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WESTERN ATTACK.

STUBBORN GERMAN FIGHTING. A GIBRALTAR OF SECURITY. London, Oct. 20. The attack began in a drizzle. The ground was slippery; on the ridges, white the lowland bogs were impassable in places. The enemy is fighting stubhornly from fortified farms, reinforced buildings, concreted blockhouses, shell craters and pillboxes. Our airmen participated, and despite the weather, engaged the enemy artillery transports and marching columns behind the lines. Others machine-gunned troops in the front line from a few yards' altitude. British troops at 6.50 a.m. were seen entering pillboxes on Bellevue Spur, one of the most important German positions, which is 2090 yards westward of Pass* chcndaele. Half an hour later they were seen fighting round Polderhoek chateau, where the Tommies were hustling prisoners from the strongest walls, the uppe* floors whereof were sandbagged yards deep, making the cellars and sub-cellars a Gibraltar of security. The French communique adds: —The night was calm along the entire front. North of the Aisne the enemy only replied feebly with artillery. We are organising the captured positions on the south bank of the Oise and Aisne Canal, the bridges of which the retreating enemy blew up. The Germans re-attack-ed north of Chaume Wood to the right of the Meuse and Appear. There was a lively fight in which the enemy suffered serious losses. They only gained a footing in one of our advanced elements.

CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS MADE. VALUABLE POSITIONS WON. CANADIANS TAKE IMPORTANT PART. KKENCH GAIN THEIR OBJECTIVES. A.us. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Received Oct. 28, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 27. Sir Douglas Ilaig reports: Operations with limited objectives were jointly undertaken. The fine day on Thursday, with a fine drying wind, promised improved fighting conditions, but a sudden change came during the night, and heavy, almost inceaant, rain has fallen since an early hour in the morning. Notwithstanding the great difficulties facing the Allied troops, they made considerable progress and won valuable positions on the greater part of the front attacked. The main operation was carried out by English and Canadian regiments on the front northward of Ypres-Roulers railway. The Canadian battalions advanced along the main ridge at passehendaele, and, passing beyond their objectives, they established themselves on the rising ground southward of the village. Other Canadian battalions, with troops from the English naval brigade battalions and London Territorials, made further progress, in the face of strong opposition, along the spurs between the main ridge and our positions. Eastward of Poelcapelle we captured a number of strong points and fortified farms. Heavy fighting occurred east and north-east of Poelcapelle, wherein the West Lancashire and North Country troops progressed at certain points. There were subsidiary simultaneous attacks by English troops in the neighborhood of the Mcnin road, and by the French northward of Bixschoote. There was fierce fighting all day astride the Menin road and eastward of Polderhoek, wherein progress was made and ft considerable number of prisoners were taken. Northward of Bixschoote the French, attacking with great gallantry, crossed St. Jeansbeck, which was flooded, and captured their objectives beyond, taking a number of prisoners, The Allies in the course o! these operatiojis iiook 800 prisoners. SUCCESSFUL AIR RAIDS. During an air raid on the night of October 24-25, another ton of bombs was dropped on the Burbach works. Three of the aeroplanes which took part are missing. Our aeroplanes on Thursday night attacked'four aerodromes, and forty-five heavy bombs were dropped, securing a direct hit in one instance on a group of hangars. One machine has not returned. CANADIANS REPULSE COUNTERATTACKS. Sir Douglas Haig later reports: The Canadians successfully repulsed two heavy counter-attacks yesterday afternoon southward and westward of Passchendaele and took a number of prisoners, We consolidated our gains without interference and made further progress westward of Passchendaele, capturing eighteen machine-guns. ■ CRIP ON BELLEVUE SLOPES. HONOR TO CANADIANS. Australian Cable Association. Received Oct. 28, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 27. Philip Gibbs states that the majority of the four hundred garrisoning Polderhoek chateau were killed or taken prison. Those in the dugouts in Gheluvelt wood held out after we had passed, constituting «, temporary menace. The fiercest battle raged near the centre of the attack, we obtaining a sharply contested grip of the Bellevue slopes. The Canadians played an honorable part in the battle. , WHAT THE GERMANS SAY. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Received Oct. 28, 11.10 p.m. London, Oet. 27, Wireless German official: The AngloFrench efforb in Flanders yesterday failed. The French vainly endeavored to secure a foothold on the north bant of the Oise-Aisne canal.

THE FRENCH ADVANCE.

