WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

FIRMLY CONSOLIDATED. BRITISH NEW POSITIONS. Received September 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. SI. The United Press correspondent writes that notwithstanding cyclonic shelling places northward of the Ypres-Roulers railway, the British positions to-day were firmly consolidated. Germans northeast of St. Julien, massing for assault, dwindled under our fire, the counter attack not being developed. More northward there were local affairs. We improved our positions southward of the railway. The Germans are shelling intermitentlv, sometimes heavily. A wounded lance-corporal summed up the prevailing impression. He said: "Lot Fritz counter-attack. We are ready for him. By the time our new barrage rolls over him a couple of times, with machine gun variation, ho will be a mighty sick man." NEVER SUCH A BARRAGE. PILL BOXES BLOWN OUT OF GROUND. SririLL HOLES FILLED WITH CORPSES. Received Sept. 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 2i. The correspondent adds: All the troops agree that there never has been such a barrage. It shattered the pillboxes, some being completely blown nut of the ground, the gun crews inside being dead. The concreted, organised shell holes and machine-gun emplacements ■ were filled with corpses, and by the rorwlI side we saw scores of wounded laughing, joking, and drinking tea with the Germans. NEW GERMAN METHODS FAIL. HIGHLANDERS' STRENUOUS WORK. ENEMY FEARFULLY HAMMERED. Received Sept. 23, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 22. 'Mr. Philip Gibbs says that yesterday's attack proved that the new German method of holding lines lightly in blockhouses, with reserves behind for counter- , attacks, has broken down, and if the Germans revert to the old system of strong front lines they will suffer as they suffered on the Somme. The reserve of German divisions which was brought up had a dreadful time, the counter-attacks being particularly fierce against the Highlanders on the Zojpebeke road. On the Australians' left*" the Highlanders were driven back for awhile, but the Scottish rifle fire broke every attack of the German storm troops. Six times the latter came on with much determination, and six times their waves were broken. Finally three German battalions drove ' against the Highlanders at Delva Farm and Rose House. The Highlanders rallied , at eight o'clock and swept the Germans out and away. 1 Mr. Gibbs emphasises the fearful hammering inflicted by the British bom- ' bardment, at least fifty per cent, of the German prisoners being wounded, while many Germans around Polygon Wood 9 and Glencorse Copse were buried in the shell holes between the blockhouses. The blockhouses themselves were smashed up, or so battered that the garrisons were ? dazed and demoralised. ?■ ANOTHER ACCOUNT. Mr. Percival Phillips' account emphaP sised that the Australians were the P centre of the attack. There was much =■ hard fighting between the Roulers rail- * way and the Menin road before they * cleared the Glencorse Wood and Nonne- * boschen. The Australians planted the " Commonwealth flag on Anzac redoubt, * and drove nearly half way through Poly- * gon Wood, yet nearly all their pro--1 gramme was fulfilled to time-table. 8 They went over the parapet at 5.40, y amid heavy shell fire, because distress signals called all the German batteries 7 into action. The barrage caught some e of the stretcher bearers and wounded. i VICTORY GREATER THAN 0 APPEARED. The British victory was even greatei 8 than appeared. Yesterday six counter--1 attacks were repulsed with exceedinglj heavy losses. 1 NOTABLE CHANGE IN GERMAN " OFFICERS. A notable change in the Prussian pris--9 oners is the attitude of the officers, whe are now polite and complimentary. One said: "It has been a great day for the p English. You gained the year's greatest ° victory. It was far greater than Mesh shies." I MINOR OPERATIONS. \ A. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter I Received Sept. 23,11.15 p.m. London, Sept. 23. * A communique states that there ha; been lively artillerying on various sec- ; ' tors, with raids and patrol encounters n THE GERMAN ACCOUNT. ir e Received Sept. 22, 8.45 p.m. '• London, Sept. 21. * Wireless German official: Nine Britisl '" divisions, including several Australian k supported by armored cars and flame'j throwers, made yesterday's attack ir "■ close formation. The enemy penetratec a kilometre deep in our defence &>n< e and advanced further to Passchcndaelc '* He gained ground northward of tin II Ypres-Menin road, but was thrown bad y with the heaviest losses elsewhere. Tli; ■* reinforcements were unable to make fur '' ther progress. The villages in the fight ie ing zone remain ours, .el