WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

| THE BIGGEST DAY'S FIGHTING | DETAILS op operations. ~ London, Sent. 27. A.r. (J 1 bit 9 says that Wednesday will be counted as one of the biggest davs in . c "?'ti"S of lhi * war. The decision w ol vital importance both to the encmv and ourselves. Thus far it has gone in our favor. The battalions on the Australians' "glu h.iu tl.e hardest time. They were firnler incessant fire and attack from dawn on Tuesday, but other British troops oil their right, who were also severely tried, swept across to a ridge towards Gheluvelt. It was fullv expected that any attempt to advance beyond the ground gained in the battle of the 20th would meet with the fiercest opposition. The capture of the Polygon Wood has seriously lessened the value of the lassehendaele Ridge, which forms the enemy's great defensive barrier. The enemy showed signs of desperate anxiety to check us on the Polygon Wood line and the ground southward to the Gheluvelt spur. They made a great effort by massed artillery to smash the organisation behind our lines, and bv a series of thrusts to break the front." They launched the first attack: on Tuesday morning against the British troops immediately to the right of the Australians at Polygon Wood, and, owing to their losses, the British wore obliged to fall back a little way j„ on [ el . to re-organise for the counter-assault. Several British units did heroic things meanwhile the Australians were fighting on the high ground on this side of the racecourse. The enemy failed to pierce the line, though a second thrust was attempted at midday.

AUSTRALIANS' GOOD WORK. Mr. Gibbs savg that at -2 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon the Australians sent men to help the troops on their right who were passing through a terrible ordeal owing to the continual pressure of the enemy's s torm troops. This was a, serious anxiety on the eve of the newbattle, but failed to frustrate Wednesday's attack. At dawn the Australians were already massed beyond the Glencorse Wood for the contemplated attack, and further north other soldiers were ready to go over the hags. It was almost dark when they went forward through a wet thick mist. Our artillery put up the game monstrous line of barrage fire, and the troops followed at a slow pace, giving them time to avoid the shell craters. GERMANS RUNNING AND FALLING Through the mist our men saw the Germans running and falling, man," did not even stay in the blockhouses. Dead Germans were also found in the shell craters a* they advanced. Thus Boefeleer and Zonnebeke were taken. The garrisons of some pill-boxes were killed by the concussion, ai:d others ed directly the British arrived. RACECOURSE CAPTURED. , The Australian advance across the racecourse and northward across the spur to below Zonnebeke Chateau was steady and successful. There was a regular chain of blockhouses here, but again the black magic of the pill-box failed, and most of the defenders were glad to surrender. The enemy's gunfire was heavy over part of the ground, and a nest of machine-guns along the road gave trouble, but the losses were not heavy.

British aircraft brought the first news that the Anzaca had captured the racecourse, and later reported that they had reached their furthest goal, where prisoners were surrendering freely. FOUR SEVERE COUNTER-ATTACKS 'Sir Douglas Halg says:—Later accounts show that the fighting yesterday afternoon and evening was exceedingly severe The enemy spared no efforts to regain the important ground captured. He made four separate counter-attacks in great strength on our new front from Tower Hamlets to the St. JiUien-Graven-etafol Road. The struggle was most severe in the area southward of Polygon Wood, where English, Scottish, Welsh and Australian troops defeated repeated attempts to break into the positions. All the enemy attacks were repulsed., and his losses were extremely heavy. Later in the evening the fighting died down, leaving us in possession o[ the ground captured. ENEMY EJECTED FROM HIS POSITIONS. After n severe struggle lasting all day. English and Scottish battalions ejected the enemy from his positions and accomplished their allotted task, securing the flfenk of our principal attack. We relieved two companies of the Argyll and Sutherland ers, who had held out with great gallantry during the night in a forward position in which they were isolated by the enemy. Later another counter-attack of great Btrength developed in this sector where fierce lighting continues.

