AT DEATH-GRIPS.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3050, 11 April 1917, Page 5

AT DEATH-GRIPS.

MAIN WESTERN ARMIES IN TITANIC BATTLE FAMOUS STRONGHOLDS y: ' STORMED •CANADIANS CAPTURE VIMY RIDGE From trench raids and artillery engagements on the Western front the scene has suddenly and dramatically changed to the aepect ''of a mighty Armageddon. The main armies are now at death-grips in what is described as probably the last great battle of the war, in which titanic forces are surging in an immense and terrible arena. Launched at dawn, in thick drizzling rain, the British, attack from Lens to Arras has caught the Germans on a twelve-mile front, and at the latest advices has penetrated from two to three miles into the new Hindenburg line,.with smashing'effect. Famous strongholds have fallen—notably the Vimy Ridge, which barred the plain of Douai—and the counted'list of prisoners has already reached over 5000, with a big haul of guns and other war booty.. The advance ' "continues successfully according to plans." On the French front, matters are comparatively, quiet. In America, war preparations continue apace, and Congress is' busily, engaged in pressing through the emergency war measures. 'Austria has broken, definitely, with ■ 'America, and Austrian shipping interned in United States ports has been seized. The menace on the Mexican frontier is increasing. In Russia., tho Provisional Government is purging the army of its incompetent leaders, and two generals 'have been removed.

TWELVE-MILE FRONT OP RAGING )■ : . CONFLICT SPRING OFFENSIVE OPENS IN EARNEST SLEDGE-HAMMER BLOW AT HINDENBURG'S LINE The High. Commissioner reports:— . . • ■ c- T, i ti • ' ' . ,-, London, 'April 9, 1.55 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports:-"Wβ attacked, this morning on a. wide iront from south of to southward, of Lens, everywhere, penetratina the enemy's lines and making satisfactory progress at all points _ "In the direction of Cambrai wo stdrmed the villages of Hermies and Boursies, and'penetrated into Bavnnoourt Wood. • "In the direction of St. Quentin ive captured Fresny Iβ Petit and advanced our line south-eastward of Leverouir. ■ "A considerable number of prisoners were captured."LATEST REPORTS OF THE BATTLE BRILLIANT SUCCESSES EVERYWHERE The High Commissioner reports:— ~,.,.,„., . , L . L ■--■ London, 'April 10, 12.10 a,m. ' A British official report states; ,'Our operations continue successfully according to plans We have everywhere stonnedi the enemy's defences from Hemn-sur-Cojeul to the Muthorn outskirts of Givenohy-Gohelle to a dewth from two to three miles. The advance continues. The enemy's forward dp fences on this.rfront, including the Vim/y Bidge, which was carried bv the Canadian troops, were captured early this morning.- These defences comprise « network of trenches andtho fortified localities of NeuviTJe St. Vaist TeleS»Ph Hlll > Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, Ridge, St. Laurent, Blaeni-les-ruieuls, and. La l<oiie Farm. Subsequently we advanced and captured the enemy's rearward defences, including, in addition to other powerful trench systems, the fortified localities of Peucry-Ohapel, Teuchy-Hyde-abacl and the redoubt, at Athies-Thelus. ' ' • . . ' "Up.to 2 p.m. 5816 prisoners, including 119 officers, were put through the collecting stations, and , many more were uncounted. Of these, a large number belong .to the Bavarian divisions, who suffered heavy casualties in the fighting. "The captured war material, includes "guns,, numbers of trench mortars and machine guns (uncounted). ■'•'ln the direction of Cam-brai we have made further-.progress in the neighbourhood! of Ha-vrincourt Wood, and have captured Demicourt. In the direction of St. Quentin we captured Pontru • and Lβ Verguier. "Aerial activity was continued yesterday with great energy. Several successful bombing raids were made by us, and our machines ' co-operated with the artillery with excellent results. Two hostile machines were destroyed, and! fifteen, which were driven down, were probably crushed. Two German kite balloons came down in flames. Ten of our aeroplanes are missing-" . • THRILLING AND GRAPHIC STORY (By, Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright).

London, April 9. Mr. Philip Gtbbs writes: "On Mon. day at dawn, and to-day, our armies began a great battle, which, if fate he kind, may- be the beginning of the last of -the great battles of the war. The troops attacked on a, wide front between Lens' and St. Quentin, including tho vimy Ridge, a grim hill dominating tho plain of Douai, And the German positions around Arras. "The attack covers a twelvc-tnile front from south of Givenchy-en-Gohelle (about three miles south of Lens). It is a sledge-hairmer blow threatening to break tho northern end of the Hindeuburg line, which is already menaced at St. ■Quentin. "Despite bad weather at tho outgob, which failed to afford the airmen visibilit} , , thus obliging the troops to struggle ahead in a heavy rainstorm, the first attack was successful. The enemy lost much ground, "and retreated to strong rearguard iir.es, where ho is now fighting desperately. As soon E8 the enemy was" forced 1 to rotreat oast of Bapaiune. and Peronne he hurried iip divisions and guns northward to counter our attack there, meanwhile preparing a new line of defence southward. He hoped to escape there before our new attack tvas ready,. Wo have been too quick, and his plans are frustrated. Infernal Splendour of the Conflict. "Thus another titanic conflict, on which almost every tiling depends, began t<MUiy, I have seem tho fury of this beginning of the most tragic and most friglitful sight men have ever seen. 'With infernal and indescribable splendour tho preliminary bombardment of several days reached its height yesterday. In Arras it was hell itself. The enemy was flinging high explosives into the city; clouds of s-hrapnel were. bursting ovorhea<r, scattered shells exploding all round the country. Our bombardment swept Vimy Kidgo to tho ridge aibove tho Arras-Cambrai road. It was one- continuous roar of death, every battery firing steadily." 'Easter Service before the Battle. Mr. Gibbs continues - . "There was tragic irony in the remembrance that the eve of■ the new conflict was Easter Sunday. The church hells behind the battlefiold wero ringing out the message of the risen Christ, hut there was no truce of God. As I went up tho road towarde the front trenches I. saw fighting men stand in hollow-square with bowed heads, the chaplain conducting tho Easter service. Peasants within shelling distance were ploughing fields elsewhere. The only preparation for tho advance was the vast concentration of infantry necessary t 0 attack the great natural fortresses facing Arras,, and: defended by tho Gorman massed guns. Our artillery and supply columns" moved up iu an endless tide. At the 'roadsides men could 'be seen, with stacked rifles, writing letter!) homo, Before thq dawn,i ±he#.jv.ould:be in the.m.idflt.of ibattW-' l? r-A.U5,-]^.Z l PaWet-JAssDi

