NEW MOVES BY THE BRITISH

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3121, 27 June 1917, Page 5

NEW MOVES BY THE BRITISH

FIGHTING ON THE BELGIAN COAST DUNES .. AN ADVANCE TOWARDS LENS (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright). ,m. ,„r ' • „ w , , London, June 25. _ • The Morning Postf correspondent 0 n the British front states that the British troops are bow fighting on the dunes below- Ostend. There has been lively contact with the enemy recently, particularly through German raids against the British, -who held the defence of Lombae r tzyde. The country is sadly changed. Villas and Bummer hotels on the sea front, the cafes, the market gardens, have been wiped out by merciless shelling. The population lives in concreted cellars. The British front is seamed with canal s an( i small waterways. , The United Press correspondent at Headquarters states that the British wade another move towards Lens last night, talcing four hundred yards of the front line eastward of Riamont Wood, a n d establishing two advanced posts northwest of Waraeton. Fires in the town s 0 f Lens and Comines are plainly visible. —Aus.-]\.Z. Cablo Assn.

SUCCESSFUL RAIDING OPERATIONS The' High Commissioner reports:— London, June 25, 1.30 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"We carried out successful enterprises during tlie> night in the neighbourhood of Epehy, Bullecourt, Room, Loos, and Hooge, killing and taking prisoner many of the enemy. Eastward of VermeUes, we also remained in the enemy trenches over two hours, blowing up dugouts and inflicting heavy casualties. Soutfi-westward of Lens and north-westward of Warneton we carried out successful minor operations, gaining ground and taking prisoners/'

LENS SUCCESS FOLLOWED UP

(Rec. June 26, 9.15 p.m.)

London, June 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"We followed up last night's success south-west of Lens and made substantial progress astride the Souchcz River on a front of one mile and a half. We repulsed a raid south-east of Tpres. Heavy air fighting occurred. yesterday. Eleven of the enemy's''planes were brought down. 'Five of ours are missing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.

THE TIGHTENING GRIP ON LENS

ENEMY FORCED BACK BY THE BRITISH GUNS. (Roc. Juno 26, 10.20 pm.) London, Juno 26. Mr. Percival Phillips writes: "The enemy is exceedingly nervous and apprehensive. False night alarms are continually being signalled, jumpy sentries, calling the gunners from their dug-outs and setting the batteries blazing in futile discharges of shells. Many bold British raiding expeditions are increasing the tension in the enemy's trenches. Every one has been completely successful, despite tho enemy's watchfulness and the strengthening of his front line. German nervousness is shown in the destruction of property in and around Comines, four miles oast of Warneton. Great fires ore burning, at Comines. The British line is being drawn tighter round Lens, and ou/r steady bombardment has forcetl the enemy to fall back on itiaumont Wood, enabling the British to occupy another Btrip of ruined dwellings and slag heaps, which are being litilised for machinegun posts. Lens is still w.\ll defended, and the colliery district behind it .contains many carefully concealed, batteries. The enemy is no longer attempting to recapture the suburbs they lost. Though the present period is one of apparent tranquility, there is enough doing to convince the enemy that the British Army is not resting."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ARTILLERY ACTIVITY ON THE FRENCH FRONT . London, June 25. A French official communiquo states:-"There is the liveliest reciprocal artillery activity in the sector embracing Koyero and Froidmonfc Farms, in the dircctio'm of Hurtebise, and cast of Chcvreux.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. . (Kec. June 2G, 9.15 p.m.) Paris, .Tune 25. A French official communinuo states:—"Sustained reciprocal artillery firing is proceeding north of Lafraux Mill and on the .sectors of Craonno and Chevreiix. Twelve hundred shells were thrown into Rcims."-Aus.-N./ J . Cable Assn-Reuter. THE GERMAN REPORT London, June 25. 4. German official report states -"Artillery activity is increasing between the Tpres andthe Lys; and the fighting is more lively «* the U. Bassee Cana and on the south bank of the Scarpe. We drove Wlclihifflish R attacks iiorth of 'the Souchcz River and cast of the Lens-A "as Road We repulsed. stton? Engl sh attacks at Hulluch. Two French attacks at V.anxaillon faded, vulh high losses."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

AMERICAN HOSPITAL CORPS AT THE FRONT

London, June '25. Reuter's correspondent at Headquarters reports that two thousand members of the United States Array Medical Corps have taken over mx of tho bin British base hospitals.—Reuter.