WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

THE GREAT HAMMER-BLOW,

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPORT. GREAT PROGRESS.

London, Oct. 5, 'Sir Douglas Haig reports: English, Australian and Now Zealand Divisions delivered the assault. Among the English troops were battalions from 28 counties, also a few battalions from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.

Rapid progress was made at all points from the start. Only a short advance was intended southward of the Mcnin Road, where tho objectives were readied at an early hour. English battalions north of the road carried, after sharp fighting, the hamlet of Polderhoek and Polderhoek Chateau, and expelled the enemy from numerous farms and small woods south and east of Polygon Wood.

The Australians captured MolenorclsJioek, and cleared the houses on the Zonnebeke-Broodseinde Road. * The New Zealanders took GravenstaFel. The English, on their left, continued the line of our advance and reached the outskirts of Poelcapelle. The first objectives were gained on the whole front of attack shortly after tho assault opened. _ Our advances against the final objectives were carried out in accordance with plan, and wore equally successful. The English took the villages of Rentel and Noordemhoek, and secured the high ground overlooking Bccelaere. The Australians captured Broodseinde and established themselves well over the crest of the ridge, five miles east «f Ypres, giving observation east. The English on the left of our attack oarried the bulk lof Poelcapelle, and secured the line of their objectives east of Poelcapelle Church.

The whole of tho objectives were captured before mid-day. _ Statements by prisoners, and the identification of German units and the num. hers of German dead, show that our attack anticipated by a few minutes an attack by five German divisions against our front from Polygon Wood to Zonnebeke. The barrage descended on the onemy's assembling troops, and their attack did not materialise. Our infantry overwhelmed thoso escaping the artillery lire.

Owing to the enemy's losses in this area few counter-attacks have yet developed. Two w n rc attempted early in the afternoon east of Cravenstafel.'and were broken by our fire. Another northeast of Langemarck led to severe fighting, but failed to drive us from tho positions gained. Later in the afternoon three counterattacks south-east of Polygon Wood were unsuccessful.

The enemy's losses throughout the whole fighting were exceedingly heavy, largely owing to the unusual number of German troops on the battlcfront at the outset of our attack. Our casualties were light.

We captured a few guns and much material.

Low clouds and a high west wind on Wednesday made aerial work almost impossible. Four machines attempted to bomb enemy aerodromes. One bombed its objective and two bombed other targets. Few hostile aircraft were seen.

MOST IMPORTANT VICTORY OF WAR. , HINDENBUiRG'S DEFENCES VULNERABLE. ALLIES' LINE INTACT. London, 5. The United Press says that to-day the line is substantially intact. The todies of Prince Rupprecht's storm troops are lying in ghastly postures before the British positions. The prisoners art; probably more numerous than at first reported. The weather improved during the night, and there was a brilliant sun ; rise this morning. 'Hindenburg's defences have been definitely proved vulnerable. The British barrage levelled a wide defensive zone, forcing the Germans to give up a complete trench system which had become a death trap. Hindenburg's pill-boxes and conlcreted shell, craters over a wide zone did not meet the German expectations raised in the early summer battles. Yesterday's seven counter-attacks all faded away before reaching their 'objectives, except at minor points, leaving the victory as a whole untarnished. There was little activity at night, every indication pointing to the complete disorganisation of the enemy. The Anzac Division fought like tigers and deserve special praise. The battle is probably the most important victory of the war. London, Oct. fi. ■

Sir Douglas Haig reports that the enemy heavily shelled the new positions eastward of Ypres which our troops are engaged in organising. We drove oil' raider, northward of Gouzeaucourt with loss, and, repulsed three raids in the neighborhood of. Lens.

THREE STAGGERING BLOWS. ENEMY SENT REELING BACK. FOR A DISTANCE OF THREE MILES, Beuter Service. Received Oct. Q, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 5. Beuter's correspondent at British headquarters reports that the fruits of yesterday's victory have been held. There were no infantry attacks during the night, demonstrating the fact of German exhaustion. The third enemy counter-attack yesterday advanced in great strength yesterday late iu the [afternoon, bending our line back slightly, necessitating, however, only trilling modification of the front, which has absolutely no bearing upon the general tactical results achieved.

Within a fortnight we have struck the enemy in Flanders three staggering blows in a very vital spot, and sent him reeling back about three miles. We liave taken about nine thousand prisoners and inflicted casualties conservatively calculated at forty thousand.