THE WEST FRONT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17033, 18 June 1917, Page 5

THE WEST FRONT

BRITISH TROOPS ADYANCING. YPRES-COMINES CANAL CROSSED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, June 15. British troops have crossed the YpresComines Canal. STEADY ADVANCE. CONSTANT PRESSURE ON ENEMY. High Commissioner's Cable. LONDON, June 15. Sir Douglas Haig reports : We attacked yesterday evening to the southward and eastward of Messines, and astride the Ypres-Comines Canal. The enemy's resistance -was quickly overcome, and the whole of our objectives were gained in both localities. We captured 150 prisoners, a howitzer, and seven machine gjuns. The result of these operations and the constant pressure we have put on the enemy since June 7 is that we occupy the German front trenches from the River Lys ■ to the River Warnave, and have advanced our lino from 500 to 1000 yards between the Warnave River and Klein-Zillebeke over a distance of seven miles. A SUCCESSFUL RAID. Australian and N.Z Cable Association LONDON, June 15. General Haig reports : We also successfully raided last night northward of Lens. GERMANS ADMIT REPULSE. High Commissioner's Cable. LONDON, June 15. German official reports admit the set-back to the protecting detachment south-west-ward of Warneton and Bois Desart, eastward of Loos. The English have advanced their positions and maintained them by a vigorous counter-attack. • ANOTHER GERMAN REPORT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and ' Reuter. LONDON, June 15. A wireless German official message states: The English attacked along the whole front between Ypres and Armentieres, and pressed back our protecting ' detachments between Hollebeke and the Douvre region, south-westward of Warneton. The English attacked eastward of Monchy, and broke in some points, whence they were ejected, except a portion of trench westward of Bois Desart, which remains theirs. Our counter-attack drove off the English eastward of Loos. HINDENBURG LINE PENETRATED. DEFENDERS LOSE HEAVILY. LONDON, June 16. (Received June 17, at 5.5 p.m.) Sir Douglas Haig reports : Early in the' morning we attacked and captured' a further portion of a section of the Hindenburg line north-westward of Bullecourt. The garrison, which stubbornly resisted* suffered heavily. Successful raids were made eastward of Loos in the neighbourhood of the Lys River. There was reciprocal artillery fire all day northward of the Scarpe, and also at numerous points between Armentieres and i pras. CAPTURED POSITIONS RETAINED. ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED. , LONDON, June 16. (Received June 17, at 5.5 p.m.) Sir Douglas Haig reports: We completely repulsed' an attack after a heavy artillery preparation on the positions captured on ihursday evening southward of the Ypres-Comines Canal. A few Germans who reached the trenches were immediately killed or driven out.

GERMAN SUCCESSES CLAIMED. LONDON, June 16 (Received June 17, at 5.5 p.m.) A wireless Germain official message states: An English attack westward of wariieton was suppressed by our batteries YVe repelled an English attack eastward of Loos and our counter-attack drove out the English w'lto advanced' to our second trenches north-west of Bullecourt. Fresh engagements have developed at Bullecourt and eastward of Monchy. ATTITUDE OF THE FRENCH. AWAITING AMERICANS' ARRIVAL. Router's Telegrams. PARIS, June 16. (Received June 17, at 5.5 p.m.) In a speech in the Chamber of Deputies, M. Pain] eve, Minister of War, said it was essential to remove delusions regarding the offensive on April 16, which some believed was going to be decisive. The French troops would stand against the massed Germany who were rebv the momentary passiveness of the Russian army until the arrival of the American forces. The present leaders of the allied armies were 'careful of human lives.

RENEWAL OF ACTIVITY. AEROPLANES DO GOOD WORK. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. m . LONDON, June 17. (Received June 17, at 11.5 p.m.) j Haig reports : During the day fighting has again taken place in a sector of the Hmdenburg line north-west-ward of Bulleoourt. We made progress and captured some prisoners. There has been reciprocal artillery -work at intervals on the battlefront southwards of Ypres. Our aeroplanes, in co-operation with the artillery yesterday did particularly sucnmf l w ,°. rkin wa y of reconnaissances ana bombing raids. There were many air ngnts, numerous machines on each side being engaged. We brought down six German aeroplanes and drove down 10 Ulie of ours is missing.