THE SECOND BATTLE OF ARRAS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3063, 26 April 1917, Page 5

THE SECOND BATTLE OF ARRAS

: DESPERATE DEFENCE OF HINDENBURG LINE POSITIONS TAKEN AND RETAKEN The High. Commissioner 'reports':— ' '. . ■„:.,'»„., •■• ■ London, April 24, 2.30 p.m. -•:A.British official message states: "South of the Bapaume-Cambrai Road, > we gained ground during the night on a wide front eastward of Epehy, and Teached the St. Quentin Canal in.the neighbourhood of Vendhuile. Northwards of-Epehy, we captured Villers-Plouich and Beaucamp, and also took prisoners. There was severe fighting yesterday evening and at night on the front from Croisilles to northwards, of Gavrelle. The enemy determinedly but unsuccessfully, counter-attacked, regardless of losses. The positions gained jesterday were maintained. We made progress eastwards of Monchy-le-Pretis and Boeux. Over fifteen hundred prisoners were taken yesterday. A particularly violent counter-attack this morning at Gavrelle was beaten off." LATEST OFFICIAL REPORT—CONFLICT OF TERRIFIC INTENSITY (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright). ■■•■ •. ■'.':.'>'''' (Bee. April 25, 8.10 p.m.) ' . ' „. ' ' , tt • A j m ."' London, 'April 25. : Sir Donglas Haig reports: , "Further - information regarding Monday's battle shows that the fighting was exceptionally fierce.. Seven German divisions. were engaged on the Croisilles-Gavrelle front, and several points of tactical importance changed hands more than once. All these remained in biir possession, except for a few buildings north of Eoeux. Our massed artillery shattered the enemy's frequent counter-attacks, while those who penetrated our barrages were cut down by rifle and machine-gun fire. One . British corps took prisoners belonging to four divisions. ' ■■■."Wβ'have advancedour whole front. There Was considerable fighting to-day, though it was somewhat less fierce at a number of points on the battle front. Progress was continued between the La Sensee River and Mon-chy-le-Preux, and the line advanced within a few, hundred yards of Fontaine-le-Croisilles and Cherisy. Counter-attacks by strong forces in the neighbourhood of, Gavrelle this afternoon w e re broken by our artillery and driven back in disorder. Over two thousand prisoners have been passed to the rear since Monday morning, .while others have yet to bo counted. "There was a.greater amount of air fighting on Monday than on any one previous day. Our aeroplanes attacked the enemy's machines wherever they' were found, going far behind the .lines, bombing railways,-dumps, and aerodromes,, and compelling the enemy to give battle. Fifteen German machines were destroyed and twenty-four were driven down. A large three-seater was brought down in our linos. Two of our machines are missing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter: ' ■■'. THE GERMAN COMMUNIQUES NERVOUS PANEGYRIC FOR HOME CONSUMPTION. (Rec. April 25, 5.5 p.m.) •«■ n • i ' n. • i ■' London, April 24. A berman wireless official message states: "On the Arras battlefield the British troops standing on French territory yesterday delivered their ' second great thrust to break through the German lines. The heaviest battles have raged for days. The enemy lias been hurling masses of shells of every description against our positions. Early on the morning of April 23 the artillery battle increased to very strong gun-fire, and soon afterwards . the English thrusting troops, led often by tanksi burst forward on a thirty kilometre front (about 19 miles), bohind this wall of fire. Our fire forced them at many places to withdraw with heavy losses. At other points the, battle swnys backwards and forwards with threat bitterness Whenever .the enemy gamed pound our bravo and eager infantry drove him back Tlib suburbs of Lens, Avion, Gavrelle, Boens, and Guemappe were the hottest places in this fierce struggle, and their names will be associated with deeds nt heroism by regiments from almost every German district between the sea and the Alps. . , „ " A j further attack of particular Intensity, with new masses of troops, followed in: the evening, on both sides of the Scarpe. The strength of this attack also broke wider our fire, and in hand-to-hand fighting. The enemy trained a few hundred yards on the Oambrai-Arras Road, and the ruins of Guemappe remained in hie hands. The German soldier at the front knows that every man and woman at home is working increasingly to support him in this life-and-death battle."