VILLAGES AND FARMS CAPTURED. VALUABLE AERO WORK. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Received Oct. 28, 11.30 p.m. London, Oct. 28. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The operations of the French this morning northward of St. Jansbeck continued with success, the French advancing astride of the Bixschoote-D-ixmude road, despite difficulties of floods and heavy ground. They captured the villages of Aschoop, Kipps, and Merkim, with many farms and strong points, taking a number of prisoners. There was great reciprocal artillerying on the- British battle front, but no infantry action. The number of prisoners since yesterday morning exceeds 1100, whereof 300 were taken by the French.

Despite the rain our aeroplanes yesterday performed valuable work. Four Ger- ; man machines were brought down and two of ours are missing.

FRENCH PROGRESS CONTINUED. GERMANS BOMB DUNKIRK 160 GUNS CAPTURED. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Received Oct. 28, 5.5 p.m. * Jjondon, Oct. 27. A French official report states: There has been no enemy counter-attack in Belgium. Following up the successes on our right north of the Aisne, we drove the enemy back from tho region north of Chapelle St. Berthe to the reservoir, capturing the village of Filain. Further east, we went beyond the crest of the plateau north of Chevrigny spur. The situation elsewhere is unchanged. We counted 160 guns captured since October 23, including several 6in. howitzers and many heavy guns. Two of the enemy's attempted coups de main in the Champagne district failed. Cannonading has been proceeding all day on tho right bank of the Meuse. Received Oct. 28, 11.10 p.m. London, Oct. 27. A French communique reports: In Belgium our troops, continuing the action between Bresgachten and Draiebank, captured new German trenches north of the objectives reached yesterday. Progress continues satisfactory, despite the difficulty of the ground. South of the Aisne there is intermittent artillerying. German aeroplanes dropped twenty bombs of large calibre on Dunkirk. There were thirty civilian victims.

SWEEPING FRENCH VICTORY. HINDENBURG'S DEMORALISING DEFEAT. \ Received Oct. 27, 6.5 p.m. London, Oct. 20. The sweeping French victory is causing immense joy in France. Hindenburg chose one of the strongest ridges in France for the challenge of strength, and the battle resulted jn his demoralising defeat, over 11,000 prisoners being taken. It is no longer a case of falling back to take up new positions so as to avoid losses. SUCCESSFUL Am RAIDS. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Received Oct. 2S, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 27. The Admiralty reports that naval aircraft bombed Varssenaire aerodrome and Thourout railway station yesterday, The weather rendered observation difficult. AH the machines returned. GERMANS ADMIT REVERSE. Received Oct. 27, 2.40 p.m. Amsterdam, Oct. 28. General von Ludendorff now admits he gave way to the French pressure. The Cologne Volks Zeitung and the Frankfurt Zeitung Bhow that it is now impossible to minimise the importance of the French success. ENORMOUS GUNS CAPTURED. Paris, Oct. 20. The French at Gobweaux captured two enormous guns each served by 40 men. They fire a torpedo carrying 200 pounds of explosives, which the Germans intended to use against the Cheruin des Dames. Each gun had a supply of a hundred torpedoes. ALL FIRST OBJECTIVES GAINED. London, Oct. 20. The United Press correspondent states that the Allies had taken practically all their first objectives by noon and were still advancing along the Passcheiidaele spurs, around Gheluvclt, and had penetrated deeper into the Houtlmlst Wood The fighting resolved itself into two distinct battles, the first by British and French from Draeibank to below YpresRoulers railway, and the second along a short front centering at Gheluvelt. The correspondent emphasises the fact that there was no attack between the two battles, because, in view of recent lies, the Germans are almost certain to claim that they checked the advance there, although none was attempted. The German artillery replied only moderately, the British concentration of shell-fire at night time obviously having had its effect. Prisoners aro coming in in dribbles. FURTHER FRENCH ATTACKS. London, Oct. 28. A French communique says: We attacked at 0 o'clock in the morning between Drie Grachten and Draeibank, in Belgium. We crossed the Saint Jean, Broenbeck and Corverbeck shoulder deep in the water, and made important progress despite the difficulties of the ground. We captured the village of Draeibank and Pergoqs Woods, and many farms organised as points d'appui. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The British and French launched an attack at 5.45 this morning eastward, north-eastward and northward of Ypres. We are making satisfactory progress. It rained heavily during the latter part of the night and is still continuing.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19171029.2.28.7

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1917, Page 5

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,523

WESTERN ATTACK. Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK. Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1917, Page 5

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