WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 October 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

OFFENSIVE RESUMED.

I RECAPTURE «F BREWERY. ADVANCE OF SOME HUNDREDS OF YARDS. HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES. Received Oct. 23, 7.5 s.m. London, Oct. 22: Correspondents at th»front state that despite the thick mist and strengthened machine-gun defences, we re-captured the ruins of the brewery adjoining: Poelcappelle, after heavy fighting, and made progress some hundreds of yards near Houthulsb Forest and northward of Poel'cappelle a counter-attack involved the enemy in heavy losses. A later message records another fierce counter-attack along the railway. Visibility has improved, enabling our gunners to exadS a severe toll from the enemy. VIOLENT ARTILLERY STRUGGLE. . EFFECTIVE AERIAL WORK Received Ot. 23, 11.40 p.m. London, Oct. 23. A French communique says: During the day tho enemy artillery replied feebly. In Belgium our troops consolidated their positions on the conquered ground north of Veldhoek. In the attack this morning two field guns.were captured. Tho artillery struggle is violent in the iPine de Chevrigny, in the Pantheon sector, and the Cerny region. There have been fairly lively artillery actions in Avoourt wood, north of Chaume wood. Between October 11th and 20th nineteen enemy machines and three balloons were brought down, and twenty-eight aeroplanes were seriously damaged. GREAT AERIAL ACTIVITY.

SIXTEEN GERMAN MACHINES BROUGHT DOWN.

Received Oct. 23, W.ZS p.m

London, Oct. 22.

' Sir Douglas Haig reports: There was fine weather and an iinporvcinent in visibility on Sunday, and much artillery observation -work resulted. Four tons of bombs were dropped on aerodromes near Courtrai, Roulers, and on big gun positions near Douai. Three tons were dropped during the night time on Roulers, and Lichtervelde railway stations, where Area started, as well as at the abovementioned aerodromes, Ono pilot, reaching tyie aerodromes as the enemy's night bombing machines were leaving, dropped bombs amongst them. There was heavy air fighting, chiefly well over the enemy's line. Sixteen hostile machines were brought down. Eight of ours are missing, including a night bomber. The naval squadrons attached to the army have been fighting throughout these operations, and acconntud. lor a large share of the machine* brought down.' The Australian jquairons, who hitherto have been training, commenced active work, and already have proved themselves worthy of the high opinion formed of them on arrival. ANGLO-FRENCH ATTACKS. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS SUCCESSFUL AIR RAIDS. j London, Oct. 22. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Early this morning we carried out local attacks astride the Ypres-Staden rnihv.iv The French co-operated on our left. Progress is reported to be satisfactory. Admiralty naval aircraft yesterday afternoon bombed Vlisseghem and Houttav« aerodromes. The bombs appeared to burst, accurately. Enemy aircraft attacked our boml>ers. All ours returned. Five of our scouts, during reconnaissance patrols, engaged twenty hostile scouts, destroyed two and drove two down. One of our pilots is missing. A French communique says: —We attacked this morning in Belgium to the left of the British army on a front of a kilometre and captured all our objectives. We made appreciable progress north of Veldhock and took prisoners. Our scouts penetrated tho enemy line at various points south-west of St. Qucntin, north of Minnejean Farm in the Pantheon region, and at Tahure. The artillery duel continued on the entire Aisne front.

SKELETON GERMAN REPORT. (London, Oct. 22. A wireless official German message says:—There was very intense artillery fire all night between Houthulst Wood and the Comines-Ypres CanaJ. It increased to drum Are this morning, and the French and British attacked between Draibank and Poelcapelle. BOMBARDMENT OP OSTEND. Received Oct. 23, 0.20 ,p.m. London, Oct. 22. The Admiralty reports that our ships bombarded naval works at Ostend on Sunday. Photographs show that the results were satisfactory.