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn -Reuter A later communique states: "All day fighting has been in progress for the possession, of,Gavrelle. New English attacks are." proceeding aW the Arras-Cambrai Road."—Aue.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ■ " "MOST ENCOURAGING COMMUNIQUE," SAYS THE BRITISH WAR OFFICE. The High Commissioner reports :— j ■ ■ . London, April 24, 10.25 pm "The War Office regards Tuesday's German communique as tho most encouraging yet received, indicating the stato of mind of tho German Arniy and people, and the anxiety at headquarters concerning the situation."' , COMMENTS BY THE CORRESPONDENTS » GERMAN SHELL RESERVE GREATLY INCREASED. London, April 21. Correspondents comment on the greatly increased German artillery fire in the. second phase of tho Arras battle. The German gunners aro returning shell for shell. The ground is aliyo with 6nipers, and many British soldiers

wore shot from behind after entering the German lines. The heaviest British losses were due to barrages and machins-guns, not to the German iufantry, who preferred surrender to hand-to-hand encounters. The fighting disclosed the immense strength of the Oppy line, which shields tho Hindcnburc tine; but tbe capture of Gavrclle puts ur astride of the former.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FIERCE BATTLE.ON THE SCARPE. ' ; . . London, April 24. The battle on the Scarps is reaching extraordinary intensity. The Germans are counter-attacking in masses without regard to cost. Forty German aeroplanes were brought down on Monday.—United Service. OPEN BATTLE DEVELOPING. , ■ London, April 24. Reuter's correspondent at headquarters says that the Germans continue to throw in a large reserve and fresh guns. They probably realise that the battle may assume a decisive character, and are therefore resisting desperately. This is exactly what the British wanted. Tho Germans are certainly now accepting battle in. the open.—Renter. CLOSING IN ON LENS., ! , Paris, April 24. The "Petit Parisien" states that the British semi-circle round Lens was drawn closer yesterday. The British are holding tho majority of the suburbs. The enomy.has concentrated important forces eastward of Arras, and is determined at all costs to bar the way to Douai.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. MAIN .GERMAN ARMIES ENGAGED ! -_ ' ■ ■■ ENEMY STRIKING BACK HARD. (Roc. 'April 25, 9.15 p.m.) London, 'April 25. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: "The enemy's resistance was tho most desperate 06 its kind since the Battle of the Somme. The Germane were willing to make dreadful sacrifices to defend the northern approach of the Hindenburg line. A' battalion of Bhinolanders was annihilated at tho ohemical works at Fampoux. Tho Germans are also fighting desperately to regain -the key of the position at Monchy. Our airmen discovered that four thousand Germans had heen concentrated at Bois d'Asart, intending to attack. The British ■ batteries filled the wood with gas shells and the German casualties were horrible. . _ ' "The Germans arc fighting in a better spirit than, they did in the Battlo of Vimy, no doubt necauso fresh troops have only just been flung into the fighting line. The second phaso of the Battle of Arras is in our favour. (Wβ-have taken many prisoners, while our losses are much lighter than tho Germans'. We are now confronted with the main German armies, which are no longer fighting rearguard actions, but standing up to the battle, and striking •'back hard."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ■ .. < The Hlndenburg Lino., The Hindenburg lineJs not a German myth. It is a very real thing, running through Drocourt and Queant. Its defonoes havo not .• yet been finished; Pioneer battalions, t following armies of forced labour, including French' civilians and Russian prisoners, are working day and ntght upon trenches and emplacements. The. General Staff has ordered the Germans to hold the forward positions to the death' to enable tho completion of the defences.' Fresh troops -were rushed' up on Monday to relieve the battalions that already had. been broken in the British attacks. These, reinforcements, in some cases, flung back our line, hot we regained the ground. After the Scotchmen tooje Guemappe, German reinforcements retook it in the evening. A second Scottish attack recaptured It, and many Germans'were, taken prisoner. . ■ ■ , ' . • ■ THE IMPORTANCE OF GAVRELLE AND GUEMAPPE. ' : . . . ; (Rec. 