THE OPENING OF THE ATTACK GREAT FORWARD SWEEP EAST OF ARRAS. (Rec. 'April 10, 5.25 p.m.) London, lApril 9. In a second dispatch Mr. Philip Gibhs describes the first attack. "By 5.30 a.m. the guns had. almost ceased, and a. strange and solemn hush followed, Then the cry: 'They're away!' The bombardment broke out with twenty times greater intensity. The Germans wore shelling Arras, and green lights rose along the whole sweep of the German linos —signals of distress. At Anas, the eastern suburb of Blangy, on tho Douni road, was soon in our hands. Wo were fighting forward on the higher ground beyond. The British • advance was not hurried, though tho enemy's shrapnel was searching the lines of the attackers.. The first prisoners came hack in fifteen minutes., and already British wounded were reported. We went through four of the enemy's lines. Tho German dead were lying thick, while tho living were surrendering. Tho British went stolidly through tho enemy's tronoh system io Peuchy, in the marshes below the river Sc'arpe, four miles east of Arras. The enemy's trench system south of Arras was enormously strong, but the infantry went through without much loss, and after heavy Sghtiiig reached an observation ridge, from where the enemy for tho last SJ years had been directing his artillery fire against the British and French positions. With tho help of tho tanks we took two formidable positions south of- Tilloy-ies-Mof-flaines, called 'The Harp' and Telegraph Hill.' Wβ captured the whole system of trenches north of tlie river Snarpo to the Whitohoiise Wood. Further Jiorth the Canadians along the yimy Ridge achieved a heroic success by gaining this dominating ground, which was the scene of some of the fiercest Franco-German battles, and forms the> great -wall -which defends Douai. Over three thousand prisoners were taken before noon." THE LESSONS OF NEUVE CHAPELLE AND LOOS BRITISH LOSSES UNEXPECTEDLY LIGHT. (Rec. April 11, 0.5 a.m.) London, April 10. Correspondents at British Headquarters agree that the generals coin* manding the attack have avoided tho errors of Neuvo Chapelle and Loos. Owing to the splendid artillery preparations the casualties in the opening stages of the battle were unexpectedly light. The majority of the British wounds were from shrapnel during the Gorman bombardment prior to the actual attack. It is too early yet to speak of a great victory, but the opening success was beyond expectations. The British generally are established on the third German line. The day's fighting represents a minimum gain of thirty square miles. . ..• ; ■ The "Harp" redoubt would have been a difficult problem, but for the tanks.- , Tliese "seven o'clocks" calmly wallowed through the mud and shell craters to Telegraph Hill, whence they exerted a powerful moral influence on the "Harp" 'garrison. There was very bard fighting at Arras, between the angle of the railway lines to Douai and Lens.—United Service. ,THE GERMAN REPORT " (Rec. April 10, 8.25 p.m.) London,' April 9. . A ; German wireless official report states: "All day there has been heaTy fighting on botli sides of Arras, the enemy having penetrated parts- of our position."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable "Assn .-Renter. (Rec. April 11, 0.5 a.m.) London, April 9. A German wirelese official report states: "The battle of- Arras, which commeuced this morning, continues. Minor engagements between the Albert and the roads to Cambrai and Peronno are taking the .course we intended. Seventeen of the enemy's aeroplanes and two captive balloons were brought down."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Renter, MAIN OBJECTIVES ALREADY GAINED . A BATTLE GREATER THAN THE SOMME. New York. April 9. Mr. Simins .(the correspondent for the TJnited Press Agency) states, that the spring offensive is believed to have started with the Lens r Arras battle. The tanks are creating consternation. The fighting ie heavy, and the Canadian troops are involved. The main objectives have already been gained. The airmen hovered overhead rendering immense service. Marvellous work by the artillery protected the infantry, which struggled against the sleet and tho German bombardment with great gallantry. Mr. Simms is of opinion that tho present battle is greater in intensity, than were the operations om the Somme.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. . ON THE FRENCH FRONT London, April 9. 'A French official communique states: In spite of the bad weather, our artillery is active in several sectors. German attacks north-west and south of Reims failed. We advanced! somewhat iii the region of Maisons-de-Cham-pagne. —Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. April 10, 8.25 p.m.) - London, 'April 9. A French official communique states: "Between the Somme. and the Aisne there his been vigorous artillery firing. The enemy retaliated north of the Aisue and against Reims, which was intensely bombarded, there being several civilian victims." —Aus.-N.Z. Garble Assn.-Renter. ■■'