RAIDS AND BATTLES IN THE WEST

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3080, 10 May 1917, Page 5

RAIDS AND BATTLES IN THE WEST

FIERCE CONTEST AT FRESNOY : VILLAGE RETAKEN BY THE ENEMY The New Zealand High Commissioner reports:— London, May 8, 1.15 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "There was active artillery fighting during the iiaht, particularly between Fresnoy and Loos. At Nemre Chapelle and Faun assart we were Buccessful in raids. North-eastwards of Armentieres, a small enemy party raided our trenches yesterday evening, and after hand-to-hand Sng were driven out, leaving a few dead. A few of our men are missing. Southward of Armentieres another enemy raid was repulsed. ENEMY RETAKES FRESNOY ,BUT IS HEAVILY REPULSED ELSEWHERE. '•■ (By. Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright). '(Rec. May, 9, 7.45 p.m.) . London, May 9. Sir Douslas Haig reports: "There were heavy counter-attaekss by the enenneadyuthe morning in tbe neighbourhood of Fresnoy. The enemy •obtSned a firm foothold in our trenches north-eastward of tho pillage. Ihe g ound that w™s lost'was shortly afterwards" recovered Two fresh German divisions then delivered an attack in force eastward of Freenoy. This VvnTreoulsed on tbe right flank of the Position, with, heavy casualties to Z enemv Our positions were successfully maintained On the other hand after a fierce reszstance on Urn left, we were compelled to withdraw fromFresnov village and wood. Seven of our. aeroplanes on Monday seven observation balloon, in flames. Six German aeroplanes were brought down, two others were snot do«-n by gunfire, and seven were broughtdown not under control, and eight of ours are missing..' -Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. ■ • ■ THE FIGHTING AT BULLECOUET. ■ ■ • London, May 8, A rnrresnondent at Headquarters states that the fighting ior Bulle,,i"S The Germans attempted to retake portion of the HrndenW Hne Zthe south-weet border of the village, After entering that quare,o Bullecourfc but failed. The Germans attacked at night north-east-ward of 1 Soy (recently taken by the British). In spite or their numbers ■they only Seeded in gaining a little ground.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SCOTTISH LINK'UP WITH THE AUSTRALIANS. (Rec. May 9, 7 p.m.) • London, May 9. ■ Correspondents at British Headquarters state that the Scottish have seoured a firmer grip of the Hindenburg line at Bullecourt by ca B turing a corner of the villace, thue linking up with the Australians m the Hindenburg trenches.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE FIGHT OF THE SCOTS AT BULLECOURT. (Rec. May 10, 0.15 a.m.) London, May 9. The "Morning Post" correspondent states: "The Germans had surrounded Bullecourt with the strongest possible defences. New troops belonging to the German 207 th Division were brought from Ypres during the weekend to garrison the village. Tho Scots captured many of them yesterday. They found the majority of them concealed in dugouts. When attacked after a thorough all-night bombardment, the Germans surrendered. They suffered severe casualties before the Scots attacked. Later the Germans made several attempts to recover tk> trenches, but the Scots held their ground, while the Australian bombers gave effective co-operation. HEAVY ARTILLERY DUEL AT NIGHT v (Rec. May 9, 7.30 p.m.) ' London, May 9. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: "On Tuesday evening the enemy's gunfire at Loos and from Lens to the southward was very heavy, and during the night they launched a violent counter-attack on the new line which the Canadians' captured at Fresnoy. Further south the Scots at Bullecourt, fighting at close quarters,,'mainly with bombs, routed the enomy down their trenches and out of the village. Elsewhere there have been small night raids accompanied by heavy artillery fire."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ON ,THE FRENCH FRONT COUP DE MA'IN ON VAUCLERE PLATEAU. London, May 8. A French communique states: "There is considerable artillery activity between the Somme and the Oise. Tho enemy made a counter-attack east of Vauxaillon and on the Chemin des Df.mes, in tho direction of Pantheon and Cqrny. Our fire emashed all his attempts. Tho artillery struggle ie occasionally violent further cast, on the Vauclere plateau and in the Craonne district By a- coup de main we carried Ihe enemy's centre of resistance north of tho Vauclere plateau. The onpmy's attempts to recapture ground north-west of Reims and north of Berrv-au-Bac ended to our advantage. Wfi repulsed a strong attack on the crest of Mont Tetti, north-cast of Mont Haut (in the Champagne}.—Aus.-N.Z. f>We Assn.-Router. The Hiffli Commissioner reports t'hat 50 prisoners were taken by the 6urpTise attack north of the Vauclere pliitenii. (Hec. May 9, 1.0.20 p.m.) London, May 9. A French official communique stans: "The enemy's infantry is inactive north-east of Soissons and the Chemin des Panics, but his artillery, which ours violently countered, bombarded Hie Corny, Hiirtebise, and Crannno sectors. There have been grenade skirmishes oast of Vauxaillon, and elsewhere cannonading. Twenty-five Gorman aeroplanes were indubitably destroyed in the air fighting between May 1 and 7, and bosides these fiftyone others were crippled and fell into the German lines."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesn.-Bcuter.

GERMAN COMMUNIQUE (ftec. May 9, 5.5 p.m.) .* London, May 8. A German_pfficial communique states: "Wβ heavily repulsed attacks on Roeux, aiid also attacks between I'ontlnes and Remcourt. As a. result of the lighting at Bullecourt, the enemy remained in possession of the south-eastern boundary. We stormed L'resiio.y. British attempts to recapture the position failed. Costly French attacks failed against the heights between Hurtebise and Craonne. Attacks from Vauxaillon to Conbeny failed, except to the westward of Craonnc. Tho eueniy on Monday lost twenty aeroplanes, and lost in April, 362. Wβ lost seventy-four. Our air forces" are fighting at the zenith of their capacity."—Aue.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Reuter. BRITISH GUNS AND AEROPLANES IMPRESSIVE EFFICIENCY IN THE WEST. London, May 8. Colonel Repington, military correspondent of the "Times," writes that he is greatly impressed by the British artillery, and their aerial superiority. Von Hindenburg proposed to double his guns last winter, but tliero arc no signs that ho did so. Tbo enemy is often , no better than a passive resister. We uso abundant gas, which is released in olouds. The enemy dreads and suffers from itj and he must curse the day he first decided to,use gas. Although Germany, by means of swarms of a ;new type of battle-plane, has made great efforts to suppress our airmen, the latter, though they had an uncommonly warm time, took tho offensive and drove back tho Germans. It is foolish to criticise types of machines, because every typo is wanted. We would have few "birds .of" the air" if wo stuck to one type. The latest type is equal to Germany's best, but a greater quantity and a constant succession of new types are needed, because a fighting aeroplane has a life of two months, and'an airman rarely lasts longer than nine months, owing to the greatness of the strain upon him.—The "Times." DASHING ATTACK IN THE AIR. New York, May 8. Mr. Simms, the Unitfd Press correspondent, states that seven British airmen destroyed seven German balloons, and then resumed the offensive against three in mid-air and two which were emerging from hangars.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.