'April' 26, 1 a.m.) ; • ; -. ' _ London, April 25. A correspondent at British Headquarters says: "St. George's Day witnessed . terrifio fighting. Many of the troops wore red and white favours in honour of the anniversary. The centres of the struggle, Gavrelle and Guemappe, were both retaken, but finally became ours. Gavrelle is important because it forms the southern end of a famous trench running north'through Oppy. /Until Guemappo had been .taken progress between the Cojeul and the Sensee was impossible. German prisoners state that they either had to win back the ground or retire behind the Drocourt-Queant line.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable 'Assn.-. " \- ■ ■'■ -..-•. ■ • HEAVY BOMBARDMENT ON THE BELGIAN FRONT (Rec. April 25, 6.25 p.m.) , ,- London, 'April 24. A' Belgian official communique reports'an artillery bombardment of the heaviest description.-r-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. , '. . . i ■ ■■. ■. ■ ON THE FRENCH FRONT 7" LULL'IN THE MAIN OPERATIONS. London, 'April 24! 'A French official communique states: The German reconnaissances, endeavouring to reach our lines in the direction of Hancourt were repulsed with heavy losses. There is a violent artillery struggle in the region of Hurtebise, the F.oulou Valley, and Craonne. Minor actions enabled -us to advance and improve our positions on the plateau at the Chemin-des-Dames and in the direction of Juvincourt, where wo carried a German poet. Wo successfully bombarded the enemy's lines of communication in Champagne.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablei Assn.-Reuter! ■ , ~-■■.... (Rec. April 25, 6.25 p.m.) London, April 24. A French official communique states: "The day was chiefly marked by artillery fighting along the whole fropt in tho regions of St. Quentin, the Oise, Corbeny, Juvincourt, and Champagne. Explosions were observed in a certain number of batteries. We have brought-back four 105-mm. mortars,, which were captured during,tho fighting on the plateau of Chennn-dos-Dames, and which Jiad hitherto'not been counted in our sains. Near Moronvillors our light troops penetrated the German trenches, which were found to be full of corpses."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ■ 'GERMAN ATTACK FORESTALLED. _, • .- . ' . , . , •'.'•■ Paris, April 24. Documents seized on prisoners established the fact that the German High Command had selected for an attack the front on which the French took the offensive on the 16th. The French thus eeriously upset Voii Hindenhurg's plans.—The "Times." '' ■' NIVELLE'S LIGHTNIIifG STROKES HOW BRAYE HEIGHT WAS TAKEN. ... ■ , , . ' ... ~ . • London, April 24. A correspondent gives a typical instance of General Nivelle'e tactics in the capture of Braye Height: The Soupir plateau is densely wooded 1 and broken by ravines, and is 600 >et m height; • and was covered with a network of trenches. A division feinted a frontal attack. Next day five bat talions, from different points, worked their way through the woods and outflanked the Germans, who fled so hurriedly that they had no time to brine up their gun teams. Tho French captured fifty guns.' many machine-guns, much material, and 2000 prisoners. The hurriednoss of the retreat was shown ' .by the discovery of uneaten cooked meals and half-finished letters —The "Times." . POOR EXCUSE FOR DEVASTATING THE ORCHARDS ; , . , ■■■•,■'■. ' Amsterdam, 'April 24. _ An official message from Berlin announcos that the reason .for felling fruit trees in the evacuated territory is to prevent'the enemy nsiV -the leaves in summer for cover.—Reuter. ' . . BRITISH AEROPLANES ATTACK GERMAN DESTROYERS ! ONE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN SUNK. The High" Commissioner reports:— _, '■■~, £ „. , , London, April 24, 10.25 p.m. - The Admiralty reports: "Five of the enemy's destroyers were seen on Monday between-Blankenburge and Zeebrugge, five miles off tbe coast. Three of our naval machines dropped sixteen bombs, obtaining four hits and the destroyers scattered. Tho remaining machines dropped 32 bombs Tho leading destroyer was seen to have listed- to port and remained stationary after all the bombs were dropped. Four of the destroyers returned to Zeehrugge. Tt is considered most probable that the other destroyer was sunk. '