STILL ADVANCING.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15931, 19 June 1917, Page 7

STILL ADVANCING.

FIGHTING ON WEST FRONT. FURTHER DETAILS OF MESSINES FIGHT. ZEPPELIN RAID ON ENGLAND DESCRIBED. (3rd YEAR—323rd DAY.)

THE WESTERN THEATRE.

THE BRITISH

OFFENSIVE

SUCCESSFUL RAIDS,

(By Cable—Press Association —Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) LONDON, June 17. Sir Douglas reports: — We carried out successful raids northward of Gouzeaucotirt. Our artillery frustrated .a raid southward of the Ypres-Comines Cannl. ENEMY ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. BRITISH AVIATORS' SUCCESSES. (Received June 18th. 6 p.m.) LONDON, June 17. Sir Douglas Haig reports: — "There has been hostile artillery activity southward of Croiselles, southwestward of Lens, and' at a number of points between Armentieres and Ypres. "There has been great air activity. Yesterday we brought down seven aeroplanes and drove down three others. Two of ours are missing." THE MESSINES FIGHT. SIDELIGHTS ON THE ACTION. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received June 18th, 6.65 p.m.) LONDON, June 18. Mr Philip Gib-bs states: —"There were signs of bewilderment among the enemy after the loss of Messines, and the German command appears undecided where to make the next stand. Many groups of Germans in the neighbourhood of Warneton are in a hideous pesition, because they are out of touch with Headquarters. They are living an awful life in shell craters under our gunfire. "The British advance on the west side of Bullecourt takes another slice of the Hindenburg line, of which there is now little left. "The organisation of the axmy amply provides for hot weather, and the fierce sun which is baking the troops brown. It is noteworthy how quickly water was sent up during the Messines battle, and also two lemons to each man. "By common consent the Messines show was the best thing that any army has done during the war. "Twenty German officers who were dragged out of a dug-out at Wytschaete in the blackest despair declared that their men had gone to the devil. The Seoond Division of the Ea6t Prussian Corps was wiped out, and of 3600, 2000 were taken prisoner. Most of the remainder were killed or wounded." THE NEW ZEALANDERS. , IN ACTION SINCE MESSINES. HOW A V.C. WAS WON.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TEI.EGRAM.) WELLINGTON, June 18. The following message, dated June loth, has been received from the New Zealand official war correspondent, Mr Malcolm Ross: —

"Since tho capture of Messines the New Zoabnders have been again in the firing line in further operations on a minor scale, when our troops advanced to establish forward posts. Half of them were successful, but the other half missed their way in the darkness, and returned to their own trenches last night. However, they tried again, a nd were completely successful, advancing 1000 yards in the direction of "Wfrneton, and occupying two strong points. They captured 18 prisoners and 6omc machine guns at one place. Tho Germans fought determinedly, but were overwhelmed.

"The half originally successful also made a further slight advance, and all the troops engaged linked up, and are consolidating the now line.

"Tho enemy put on a heavy 'barrage, but our troops still hold their ground. Strangely, the details of the heroic conduct that won the New Zealand Division's second V.C. were not known until long after tho fighting in which it was gained, and until long after the recipient, Sergeant Donald Forrester Brown, had been killed in action. "In the socond Somme offensive tho North Otago Company, to which he belonged, went into that action with officers, but they came out with no officers. The command of tho Company devolved upon Sergeant Rogers, and he and Sergeant Brown, after killing four of the crew, charged and captured a machmo gun that was holding up tho advance.

"Later in "tho day the advance was again held up by another gun, and Sergeant Brown, after bayonetting several Germans in the trench, disposed of the gun's crtw. His Company had to stand to all the afternoon under an intense bombardment, during which Ser-

geant Brown showed Tcmarkablo spirit and absolute contempt of danger. "In an attack on October Ist <yi tlie enemy's third lino ho 'again displayed great bravery. Singlc-handod lie attacked another machine gun, killing all the crow a;nd capturing the pjun itself. "While sniping at the retreating enemy 50 yards in advance of this post, he was himself killed.''

A SUCCESSFUL RAID

INCIDENT IN RECENT FIGHTING

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association., (Received Juno 18th. 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 18. Mr Percival Phillips states:— ''One of the neatest British achievements in the recent operations was the capture of Infantry Bill, near Monchy, where tho assailants surprised two companies of Bavarians breakfasting in their trenches. "Tho British quietly slipped across, and without firing a shot brought back 17 prisoners within two minutes. "It was the quickest and most effoctiv© little job in the recent operations. The Bavarians -were compelled to leave their steaming coffee."

THE FRENCH. ADVANCE. ACTIVITY IN CHAMPAGNE. RHEIMS VIOLENTLY BOMBARDED. (Australian and N,Z. Cablo Association.) (Renter's Telegrams.) , • (Received June 18th, 6 p.m.) LONDON, June 18. A French communique states: — "Following last night's bombardment of the Hurtebiso sector, tho enemy attacked our lines and succeeded in entering p. salient of our position, but he .was driven back after a brisk fight, and was able only to maintain himself in a small element of our advanced lino. "Artillery activity has continued during the day here, and north of Cerny and north of Braye-en-Laonnois. "The enemy has violently bombarded Rheims during the past few days. Twelve hundred shells fell to-day. There were many civilian casualties." FRENCH FRUSTRATE ATTACK. PARIS, June 17. A French communique states:— An enemy, attack, which wag being prepared against our positions at Largonville, north-east of Corny, was dispersed by our fire.

PORTUGUESE IN ACTION. IIEPEL SEviRAL RAIDS. . n ..,' LONDON, June 17. A British official reuort states: — Portuguese troops have repelled several German raids during the current month. The first official notification £f the presence of Portuguese troops on tho Western front was contained in a German communique, received three weeks ago, which mentionod the capture of a Portuguese prisoner.