FRENCH ATTACK

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3122, 28 June 1917, Page 5

FRENCH ATTACK

STRONG POSITION CARRIED NEAR HURTEBISE BRITISH CLOSING IN ON LENS GERMAN BOMB FIENDS SENSATIONAL DISCOVERY . / -IN NORWAY , Good news comes from both the British and French sectors in the (West to-day; On the British front the oporations conripcted with the advance towards Lens are developing satisfactorily, ahd the enemy, forced by the persistent bombardment of high explosive shells from the British , guns, have withdrawn from the suburban positions' into the city itself. 'Che arrival of fresh German troops in Plunders and the "movements of the German iStaff'-.nre interpreted as indicating Gorman apprehension of a 'British blow in that region. On the French front, our Allies, by a smart and unexpected coup, havo captuirod a strongly organised position in the region of Hurtobise, and inflicted serious casualties on the enemy. The Austriaus on the Italian front aro making desperato efforts to recover . their lost positions and prostigo in the. Trentino, but so far their attacks ' have availed them nothing. It,,is roported that the. Italians are'to cooperate with the British in a new and vigorous offensive in Palestine. Further sensational discoveries of German bombs aro reported from Nbr- ; way, and the relations between that country and Berlin are somewhat strained. The Kaiser's courier, Von Hautenfcls, has'been arrested, and Germany demands an apology for the action of Norway in opening a diplomatic package. ; .

\ FRENCH COUP IN THE WEST ' ' : SOLIDLY-ORGANISED SPUR CAPTURED SURPRISED ENEMY SUSTAINS HEAVY LOSSES , , ■ \, ; ■ , The High Commissioner reports;— ' . ' i ' London, June 26, 3.10 p.m. <. A French official report states: "Yesterday evening,' after a short artillery preparation, we attacked a solidly-organised spur northwest of Hurtebise. All our objectiyes were attained,. and tho German first-line trenches fell into our possession., In a few moments the enemy counter-attacked oh. the two extremities of our new! position, but the attacks wore broken by our fire. The enemy was surprised, and sustained heavy losses, including. 300 takeii prisoner." ( ' . ' ■ " i . , .OPERATIONS ON, THE BRITISH FRONT , The High Commissioner reports:— • London, June 25, 9.40 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig, reports: "North-westward of Croisilles. wa carried out a successful local operation during the night, taking a number of. prisoners. At La Bassee a. hostile raiding party was repulsed during the -night.' •. , The High Commissioner reports:— . ' ■ London, June 26, 10 p.m.' A British official report states: "In last night's operations north-west of Fontaine-les-Croisilles all our objectives gained with little loss. Two hostile counter-attacks, of considerable strength were repulsed. During the day our progress south-west of Lens continued. We extended our' gains, capturing the enemy's positions astride of tho River Souchez, on a front of two miles to a depth of a thousand yards. We have occupied the village of La Coulotte."

THE TIGHTENING GRIP ON LENS SEQUEL TO SUNDAY'S SUDDEN COUP. '(By Telegraph—Press^Asaociation—Copyright). •',..■' (Rec. June 2", '8.15 .. ' / . ' ' London, June 26. J[r. Philip Gibbs writes: "During the past two days a great change has developed in the'situation round Lens. The enemy is retreating from the suburbs before our patrols to newl defences round the city. This retirement has been forced upon him'owing to''the heavy losses inflicted 1 by our artillery ever since the capture of Vimy Ridge, when the enemy ia a panic prepared to abandon Lens. But we were not forcing the pace, and he drifted back with his 'guns and' held a mazo of cottages and works surrounding the city. The. Prussians ' who were holding the suburbs fought well, counter-attacking sometimes very fiercely, but our high explosives have caused constant wastage in their ranks. New prisoners, describing the life there, say that it is hellish. The enemy is unable to repel our constant raids, which are preceded by terrific 'bombardments.- In a recent raid at Hulluch the British stayed two and a half hours in the German trenches, leaving many German dead. It is prettyclear that the German command believed that the worst was coining, and feared that the losses would be more fright, ful than they could afford at the present time. Their resolve to withdraw was hastened and made definite by the sudden storming of Hill G5 on Sunday. This position dominates the trench' system on the western aide of tho' city, waves of the English/following the work of the artillery, took possession of the western slopes of the hill without opposition. Tho Germans who remained on the other side have crept back to the ruined streets of Lens, and disappeared into shelters below the shattered houses ' . . ■ Preparing to Leave Lens. .'"Early this morning the enemy fell back from La Coulotte, under the pressure of our patrols. He has blown up the craters at Avion and all cross roads, just as he did" on the ■country eastward of Bapaunie and Peronne before the March retreat. The enemy has blown down several streets of houses on the westward side of the city, and elsewhere is systematically destroying blocks of houses, as carried out in all French'towns from which they'were preparing to retreat — Aus.-N.57. Cable Assn.- -, . (,"..'■ A GERMAN REPORT London, June 28. A ''fjerman official report states: 'Where'are numerous artillery duels. The, French penetrated our lines north-west of Hurtebise Farm, but counter-attacks recaptured the majority of the positions.. Fighting' activity, continues south-west of Lutsk and between the Strypa and Dniester Rivers."—Ans. : N.Z. Cable Assn.Renter. . ■ ~/■-' BRITISH BLOW EXPECTED IN FLANDERS ,\ (Pec. June 27, 8.15 p.m.) , , Amsterdam, June 26. Fresh German troops have reached Flanders and are proceeding to the Ypres, Dixmude, and Ostend districts. The citizens have evacuated Menin. The German Supreme Command'has left-Courtrai for Ghent, and there are other indications that, the Germans expect an early British offensive.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. DEFEATING THE ENEMY BY WHOLE DIVISIONS ' HOW THE GERMAN RANKS HAVE BEEN THINNED. : " London, June 28. / The "Daily Chronicle's" Paris correspondent states that two-thirds of the German effectives arc now fighting on the West front, and one-third on the East front. The net transfer of troops from the Russian front to France sinco the revolution is only three divisions. Tho line was previously so thinned that it was impossible for the Germans to make a larger withdrawal. Since April there has been a total increase of eight divisions on the German Western front. There are now 155 divisions there, and of these 112 have been engaged on tho sectors, of the British and French offensives, twenty-three boing engaged twice over. It is estimated that every time a division was withdrawn from an active sector it hail lost mi average -of two thousand men. Five-sUshs of the German Army has therefore sustained serious losses, twenty-five divisions being used to repair tho losses. Only twelve fresh divisions now remaiii behind the front. The others have already been used up us reliefs.—Aus.-N.Z. Cabto Assn.