WYTSCHAETE CARRIED.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1918, Page 5

WYTSCHAETE CARRIED.

BRITISH HOLD SLOPES OF MESSINEiS RIDGE. Reuter ServiceReceived April 17, 5.5 p.m. London, April 16 (10.5 pa.). The enemy has can-leu WyUchaote and established himself at Sponbrokmolen.

Tlie hulk of lifelines ridge is iu enemy hands We hold the slopes.

LORD FRENCH'S MESSAGE,

THE ARMY'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

Received April 17, 2.20 p.m. London, April 10. The Press Bureau reports that Sir Douglas Haig, in a special Order of the Day, acknowledging with grateful thanks Field Marshal French's message to the British troops, adds: 'The same spirit as carried your army through in 1914 sustains us all again to-day against overwhelming odds."

GALLANT TERRITORIALS. '

55TH DIVISION PRAISED.

SIX DAYS CONTINUOUS FIGHTING.

London, April 16. . Sir Douglas Haig, in a supplementary despatch, deals with the gallant fighting of the 55th Division which comprises the West Lancashire Territorials, on April 0, when holding a front of 6000 yards from the La Bassee Canal to where the line joined the Portuguese. The enemy army order enysr The three regiments will be opposed at most by six companies in the front line and two resen-e battalions. It describes the Britishers composing the 55th Division as having lost heavily in the Somuie, Flanders and Camlnai fighting. "It is a division fit to hold a quiet sector, as it is below the average quality." Sir Douglas Haig says- If the enemy expectation was that the opposition was not very serious it was signally disappointed. The 55th beat off all the early attacks in the forward zone and maintainnd its line intact. When they learned, that the Germans liad broken through the Portuguese on their left the 55th formed a defensive flank and maintained this new line practically unchanged until relief came through.* They had six days almost continual lighting during which they heat off repeated attacks with the heaviest, losses to the enemy and took nearly a thousand prisoners. ■ Sir Douglas Haig describes the fur. ther fierce fighting which included a heavy bombardment of the whole front occupied by the 55th, followed by an attack in strength, and concludes '"The enemy was again repulsed with heavy loss by the most gallant and most successful defence of a Division which he had been privileged to describe as consisting of second class troops."

STRUGGLE FOR HANGARD

VILLAGE TiiKEN AND RE-TAKEN,

London, April 10. A French headquarters correspondent reports that one of the bitterest engagements of the great lattle was fought on Friday for Hangard, a position of importance north of the road from Noyon to Amiens. The German* made three attacks hoping to thrust a wedge between tho French and British armies and obtain the mastery of the Amiens road. s

The village was takenj re-taken and taken again by tho Germans and was rescued a second time by the French, just in time to save the remnants of the garrison.

In the great battle on April 4 the village was gallantly held by a, battalion against furious onslaughts. The hill dominating the village was captured by tho Germans and re-taken by tho French. The Germans on tho 9th fought their way into the village but, after all night fighting from house to house, were driven out. On Friday the Germans te-attactaM and surrounded the village. The battalion commander fortified himself in a house and held out from 8 o'clock in the morning until 0 o'clock in the evening when he telegraphed to headquarters: "Am surrounded, still holding out, make haste." His last message read: "Enemy about to attack." It was then G o'clock in tho evening and a few minutes later he and his men were taken prisoner. A counter-attack by the French and British was completely successful. A hundred Germans were captured and the French defenders, except two, rescued.

FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT.

ACTIVITY NORTH' OF MONDIDIEK. London, April 16. A French communique says: There- is fairly considerable artillery activity in the region north of Mondidier. We progressed by a minor operation in the sector of Noyon. Our reconnaissances are very active, especially in the region of the Oise Canal. A detachment crossed the canal west of Pierremende and brought back prisoners. French official: One person was killed and two injured during the bombardment of Paris last night.

GENERALISSIMO'S POWERS,

ITALIAN FRONT SHOULD BE INCLUDED.

New York, April 16. •fhe Paris correspondent of the New York Times says that the question is being asked in many quarters why General Foch'g control is not extended to the Italian front. There is a consensus of opinion that General Foch's authority over tho Allied armies should be compter