcutor's correspondent at headquartcrs pays thai the tension of the past few dayi lias sna{• •" <l. At 3 oVioek this morning the British took the olTensive in what is believed to be the biggest battle of the war. It extends from Lys to Uoesinglie. The whole front is blazing and booming. RUPPRECIIT REELS UXDER BLOW The artillery preparations and batrage were unprecedented and the first lines were obliterated.

In tho Yser area the Allies met slight resistance, but there was heavy lighting as they penetrated eastward, where the Germans resisted stubbornly, especially from concrete pill boxes, as the ma-chine-gun turrets are called. The enemy barrage was feeble and erratic and British airmen swooped under IJie clouds, which were scarcely ."TO feet high, and fired with machine-guns on the I startled Teutons. They did great- ser- ! rk-, by reporting progress which the observers were unable to see.

The Germans expected the attack, but Prince Rupprccht) was not prepared for the unparalleled blow which sent him reeling from Belgium's death valley. Auit. and X.X. ('able Assn. and Reuter. Received August 1, 5.5 p.m. London, July 31.

Sir Dout'liis Ifai.j reports: In connection with' the French wc commenced operations on our ,eft. attiwked At 3.50 in the morning on u wide front northward of the Lys river. The Allies captured their first objectives on the whole front attacked, and are reported to be satisfactorily progressing at all point" London. July 31.

A French communique says:—We attacked, on a front of 1500 metres, south of Revere and west of the Cl'.cvrigny spur, 'entirely successfully, reached all our objectives and broke tho counterattack. The artillery struggle, followed by infantry attacks, has continued in tht sector of Corny-Hurtebiso. An enemy coup-de-main, after a violent bombardment, north-west of Prosr.es, in the Champagne, was defeated by vigorous rifle and giuftre.

THE' OFFICIAL REPORT.

SEVERAL VILLAGES CAPTURED.

3500 PRISONERS OOXJXTED.

POWERFUL DEFENCES STORMED. Auj. ar.d N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. Received Aug. 1 ; 8.53 p.m. London, Aug. 1. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports: The Allied operations have been svk'cessfuliv continued, despite the unfavorable weather. We entered the enemv's ■positions and advanced our line on a'front of over fifteen miles, from La Basseville on the Lys river to Steenstracto on thi> Yser river. We took possesion ot hoth villages. The French are closely co-operating, and protecting the British left flank. We captured Stcenstraete, and are rapidly penetrating the German defences to a depth of two mil'-s. Having gained the day's objecI tives at an earlv hour, we continued to attack with the greatest gallantry, and captured Bixschoote, with tho positions south-eastward mid westward Of the yillaee. on a front of 21 miles, including the Kortekere cabaret. We repulsed a counter-attack in the afternoon. Thf 1 British divfctons in the centre and' left centre penetrated to a depth of two miles, and secured crossings of the Stccnstraat-Beek river, which was their final objective. In ilio course of their attack they stormed two powerful defensive svstems. carried the villages of Verio; nh'o?k, Frezenburg, St. Julien, and I'ilkem, also many strongly defended farms, woods, and organised localities further south. . . , Our ri"ht centre, after gaining the whole of its first objectives, including IToo"e and Sanctuary Wood, advanced an obstinate resiataiice in diffi,r,lt countrv. In the neighborhood of the Tnres-Mepin road we carried Westhock and penetrated the enemy s defences to a depth of a mile In this nP \ 7 hborbood. where there has been heaw flirhting all day long, the struggle is still continuing. We repulsed a nambpr of powerful counter-attacks. \Ye «ained the whole of our ob|ective3 pa rlv fn the day on the «tr«ne right 0, tWard of the Zilleboke-Zanvoorde ' „ 1 wit,tm-in" 1-a Basseville and Holle--I,pl-c In addition t-o inflicting heavy »isualtie>, there have been 3:700 prisoners air uly brought in. It is impossible to accurately estimate the captures.

GROUND GAINED EVERYWHERE.

ENEMY THRUST BACK. Received August 1, 5.50 p.m. London, July 31. , Mr. iPhilip Gibbs telegraphs: We gained ground everywhere. Wc captures jiwitiona across the Yser Canal, and thrust hack the enemy on a wide stretch between l'alckexn and Hollebeko. The enemy is fighting desperately, being supported by a great weight of artillery.

DEPTH OF ADVANCE.

AUSTRALIANS TAKE LA BASSERVILLS,

BRILLIANT FRENCH SUCCESSES. United Service. Received Aug. 1, 0.45 p.m. London, July 31. The deepest British advance is 8000 yards, between Boesingho and Lys; elsewhere 4000 yards. The French brilliantly gained important successes. The Times correspondent repftrts that it is understood the Australians took La Basserville.

