WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

ENEMY'S LATEST TACTICS. PREPARED ID SACRIFICE * THOUSANDS. RATHER TEAM LOSE POSITIONS. London, Aug. 17 Mr states that our gain was lu'JO yards on a wide front, and includes Langcmarck. The lino thence runs north towards tlio French. We advanced along c swampy neck, dubbed tile p&uuukl, bounded by deep Hoods oil three sids*. The fighting on our right was moat violent, the enemy repeatedly counterattacking over all the high ground between Nun's Wood and Glencorse Wood to ihc-Haaucbcck river. His lomcb were lush, for although the weather was jUtorjiiy. making the ground bad for us, there wsw lifiiit for our llyerj, and Ui» iwsomMy af cnamy troops was quickly signalled to tie puau, who umaahed tha formations with fjreat slaughter. Tfc? enemy's newest method is to hold (he front line 3 lightly and concentrate the best troopa behind for count®attack" This saves man-power and reduces the casualties, but, vpfaile sound. *t ie the policy of an army fighting a retroat and relinquishing ground at tho behest coat, and Hot returning by the counter-attack to quite the same lias, over ■"'lvich the assailants flowed. More- | over the success in life-saving ia not Croat, beaaiuc tbe Germans tdawusly by <&ell~ftre j The countoj'-attaets aro costly )n j blood. as was illustrated by the counter- | attacks upon the Canadians at Lens, where successive waves were "broken, in I R'Tijc}) mere boys marched shoulder to shoulder according to the traditional fashion, and groat numbers were deBtroycd. The fighting at Langc-m?.rck was greatly impeded l)y the flooded ground. The Irish, ou the extreme right, were engaged in a very fierce fight towards the Polygon Wood, over frightful ground, the enemy was in very great strength, but the Irish made headway befora they Were faced by masses of fresli Germah ■troop* advancing in the wake of an infernal t,lu>U Sre. Mr. Gibbs concludes: The battle continues md the result is uncertain. Many battalions on both sides are heavily en- ! gaged. The enemy is prepared to lose | 'iT'i-und* railicr than sacrifice these dcI £«ntive positions. j The Fmich progressed rapidly, tiieir ; onlf treubie being the Champ Aubert I :ft stiongliold. They turned all their guns j upen it, and ultimately the white flag i appeared above the ruins, and the sixty ] survivors surrendered. The frightful gunfire demolished the enemy. A German colonel who was taken prisonar v«a dejected and nerve-«hakea. Ha »sie freely of kia men's great losses. I 'Hi*/ Belonged to the reserve division, ! 'li bad hitherto been holuiuir Lansrctuarck. greatest sufferers was n battalion of tho 2<s2nd which Was broken in pieces by the British attack acroi the Haanebeck river. HEAVY NIGHT FIGHTING. THE GALLANT CANADIANS. London, Aug. 17. Sir Douglas Haig reports that tlis aaemy twice counter-attacked tho restored positions. We ropulsed a further counter-attack. There is great rociprojwl artillery activity eastward of Yprea. United Service. London, Aug. 17.

? Hoaw night fighting developed on the ' outskirts of lent,, the Bavarians chargj ini)- and counter-cbargin* the ' Canadians, madly but vainly making elforts to retake. Hill 70. Eventually the | PnisHan Guards, a'dinjr the Bavarians, ' jfttiackM the centre of the new iLtna J battle front, but fell back under artil- * lery and machine-gun fire. Fresh troops came up tho eastern slopes of -Hill 70, " forcing the Canadian posts back on the (eft to yesterday morning's line. The Canadians soon drove them out in confusion, de-establishing the positions westward <jf Cite Augusts and repulsing eoantcr-atacks. Tho Germans loft a considerable number of guns in the mod. GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. 5 AIR RAID ON ENEMY TERRITORY. i! ■. Ails, and X.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received Aug. 19, 5.5 p.*. , London, Aug. 17. A French communique states: In Belgium, the enemy attack on our new posiptiqns on both sides of the Steeubeek I completely failed, liw >nemy yesterday ji'voirny, after an intense bombard moni, vigorously attacked on a two kilometre i front between Vauclerc Mill and tb» ' California Plateau, inclusive, but we roijmlsed the attack by artillery and riflo jJire. T!c did not succeed in reaching our ' j lines anywhere. Violent repeated attacks on tfib positions we recently won j east of Cerny were also sanguinarily defeated. After a sricro ttoirtbardment, the Germans yesterday avening violently attacked between Quirierea wood and Bezoniaux, on the right bank of the I \Jou:p but were repulsed almost every- ■ where. The enemy gained a footin? in the advance elements of our first line. Cc. aeroifftiiet actively participated in the operation!. Tlie Admiralty .efforts: Naval aerou. jidnighw on Thursday, dropped many tons of homba on Thorout railway 6tation and caiaed firea Tt is believed some ammunition dumps were hit. Tho railway was damaged Our maehiiws returned

