WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

GERMAN POSITION WOBBLY. BRITISH HOLD HEIGHTS. CAMBRAI EVACUATED. _ , London, Nov. 20, The United Press correspondent a* headquarters states that Prince Riip'precht's position around Cambrai and Queant is extremely wobbly notwithstanding the sacrifices made. The heights of Bourlon are saturated with German blood, yet Sir- Julian Byng still holds them. The British.are virtually in front,.behind and on the flank of the Queant garnson, which is in dire peril, and with it those manning the unstable Hindonburg lines as far north as the Scarps. Cambra is evacuated because useless as a distributing centre, also the Cambrai— Queant railway is "cut, and when tha British occupied Bourlon village the oth(?r railways, highways and canals became practically unavailable.

THE BOURLON WOOD BATTLE. ITS CAJ*TURE IMPERATIVE. / •, • A FIERCE STRUGGLE. London, Nov. 26. Mr. Clibbs says there has been a greatbattle for two days for the possession of Rourlon Woodf which commands the country north-east and north of the villages of Inchy and Moenvres. English battalions and Highlanders are fighting with dauntless determination to make good the triumph of the fyst day, when they broke the Hindenburg line. Some have been fighting for nearly a week without rest or sleep, except' odd halfhours, and on short rations.

Tuesday's smashing blow was followed by a ding-dong struggle over the twelve miles of open country from Proville lo -

The capture of Bourlon Wood is necessary to enable further progress to be made. It covers 600 acres of high ground westward of Cambrai. The difficulty in the way of its capture was our loss of Fontaine Notre Dame upon the east and tlie strong German defence by fresh troops at Moeuvres and Inchy. ' Deadly barrages proved the arrival of every available German battery. Our/gunners speak admiringly of the rapidity with which the German gunners got into action. Therefore the enemy was no longer weak when we attacked Bourlon Wood on Friday morning. The battle opened with all arms working together in splendid unison. Tlie guns, which bad been galloped forward into new positions in the captured territory astonishingly close to.the German lines, opened •> terrjiic drumfire. Many of our regiments had fought on other battlefields, hut came fresh and full of enthusiasm into the new battle, "because of the new promise of victory. The tanks again led the attack, with single scouts ahead and others following v echelon. Some of the tank crews had the hardest nine days of their lives. Even during the advance many tank men were asleep, despite the noise of the engines and the bursting of shells. ,

THE CAMBRAI SUCCESS. HAIG AND BYNG THANKED BY THE KING. NO FURTHER INFANTRY ACTION. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc and Reuter. Received Nov. 28, 12.55 a.m. ' London, Nov. 27. \ The King has telegraphed to Sir Douglas Haig: "I congratulate you, General Byng and the troops on the successful operations in the neighborhood of Cambrai. ffhe complete surprise effected by such novel methods of warfare has been received with the utmost satisfaction throughout the Empire, holding out great hopes for the future. It is gratifying that the tanks, which are purely a British invention, played such an important part." 1

Sir Douglas Haig reports: There have been no further infantry actions on the southern battle front. We took a few prisoners. There have been patrol encounters on the Ypres front, and considerable hostile artillerying eastward and north-eastward of Ypres, particularly at Passchendaele.

ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. ENEMY ASSEMBLAGES DISPERSED. Received Noy. 28, 12.50 a.m. 1 London, Nov. 27. A French communique reports fairly heavy artillery actions in Belgium, Nor tit of Chemin des Dames. Our artillery dispersed enemy assemblages on the north of the positions we captured yesterday on the right bank of the Meuae. The artillery duel on this sector continues most vigorously. SITUATION UNCHANGED. London, Nov. 26* Sir (Douglas Haig reports: The enemy has not repeated his attacks on the Bourlon positions since yesterday's failure. The situation is unchanged. ENEMY AIRCRAFT LOSSES. Paris, Nov. 26. The French, in the past ten months, have brought down 517 German aeroplanes, and 153 others fell in the German lines, WAR COUNCIL'S TOPIOf Paris, Nov. 20. The War Council at Versailles will discuss a wide range of subjects, including the co-operation of the fleets of the Central and South countries with the Anglo-American navies-