THE GROUND DESCRIBED.

LIKE A VAST SAUCEK

<-■"" Reuter Service. Received Aug. 1, fi.so p.m. London, July 31

The country where the heaviest fighting is developing may he likened to a vast saucer, whereof the German positions form the rim. There is not here any great ridge to tackle, such at Vimy or Mcssines, hut the steady incline. which is scarcely appreciable to the eve, is rendered difficult by the stuMiiy growth of sparse trees to where, further north, it merges into the Yser swamps. The hurricane bombardment, which reached its flual maximum shortly hefore the infantry went over, was the heaviest ever experienced. The earth rocked under the drumfire as if in a tempest. ,

V'M MENACED.

HARD FIGHTING. SEVERAL GERMAN DIVISIONS WITHDRAWN. f Received Aug. I, OM p.m.London, July 31'. There is intenso excitement in London over the news of Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Hnig's offensive having recommenced on the biggest scale. The attack has a front of eighteen miles, extending from the Lys to well north of Ypros, menacing Menin. which is the key of Roubaix, Turooing, ajiu Liile.

It is not known whether Sir Douglas Haig intends a sensational advance or is only seeking to bleed the Germans white.

The Lvs valley is flat. Recent rains converted it into thick mud. The country i 9 always so waterlogged that it is impossible to dig deep trenches or dug-outs. Tho enemy instead is using concrete cupolas for machine-guns. Renter's correspondent at headquarter* states that the attackers wore gas masks. 1 He incidentally mentions that nothing the Germans have yet invented In the way of chemical frightfulcess has proved efTectivo against out respirators. The fourth army group, under the Crown Prince and Prince Rupprocht, is bearing the brunt of the offensive. Sevt>ral divisions are known to have been badly knocked about. It is believed sbmu were recently withdrawn. A big proportion of these troops are mere boys. For example, one regiment whoso normal strength is 2400, recently received a refit draft of 600 lads of the 1918 class, indicating the extent to which Germany is feeling the drain of man-power.

ADVANCE OF THE WHOLE ARMY.

MARVELLOUS BRIDGING WORK.

ARTILLERY PURSUING ENEMY.

PRISONER STREAMING* IN. ■Renter ServiceReceived Aug. 1, 7.30 p.m. London, Aug. 1. Reuters correspondent at headquarters, telegraphing at 4 p.m., says: IWe got on famously during tho last ( twelve hours. Tho whole of the British army advanced to an average depth of a thousand yards by ten thousand yards during the morning. Prisoners are streaming in, many of them readily surrenderin £" .We crossed the lYser at many places. The bridging work was wonderful. Oue division alono was exposed to enemy fire for tho whole time it "threw over seventeen 'bridges. Tho artillery is literally pursuing the enemy. One minute after the appointed moment for beginning tho attack our guns were moving forward. Our troops, imbued by fine spirit and determination, crept up close behind the barrage ready to rush the trenches when fuses were lengthened. In one case they actually drshed through their own fire in order to prevent the escape of a large number of Germans who were preparing to flee. They bagged numerous prisoners at small cost.

CHARACTERISTIC GERMAN REPORT, Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received Aug. 1, 7.15 p.m. London, Aug. 1. A' wireless German official report states-. :We repulsed the first British assault on a twenty-five kilometre front astride the Ypre s canal. The enemy, despite superior forces, merely secured ! possession of a crater position. we ! gained an Important height at the lchem%du-Dra« a»d togk UWq prison-

ENEMY FIGHTING DESPERATELY.

SUCCESS OF RUSSIAN LURE, RESERVES CAUGHT IN' INFERNO W FIRE. ENEMY AWAITING DOOM. ' f Received Aug. 1, 9.50 p.m. ir t., Loudon, Aug. 1. I P Gil> bs telegraphs: The one Jattle that all the world was expecting liaa begun, stretching roughly from the fiver Lys to Boesinghe, above which ■the French are lighting shoulder to shoulder ith ourselves. W« thrust back the enemy on «, wide stretch of country between Pilkem and Holelbcke. The enemy is desperately fighting, and flinging reserves in counter-attacks intended to check the sweeping. advance. Many tanks which Were preceding ar<( now following our infantry. They did marvels against strong points where machine-guns momentarily held the at' 4 tackcrs.

Mr. Gibbs describes the terrific bombardment preceding the attack, also tho British raids by day and night to eoo what strength was massing against us, Russia lured, and the enemy, despite our j threat, sent eix divisions to the Eastern front, but simultaneously relieved many divisions which had been broken by our fife, replacing them by the freshest and strongest troops. Our guns caught the German? relieving trenches. Thus ths 52nd Reserve Division stepped right into an inferno of life. The weather was against us, for after days of rain there -tfere heavy 9odden clouds, rendering aerial observation almost impossible and greatly hampering our artillery. The night was daxk and fnoist, but luck was With us, aa the threatened storm did not break. Our men were kept back during tho day, as darkness Was in our favor. The assaulting troops formed up for the attack very cloao to the enemy's lines, which were merely fields of craters, from whence our stonr.s of fire swept away all trenches, buildings, and trees. The forward positions were held lightly, and the small grohps, knowing themselves doomed, were awaiting their doom in pits, like animals in death traps.