THE FtGHTWiG pCSCRIBED. OSE 0® THE MOST HEROIG M& SANGUINARY DAYS. SHELL HOLES AND LARKS OF WATER. Australian Cable Association. Eeceived Aug. IS, 5.5 pjn. London, Aug. 18. M;. Philip Gibba reports that tki I faaitle of Langeiuarek on Thursday anU ! ail utrugglea in the vicinity oi Inverness j Uupw, was one of the uiwit heroia iuut Wftw&ggt daya of 1 fighting iii th* w*. liku t&maxy put up a resjatansti^ arncept where puny, underfed boys wer« thrust out in shell holes a.-, at Laugowarck, while behind tUeui, prepaxed foi the ultimate counter attack, wero soma of the finest troops, including the 54th j Division, which had been already severely mauled by gunfire, and was utterly , wAuutoted, but others, like the U£k, w4tca facing tiio Londoners \yu£* , tr«idi jvad svruug, having only iu»t bam placed in the battle lino. Jiiflund wunediato supporting troops wera maised reserves, held ready to be hurried to any part that was most threatened, , i where counter attacks might inflict | neatest damage. Xho gun-powor' jin enemy w«a strong, and was pro- ■ t .c*l l'«r tixa great ■ nuue«rifflv><aoa o3T , t,teste «n tho south-east of our right fimk. , VViatever his reserves ot ammunition!n*y be, he had gathered great stores fur-; ' IMs battle. r 'DIE BIG DOOB TO TSB EU22BS. We oeeajpied the Ugh ground or our right, while he hekl &e firsst of tfWjfgon Wood, the slopes of Abraham height* i and the (irauenstafel ridge. Tliis is tho big door that he must slam in crur fac» at ail costs, becauuu it opees out th» plains. Our men now walk over grotu&a that is hideous, and worse than Uiu i tomme in winter. We are fighting amidst hundreds of thousands of shell i holes, from three to ten feet deep and t half full of water, many being oonnectiid and forming lakes deep enough to , drown men ami horses, Such l is tho ■ present position around Langetaarck, i Ulencoes wood, Inverness copse, Shrew&- . bury forest and the Polygon wood. MOST SPLENDID AND TRAGIC EPISODE. The courage a man attacking over such giound must need is great, and tho grim stubbornness wherewith our soldiers advanced through thase bogs would uot be beateu though th«y (tipped, fell ind stuck deep, wliilo maehiiwt-gun bullets played on their lines and high ox- [ piosives burst along tha bogland through which they were compelled to pass wan one of tic most apiendid and tragiw things on record. On ojir left we gained all the ground as planned, but it was ' different ou thu right, w<here the enemy (ought his hardest and coustter-attaclsd snout fiercely, ami where he often conwatrated his heaviest artillery. ■ DESPERATE FIOHTim Here the Irish and English county hoops and tho London battalions, all being involved in desperate fighting. Uhen withdrawing under pressure, they made the enemy pay a big price in blood for portions of the old ground. The Londoners fought thei; way wjlth great .dash at tHeucoch wood and Nun's wood. | Parties of th# Middlesex regiments were entering the Polygon wood and bringing out prisoners, but the enemy was very strong at the Zonnebeke position, to the north-west. HEROIC LONDONERS. Counter-attacks developed southwards »nd northwards, and the Londoners were shut in by a terrible gunfire. Many of their irroUTH ware in exoosed poeitkme.