FURTHER GAINS. The Australians further north cleared the remainder of Polygon Wood and captured the trench system eastward, which formed their day's objectives: On the Australian left English, Scot-, tish, and Welsh battalions penetrated the defences to a depth of nearly a mile, stormed Zonnebeke, and gained their objectives. A counter attack eastward of Polygon Wood was repulsed. North Midland and London Territorials, attacking; on the left on both sides of the Wieltje-Gravenstafel and St. Julien-Gravenstafel Roads, captured their objectives and beat off a counterattack. Our line here was advanced to a depth of half a mile across ■ country defended by many fortified farms and concreted redoubts. Tho enemy, in the afternoon, launched a second counter-attack with larger forces, and pressed us hack a short- distance oil a narrow front. Our counterattack recaptured the bulk of the lost ground. Over 1000 prisoner, were taken, and there were very large numbers of German dead. The enemy's losses wero again heavy.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT. A DAY OF BITTKR, SAVAGE EFFORT. 'London, Sept. 27. Mr. Pevrival Phillipg states that Wednesday's attack coinmoiifed in .1 heavy mifl and in semi-darkness. H involved a number of new German divisions in lighting of the moat determined chsiracI pi-. Their efforts to hold the British in check caused them severe losses. By .11 o'clock the British were encaged in cleaving dug-outs in the western outskirts nf Zomicheko village, and the Australians fighting on t!ie eastward ♦lope beyond the Polygon Wood. This success followed a, day of almost tonlinnous attacks by German storm troops on both sides of tha Mcnin road They Irove repeatedly against the Tower Hamlets ridge and the Australian lino in Polygon Wood. We shall remember Tuer.Jay as a day of bitter savage elt'ort by the Hun, iii which he employed every man and gun he could scrape together in order to try to regain a footing on the scarred hills beyond Ypres. Troops from the Homo Counties and Scotland at the Tower Jlamlets ridge bore the 'brunt of the storm, which ended in a German defeat. „ The coveted slopes are now covered with their dead, ADVANCE OF 1000 YARDS. Th fighting at Zonnebekn and Polygon Wood on Wednesday involved an advance of 1000 yards. We already held the Anzae and Zonnebeke redoubts, and tho western half of Polygon Wood., The hardest work fell on the Fnglish and Scottish troops attacking below the Polygon Wood, who had to retake the steep slope at Tower Hamlets lost during the German counter-attacks. They advanced from the marshes, and Tower Hamlet ridgo was the scene of close quarters fighting. 'By 7 o'clock all our goals were reached, and tho Prussian reinforcements brought up at night were evicted, though ordered to stick at all costs.

GERMANS WASTE' MEN'FREELY. We have an unobstructed view to Zandvoorde from the Tower Hamlets ridge, and elsewhere we overlook Becel*erc and Gheluvelt, reducing the opportunities for German counter-attacks. Nevertheless the Germans to-day wasted men freely. When Zonnebeke was. taken the Germans could b<! seen coming over the ridge from Passehendaele until our guns swept them away. A MENACE AVERTED. AUSTRALIANS GIVE TIMELY AID. Received Sept. 23, 10.40 p.m. London, Sept. 28. Mr. Philip Gibbs says the menace to the right wing on \\ ednesday was averted by the English and Scottish units, and the quick, skilful and generous help of the Australians. The latter, realising the dangerous situation wherein their right flank exposed, sent, a body of troops to strike southward am! thrust hack the German outposts, and established, after fierce fighting, defensive posts capable of holding off any likely attack. They had shared all the peril with their comrades on the right, passing through the same tornado of shelling, and fully appreciated their tenacity and valor.

A WAR OFFICE EXPLANATION. OF GERMAN MISLEADING STATEMENTS. A. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received Sept. 28, f1.50 p.m. London, Sept. 28. The War Office points out that the communique states that we gained less ground on the 20th thm on tlu 1 20th This is perfectly true, but the objectives set were smaller. All the objectives were gained. The War Office adds that Ludendorff, in purposely misleading phrases, describes the fighting near Zonnebeke and Ghelwelt, ard omits to state that tho Germans lost Zonnebeke, though lie emphasises the retention of Ghheluvelt, which was outside the British objectives. THE GERMAN VERSION.

REVERSES ADMITTED. A. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received Sept .28, 10.5 p.m. London, Sept. 23. Wireless German official; The battle in Flanders has proceeded without interruption all day and all night. At least twelve enemy divisions, often accompanied by tanks, advanced between Mangelaares and Hollebeke. YVf repulsed repented assaults astride of the Largcmarek road. The enemy penetrated a kilometre between St. .Tulien and the Menin —Yptes road. There was stubborn fighting at Zonnebeke iV-Tdl (iheluvelt. The latter'place remained in our hands. Repeated assults more to the southward broke down. FRENCH REPULSE ATTACKS.

WITH HEAVY LOSSES. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Keuter. Deceived Sept. 28, 8.10 n.m. •London, Sept. 27. A French communique states: After a violent bombardment of our positions from Los lieaux Leron to the west of Cerny, the enemy last night attacked south of Arbrede and Cerny, 'but our fire repulsed them with heavy losses. A second attack between the Casemates and California plateaux was also repulsed. . RAILWAYS BOMBED. London, Sept. 27. The Admiralty reports that naval air■craffc dropped many tons of hombs on Tuesday night on Thouroufc, Liehtervelde and Cortemnrck junctions and scored several direct hits on the lines. All returned.

