OBSTINATE COUNTERATTACKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1917, Page 5

OBSTINATE COUNTERATTACKS.

EXCEPTIONALLY HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES. OVER 3000 PRISONERS. Aus. and X.Z. Cable Assoc, and Router. Received Sept. 23, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 22. i Sir Douglas Haig reports: Further evij deuce shows the continuous and obstinjate nature of the counter-attacks yester- | I day, wherein tlie enemy suffered exceptionally heavy losses, while not gaining any advantage. Minor righting occurred to-day on different parts of the front We advanced our line at a number of points and have beaten counter-attacks. This morning tho English county troopi on our right captured a collection of trenches and strong concreted points southward of Tower Hamlets. The enemy later launched a powerful counterattack against Tower Hamlets ridge, which we repulsed after heavy fighting The Liverpool and Lancashire regiments eastward of St. Julien gained possession of a fortified farm and cleared up a number of dug-outs and strong points fronting our new position. Our artillery broke, a counter-attack eastward of Langemarck. The number of prisoners taken in yesterday's fighting which have been so far reported exceeds three thousand. AIRCRAFT CO-OPERATION. During the first two hours yesterday, low clouds and drizzling rain made flying almost impossible, but our aeroplanes Hew low and bombed an aerodrome ivear Courb-ai. They also attacked bodies of infantry. The weather improving later, a contact was maintained with our advancing troops, and aeroplanes and balloons carried out observations of locations of troops preparing for counterattack and reported these to the artillery, which dealt with the situation. During the attack our aeroplanes fired 98,000 machine-gun rounds, from a height of ii hundred to a thousand feet, at infantry trenches, shell holes and advanc« ing reinforcements. 'ACTIVITY OF ENEMY AEROPLANES. German aircraft in the middle of the day was active, attempting to interfere with our artillery by bombing and lowflying machines. When the weather im- | proved in the evening they were kept' well to the eastward of their lines mid were disinclined for a fight. Ten enemy machines were destroyed and six driven down. Ten of ours are missing. AERODROMES BOMBED. The Admiralty reports that naval aircraft on the night and morning of September 20-21 dropped a large quantity j of bombs with £ood results on Aertrycke. Sparappelhook, and Thorout aerodromes, also on the Thourout railway station and near the Atelier de Talmarino at Ostend. The Flying Corps patrol assisted to drive oft the numerous enemy aircraft. All ours returned. WASTE OF ENEMY FORCES. Hostile counter-attacks by considerable forces were continued last evening on the Ypres front without result, except as to a heavy increase in the enemy's losses. A powerful counterattack by massed formation on a wide front eastward of St. Julien penetrated one point for a sliort distance in our new positions, but was immediately driven out. We repulsed the enemy at all other points with great loss. BRITISH WHOLE LINE INTACT. \ Our whole line was intact at the end of two hours' fierce fighting. The at- ; tack was delivered with great determination, and enemy losses were exceedingly severe. We completely repulsed [ a strong attack on both sides of the Ypres-Menin road and crushed a counter- ' attack eastward of Langemarck. REPORT BY SIR DOUGLAS ; HAIG. I A COMPLETE SUCCESS. London, Sept. 21. ) Sir Douglas Haig reports that more i detailed accounts' of yesterday's battle I confirm the'completeness of the success. - Local attacks in the evening'in the • neighborhood of Tower Hamlets, northeast of Langemarck, cleared up a number of strong points and'completed the capture of objectives in those localities. It is no\. established that tho enemy casualties were unusually great. There were counter-attacks in the afternoon and' evening, but the clear light enabled us to Obtain warning of impending attacks. Our concentrated fire in every case destroyed. the advancing iifantry. The obstinacy of the enemy attacks only added to his losses without recovering any valuable ground. We consolidated our positions during the night undisturbed. Our losses are light. We scattered small attacks westward of Hatrincoiirt and westward of Lens. FRENCH PRESS JUBILANT. NEW OFFENSIVE MEASURES. B . " Paris, Sept. 21. s The newspapers are overjoyed at the >' British successes. Le Petit Pariaienne • says the attack may be regarded as a " first-class operation. The Allies have f once again affirmed their superiority, de- ? spite unfavorable weather. Ji. Marcel Hutin remarks that the : > chief interest of the battle consists of 8 the occupation of almost the whole of 1 the western plateau which dominates " the region north of Lille and Lille itself. 1 M. Tudesq recalls the assault of July • 31, That battle was a stationary and 1 terrible butchery. It lasted a week and f fifty fierman divisions were, mutilated. 1 but the enemy's powerful defensive sys--1 tern remained intact. The successes now claimed are the result of new offensive methods and gigantic labor, conserving the roads, whereby many -howitzers are brought up close to the enemy's trenches.