| and fought separate battles against odd§ j while trying to hold the rearguard pear I tioiis while their comrades retreated in | good order. This they did until they j .lied, or tbe remnants reluctantly aur- ; rendered. ' ' A Fraach communique states: In Bel- ' gitun tlie Germans made no fresh at- ! tempt. Our trocrp3 are organising the i eopturexi ground north-east of Bixi whoote, from Diogiaehi-en to the river Uroenveek, and tie islets where the enemy is resisting. We have now taken 400 prisoners, and captured 15 guns, besides numerous machine-guns The cannonade is rather lively at different points on the Aiane front, particularly in tlie district of tlie plateau before Oraonne. There were 250 shells thrown on Rhcims. On the right of the Meuse tho artillery duel continues violently in tho Couriercs wood-Bezonvanx seotot, Spaoial guiis brought down two enemy atroplaaes< FUTILE ENEMY COUNTS?ATTACKS. MOKE AIR WKJHTS. Received Aug. 20,12.55 a.m. A. and N.Z, Cable Assoc. and Ronton. London, Aug. 19. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Two enemy lioimterattaeks wore made this morning eastward of Loos, in tho neighborhood of the Borshugo. Our barrage and machine guns drove back tlie first attack, and the enemy, supported by flamenwerfer, failed in the second attack. Twelve German iferoplanoc were brought «down, and IS were driven down. Twelve, of ours are missing. POOR AHD A HALF MILLION GERMAN CASUALTIES. Received Aug. 19; 5.5 p.m. London, Aug. 18. A message estimates the German cas:unities at 4% million. __ ZEEBRW3GE BOMBED. Reeeiwd Aug. 20, 12.55 a.m. Amsterdam, Aug. 19. Tlie Telegraaf states that the Allied airmen on Friday morning made a great attftck on Zeebrugge, a large ijunaiHty of iombs being dropped.

BRTTiffiH REGAIN LOST PGSJTiONS. BUP.XIIiiH PROGRESS MADS, GREAT AERIAL ACTIVITY, A. and N.Z. Cable A<asaa. and Renter. Received Aug. 19, G. 5 pan. London, Aug. 18. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The Preach slightly improved their position in tho neighborhood of the Sftecnbeck river. The enemv did not attempt any furtiar ; wunter-attaeks. Tho Anglo-French have now «ap£ured •*§*«, fcniiifag a number of fowl*. W» »mm 4 tfe position.? on tt* %»m wfahb w<fre captured yoaiatd»y, and again progressed westward of tens. jTha priaSners ill this area, now Amount to 1120. We successfully radied Eastward of Vermelles, reaching tho en. amy's support line. Our aerapfoncj provad atiperior, although the weather twmdwei it diSiault for damagst! ma«Mw» to xa&Aa a»r tram Ott «««- ptamwi ep*n*W UM««t£a% »8 day, fenppfeg W, tan ai Utaiafte «R jmtov dromw, rsSwar station* mA While others harassed aad m&ehiaeguaned the German intantry and gunners. We brought' down 15 enemy ma,-, sbtaeg and drove down 11. Elavcn of ears ure sawing. , GERMANS BADLY BROKEN. 8W» PKUSSULN CUABSS WSKEIMJOBI Times Serviee. Received Aug. JB, 5.5 pjn. London, Aug. 17. ' Mr. Robinson estimates that 6000 JiUifiian Guards were wiped out in tho sitack on the Canadian front. The Seventh, Eighth, and Eleventh German Divisions were badly broken. "IN OUR FAVOR." WHAT THE GERMAN'S SAY. L t_ suui N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Received Aug. 19, 5.5 p.m. London, Aug. 113. A wireless German official report saye; The second day of the Flanders l>a,ttlc was decided in our favor. The AnjtoFranch yesterday mornitg attiwtoad * front of thirty kilometres Tvale Lys, and o»«rran our aiT»we«d posts an tie Yser canal, liaw IfcteTmchia* Th#y e&ptuied ground n«rUtr"r(l and eastward of Bixschoote and y near Langemarok. They advan,- m tar as Poelcapelle. We re-captured marek and other poaitioot. The enemy also penetrated near St. Julian, and numerous points m tar m W« regain ad #w p#«iti«K fast uu Loati, and took prtoonur six •iundxed in the Caurisrs wood Wo sfeet down sixteen aeropla&sfi. There was ai: artillery duel on the coast north-eastward of Ypres. The enemy launched in the afternoon a strong eurpriso local attack astride the Boo-<un?he-Stadeii railway, with' the result Ihat we lost Laagemarek, after severe CfthUng. We occupy a flat bond in front of the village. We brought down 28 ; aeroplanes, GERMAN OFFICIAL LIES; EXPOSED BY THE BRITISH. Received, Aug. Ift, 5.5 p.m London, Aug 1 . 18.