, VICTORY WELL MAINTAINED. j . AUSTRALIANS BEAU CHIEF ; » OPPOSITION. ENEMY WAVES SCATTERED. ALL VITAL POINTS HELD. Received Sept. 20, 12.50 a.m. London, Sept. 2S. Mr. Percival Phillips states that oiir latest victory has been well maintained. Tho German losses were even greater than was thought yesterday, whilst ours wore exceptionally light in many places and were nowhere serious. The Australians encountered the principal opposition around Butte, in the north-eastern corner of Polygon Wood, but the obstacle waa finally rushed. Nine oounter-attaekK in various stages of preparation broke against the Australian front before Thursday morning, and only two succeeded in approaching within rifle range. When the local enemy reserves were exhausted, the ircsh 230 th Division was thrown into the battle. Three waves, under a heavy, barrage, came on steadily until the Australians got the captured machine-guns into action.' Then the waves halted and finally lied, leaving many dead on the field. There was no further attack against the Australians, wdio during tho night were able to consolidate the new position along the forward slope below the Polygon Wood and turn the German defences against the enemv.

The Australians, on Thursday morning, near the south-east corner of Polygon Wood pushed on along the lleutelbeek, meeting little opposition. The fighting around Zonnebeke was very severe, but the enemy has not shaken our hold cui the village or forced our withdrawal from any vital point. Prisoners are greatly depressed at the failure of the ■new pillbox system of defence. SEVEN ASSAULTS REPULSED. HE AW' LOSSES INFLICTED. BRITISH POSITIONS IMPROVED. OBSTINATE AIR HGHTS. Aus. and N.Z, Cable Assoc. and Reuter Received Sept. 28, 10.20 p.m. London, Sept. 2S. Sir Douglas B'aig reports: After all our objectives were gained yesterday, seven powerful counter-attacks in the afternoon and evening were repulsed with heavy enemy losses. We took prisoner yesterday ) 014. including 48 officers. Our casualties were light. We today improved our positions southward of Polygon Wood. Our airmen encountered strong opposition, and there were heavy losses on both sides. Fifteen «nemv machines were downed, while thirteen of ours are missing.

FEROCIOUS GERMAN ATTACKS MINOR POSITIONS TAKEN. BUT MOSTLY REGAINED. Received Sept. 28, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 27. The United Press correspondent- emphasises the ferocious nature of the German counter-attacks, whith ended fruitlessly. Heavy shelling forced the British to retire slightly immediately northward nf Zonnebeke. Tn consequence of this the Zonnebeke station was recaptured, but the major portion of Zonnebeke remained in British hands. The Germans nl-o won s.,me minor local positions at Wiuzic Farm and Vale lloii6<?. but the British regained a portion of these. The British repulsed, with heavy sloughter, enemy attacks everywhere southward of Menin road, in tile regions of Jut Farm and Cameron House. ANZAOS RESIST HOT ASSAULT. The enemy hotly assaulted the Anzacs' position southward of the railway, but, after the heaviest losses, abandoned the. attempts,'not gaining an inch of ground. TRIBUTE TO HIGHLANDERS.

The correspondent pays a tribute to the splendid spirit of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in refusing to surrender, although practically without food and drink for twenty hours. The ground was littered with German corpses when they were relieved. ABUSE OF WHITE FLAG. CULPRITS KILLED LIKE RABBITS. SOME DARING CAPTURES. Received Sept. 28, 7.25 p.m. London, Sept. 27. Mr. Gihnour, writes: An officer relates that in one pillbox the Germans hoisted the white flag, while they continued ma-chine-gunning. Our boys went mad and shot them down like rabbits. Prisoners indicated a number of officers who were hiding in a dugout four hundred yards ahead. This meant going into their own barrage, but our men surprised a battalion commander, live officers, and a number of privates. Scores of machineguns were also captured and turned against the Bosches.

Another officer staled that just before jumping off he found, between the first and second Australian lines, a wandering German patrol, which was promptly captured before it could givu tho alarm, which would have drawn fire upon thousands who were lying thickly down the ridge. AERODROMES AND GOTHAS BOMBED. A. and X.Z. Cable Assoc and Rente?, •Received Sept. 20, 1.40 a.m. London, Sept, 28. •The Admiralty reports that naval aeroplanes to-day bombed the St. Denis Westrem aerodrome; also sheds and fifteen Gothas, which were lined up at the aerodrome. A direct hit was observed on the latter. All the aeroplanes returned safely. ..