SUCCESS BEYOND HOPE.

PULL DETAILS UNOBTAINABLE YET. WELSH WIPE OUT CRACK HON -Ui-.. regiments. Received Aug. 2, 12.55 a.m. ' London, Aug. 1. Mr. Philip Gibbs says it is too soon to give details of the battle or a full account of its progress. It was a battle in which, go far, English, Scottish, Welsh and some Australians and New Zealanders all along the line fought hard and obtained good success, oil ground that was as difficult as any that has ever neen a battlefield, owing to the canal swamps. ''i*" 1 ■

Tho enemy was quickly ejected from |iis front line of shell craters, and was thickly massed ou the second line, but lorae threw up their hands immediately, crying, "Mercyl" The Soots rushed the place and finally the Germans hoisted a white flag, others even their firing. The WelSi wiped out the famous 3rd Guards' divisions. Our success was as great as we dared to hope. Beyond Ypres, on the Menia road, there was a big tunnel, where the English lads expected trouble, but found only forty-one men, who forthwith surrendered. Some of the enemy's troops are young hoys, but the majority are older and tougher men. The French fighting with us kept pace with their usual gallantry.

OVERWHELMING TUMULT.

GROUND R00F59 'FOR (MILES BEHIND.

A DEATH'S VALLEY. Received 'Aug. 2, 12.5 :a.m. Lend on, Aug. 1. Mr. Philip Gibbs continues: The enemy in the less damaged second line defences appeared in greater strength, as the flares tlience ascended all night. Scores of thousands of our men, lying in the wet earth puddles and mud holes, watched tho flares, hoping they would not. be discovered before the order to advance <\va3 given, They lay silently while the shells passed or smashed <*mong them. The enemy's aircraft was bolder than in the daytime. They came out at night and swooped over the places where they imagined our batteries were hidden, and dropped bombs, but, seeing nothing, their aim was bad and the damago unimportant

Shortly after half-past three the noise of the artillery Was quickened and intensified to a monotonous, overwhelming tumult, so great indeed that twelve miles behind lihe lines big houses moved —shaken with the great trembling. People farther away were awakened with fear. The drumfire did not slacken for hours. It beat over the countryside at. nine in tho morning, with the same, I great rafale of terror as when it started thundering. Our two thousand guns or more were jmsweTcd by the enemy's barrage over Wafnetown and Costavdre, in the valley of Belmy and Messines ridge. The enemy placed an apipaliing fire along our line. Shells of the heaviest calibre burst monstrously and raised great pillars of white smoke. It was a death valley, wherein our men were fighting for the slopes beyond. Carrying all objectives according to time-tablo, the troops of the two nations, in ono great irresistible aasault, reached the height on the Pilkem ridge.

THE FRENCH REPORT.

HEAVY LOSSES INFLICTED. TRENCHES CHOKED WITH GERMAN * , (DEAD. Aits, and N.Z, Cable Assoc. and Reuter. ! Received Aug. 1, 9.55 p.m. *' London, Aug.' 1, A French communiquo states: After crossing the Yser canal at night, the French at 4 a.m. attacked in conjunction with the British, On their right, formidable artillery preparations completely levelled the ■German organisations and inflicted heavy losses. 'By the end of the morning we had captured both enemy positions. Oui troops ardently passed the objective and advanced on the Lizerae-Dixmduo road, capturing Bixschoote and the Kortekere cabaret. Our losses are insignificant. We took much material and many prisoners. The battlefield U covered with German dead. Artillery on the Aisnp is most violent.

•Details of tho itoyere lighting show that the oPreneh on the whole battlefront exceeded their objectives. They Wcto able .to clean up trenches choked with German dead. Tho enemy, at 11 a.m., attacked west of Chewegny, but were repulsed. Three German regiments attacked east of Oerny, but were driven back immediatej ly by counter-attacks.

MORE HUN ATROCITIES.

A' "FAMILY, BRUTALLY MURDERED. Received August) I, 5,0 p.m. Amsterdam, July 31'. The Germans Bent«iu!ed to death a Liege merchant, his wife and two daughters, on on unproved charge of espionage. They shot the parents in the daughters' presence, and then offered a reprieve to the latter if they revealed their parents' accomplices. The elder girl refused and was shot, while the younger was tori tured, outraged, and finally shot.