1 The Press Bureau sports: To-day's #«rmaii official contains a series of lajsrifttements, It is untrue that wo attacked betweeji Y [ires and Men in road, on the [,ys river, the former bcimj wi flunk. The enemy did flot attuuip* '<■ recover Langemarck. A British »'■ (icar at six in flic evening reportnl th*' we hold Laogetmwck, also a eon»Wi«raM< length of tho German positions *i®M buodred metres northward. Tie communique's reference to Yvl eapelle is obrio'i'ly infeM?..! ' > wnvcy the iuipvuii.-ion Umt the Brtl'fb lV>! -«5 to reach an imaginary uteUnt objective, tt is n'lftieifnt to stale thftt the British gained all their objectivw jivrthwurd of Lens en. Wednesday and northward of St, Julien on Thursday The statement that four Canadian divisions attacked an Wednesday & ail exaggeration. BRITISH SORmSB BLOWS. Paris, Au'~-"t 17. M. Marcel Hfctin states nersplanes and artillery are pin . role In tho British methodical adv l Jirected against small objectives Surprise Mows are merely an acomsaEy ot this plan of advance, which the Frenah adopting. Hie Germans need nH export any rest on the West iront. 'USESTOj AEEOBLANE W«RK. London, Aug. 17. Bie Admirattj' repot ts that nivv&l -Mvoplaaes carried out a series of rnl<Js yesterday. They dropped many tons of bombs on tho Ostend and Thouroutiaii' way stitions and Ghistellea aerclromo, causing fires. TWy also attacked Engel fljld Oittei'kerke aerodromes and road transports by aeroplane gunfire. AH the, niaelfflios returned.

FRENCH LINE REESTABLISH F.O* SUCCKSSKJL Affi EASJS. Received Aug. 19, 5.5 p.m. Loudon, Aug. 18. ■ A French communique records pro--flpm aarQi of Bisschioote and Lango- J . (smtik road. They recaptured the trench, oJoBMBtB on tlie right of the x&gtv their line was eaiiirely i littind. 9 One hundred and eleven aeropkuiea •< executed various flights over the enemy r lines yesterday, dropping 3000 kilograms | of projectiles on the aviation grounds art J ; Cfckrwr, Frescati, Hapshri.ua and Cbaml 'Ww Mttmty statieos, alao oa Swbowrf, 9 - Dob-Ms-ilstue, besides btereuaea at Sjpenf court forest. Many explosions and fir as t were observed. Two of our machiaes 1 luo ims&mg. Our aircraft on August KJ • bombed the railway station at Oorte--3 m&rck, resnlting in a violent fire.. We r brought down 7 German aeroplane* yes- ■ fcidoy, and «ght others Jell in the - Bnet, iiamagna. SSIHSS HEEEL COUKIffiB-ATTACa f Reserved Aug. 19, 65 p.sv London, Aug. 18. Sk ttougtas Haig rtnor-te: We «gaul«o<) 'aoMmr ttunter-attfcoK sgalast rissaaify4M#nied positions north-west of Lena. fa eonsidarablo hostile artiltetjri&g in five neighborhood, also north-e.ut or Vpres.