NEW BRITISH LINE FIRMLY HELD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 138, 11 June 1917, Page 5

NEW BRITISH LINE FIRMLY HELD.

DETERMINED ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACKS FAIL SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS SOUTH OF SOUCHEZ RIVER. LONDON, Juue 10. Keports from Sir Douglas Haig state that during I'Yiday the new line it gained on Thursday, south of Ypres, was organised and secured. Herman counter-attacks, south-east and north-east of Oosttuverne and. east of JUessines, were repulsed with loss by the infantry or broken by the artillery. After heavy artillery preparation, the enemy at 7 p.m. on Friday launched a powerful counter-attack against Dearly the whole of our new front southwards of Ypres, from St. Yves to northwards of the Y'pres-Comines Canal, a distance of six miles. A large force, composed of fresh divisions, delivered the attack with great determination, but under our destructive artillery and inacliine-gun tire the attack was completely repulsed at all points. Fighting was particularly fierce eastward of Messines, and also in the neighbourhood of Klein Zillebeke aud northwards of the canal The enemy's attacks were broken by midnight with great loss all along the line. We retain possession of the whole of the ground captured since the commencement of the battle. During Friday night we carried out operations with complete success on a wide front from south of Lens to La Baesee. Our troops entered the German position south of the Souchez River on a front ot' over two miles, and penetrated to a depth of over half-amile. We inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy, while our casualties wore light. We took TO prisoners and captured a number of machine-guns. We successfully entered the enemy's trenches north of the Souchez River, south-east of Loos, and south-west of La Bassee, killing a large number of Germans and greatly damaging the enemy's defences. In these operations we took 44 prisoners and captured several machine-guns. We raided the sector of the Hindenburg line still held by the enemy west of Bulleeourt. A number of the garrison were killed or made prisoners. A report from Sir Douglas Haig, issued on Friday evening, states:—Aa a result of yesterday's operations over 6,400 prisoners, including 132 officers, have passed through our collecting stations to dntc. More than 20 guns reported captured have yet to be collected. Our aircraft yesterday cooperated valiantly with th.? infantry and the artillery. The service also made a large number of successful air raide'on aerodromes, while balloons, trains, billets, depots, and troops *ere attacked with bombs and machine-guns. Enemy aircraft were prevented from taking part in the battle. We brought down 11 German machines, and drove down eight out of control, while 14 of ours are missing. Describing the operations on Saturday, a report form £ir Douglas Haig states that the day was quiet on the battlefront south of Ypres, with the exception of mutual artillery activity. We made slight progress on the right flank of our new positions. Over 7.000 prisoners have been taken since Thursday morning. A great number of guns, machine-guns, and trench mortars wore buried in debris. We unproved our positions on the Scnrpp in. the neighbourhood of Greenland Hill. Our aeroplanes, while bombing euemy railway stations, detonated by a bomb, a large accumulation of rolling stock containing ammunition. Firee aud explosions continued until dawn. Our aircraft brought down three German aeroplanes and drove down four others out of control. Sis of ours aje missing.—(A. and X.Z. aud Router.)