MINOR ACTIVITIES IN THE WEST.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 149, 24 June 1918, Page 5

MINOR ACTIVITIES IN THE WEST.

1 ENEMY'S TERRIBLE LOSSES IN RECENT OFFENSIVES.

fife "" ■•■-••- " -...----■. . LONDON, June 23. Sir Douglas Haig reports:ln a raid north of the Searpe Scottish troops "penetrated the enemy trenches, inflicting heavy casualties. The enemy's . garrison was destroyed in a number of dug-outs. Low clouds and rain have greatly hampered flying. A later report states: —Nothing is doing beyond raiding. AYe destroyed , one enemy aeroplane. Two of ours are missing. The Admiralty Teports:Between June 17 and 19 our aircraft dropped, -with good results, large quantities of bombs at Bruges and on the Ostend docks, at Zeebrugge, and on tbe St. Denis Westrera aerodrome, and elsewhere in Belgium. They also attacked enemy shipping and obtained direct hits, one being on board a destroyer. : A French communique sttaes:Enemy raids in the region of Bellow, in Upper Alsace, were repulsed. An enemy post south-east of St. Maur, in the * Montdidier sector, was captured. (A. and N_s. and Router.) i' An examination of prisoners reveals the terrible German losses in the ; recent offensives. The 253 rd Battalion only mustered 35 men per company after the Montdidier battle. Thirty men in each company had been killed by French aviators flying low. Other units lost 75 per cent, all their machineguns were lost, and two-thirds of their officers. After the battle yon Hutier reprimanded the officers of the lOSth Division, which lost 3000 men, saving the losses were excessive, and blaming the non-commissioned officers for not maintaining discipline. He added that if they could not do better they must abandon all hope of breaking through to Paris and Calais.(A. and N.Z.)