THE WESTERN THEATRE.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15932, 20 June 1917, Page 7

THE WESTERN THEATRE.

THE BRITISH OFFENSIVE. STRONG GERMAN ATTACKS. The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, Juno 18 (1.30 p.m.). Sir Douglas Haig reports: — "Early this morning tho enemy strongly attacked under cover of 0 heavy bombardment the positions wo capturod on Thursday morning eastward of Moncliy-le-Preux. "After severe fighting wo were compelled to fall back from certain advanced posts, which we had established in front of our main new position on Infantry Hill, which we still hold. "There has been reciprocal artillery activity northward of tho Scarpo, and enemy bombardments near Yprcs." A cable message on Juno 14th said:— A British official message states: "Wo carried out a successful operation this morning eastwards of Monchy-!e-Preux. Hostile positions on Infantry Hill, which were of considerable local im-1 Eortance, and the possession of which as been stubbornly contested by tho enemy on several occasions, were stormed by our troops on a front of three-quarters of a mile. Tliq whole objectives were gained, and we took prisoner 175." THE MILITARY CROSS. • — AWARD TO NEW ZEALANDER. (By ' Cable —Presa Association—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association J LONDON, June 18. . Lieutenant H. Speight, of the New Zealand Field Artillery, has been awarded the Military Cross. THE ENEMY'S CASUALTIES. TOTAL OVER 4,000,000. AMSTERDAM, June 18. The German official casualties reported during May were 110,956, of which 19.006 were deaths. The total' casualties amount to 4,356,760, of which 1,068,127 were deaths.

BRITISH GAIN GROUND. SUCCESSFUL AERIAL EXPLOITS. (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) (Rsutcr'a Telegrams.) (Received June 19th, 8.50 p.m.) LONDON, June 18. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— "We took rr number of prisoners during the enemy's failuro to regain his positions on Infantry Hill. "Our troops gained ground slightly in the direction of "Warneton. Throughout the day there has been mutual artillery activity in the neighbourhood of Lens and northward of Armentieres. "The air fighting yesterday was again in our favour. "Wo brought down ten German aeroplanes and five others wero driven down. Two of ours are missing."

THE GERMAN CLAIMS. BRITISH ATTACKS FAIL. (Recoived June 19th, 8.50 p.m.) LONDON, June 18. A wireless German official messago states: — "There has been lively artillery activity in the region of the Yser Canal and on both sides of Ypres and tho Lys river, also between La Bassce and the Sensee brook. "British reconnoitring advances south-westward of Warneton, eastward of Vermelles, and in the neighbourhood of Loos, failed. Threo British attacks eastward of Croisilles failed. "A successful German enterprise has resulted in increased French artillory activity in tho neighbourhood ofCertiy and also on large sectors on the Aisne front and in the western Champagne." THE FRENCH LINES. ACTIVITY IN' CHA3IPAGNE. (Australian and N.Z. Ca-blo Aiaocifttion,/ (Rsutcr'e Tclc-gram» J (Rcceivcd Juno 19th. 8.50 p.m.) LONDON, June 18. A French communique states*.— "Thore has been marked artillery activity in tho region of Laffaux; at Pantheon, and on tho Craonnc-Chcv-reux. sector. "Wo captured a system of trenches forming a salient in Champagne on a front of 500 metres.

"The Germans continue to bombaTd Rheims. Two thousand shells -were thrown into tho city to-day, and a number of civilians were killed or injured."

GERMAN RETREAT PREDICTED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable AssociAt'OiJ PARIS, Juno 19. Military experts predict that tho Germans will bo compelled to fall back, bcoause in the region of tho Ypros Canal and the River Lys in tho enemy's rear the British artillery is ceaaolassly shelling tho bridges across which they must bring supplies. Tho British staff i s aware of tho German plans. It is believed that tho attacks at Klein Zillebcko and Hollebcko wero directed at tho pivot of tho Gorman retreat. IN MACEDONIA. ENEMY CLAIMS SUCCESS. (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Associa'.'ou; (Reutcr'e Telegrams.) LONDON. Juno 18. A wireless German official message states:— "General von Bulow's forces repulsed several British attacks southwestward of Lako Doiran.