THE WAR IN THE WESTERN THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3190, 14 September 1917, Page 5

THE WAR IN THE WESTERN THEATRE

LOCAL ACTIONS ALONG THE ALLIED LINE j London, Septombor 12. Sir Douglas Haig reports :—"Wo repulspd the enomy who attacked this morning east.of Hardcourt (east of Peronne). Wβ made a successful raid north-east of Bullecourt (ten miles south-east of Arras), and south of Lombaertzyde (on tho Belgian coast)."—Aua.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Iteuter. (Rec. September 13, 8 p.m.) London, September 12. Sir Douglas Haig reports; "Patrol encounters north-west of St. Quentin and on the Ypres sector resulted in , a haul of prisoners. There is great aerial activity, and continuous and successful artillery work. Wβ bombed the enemy's aerodromes, an ammunition dump, the Roulers railway station, and trains at Coartrai. Our air patrols encountered strong enemy 'formations, and brought down twenty machines. Eight of ours are m issing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. DEADLY WORK BY THE BRITISH GUNS. . ' . Paris, September 12. The "Petit Parisien's" correspondent in the lone region writes that the British artillery during the past month has iuflicted losses totalling one-half of the German effectives.. The Germans havo now brought Alsatian troops from tho Russian front for the exposed positions against the Canadians.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. DECADENCE OF THE GERMAN. FIGHTING SPIRIT NEW METHODS BEING INCULCATED. (Rec. September 13, 9.55 p.m.) London, September 13. Tliou»h there are no major operations on the British front, local fighting continues 'The "Morning Post" correspondent descibes a typical affair arising out of a German attempt to retake Invemes s Copse by means of storm troops. "The Germane " lie says "aro no longer able to rely on their ordinary hue regiments for assaults on the British line, and tho- necessity for using storm troops is a striking proof of tho decadeuco of tlieir Army. Tho bulk of the Germans are only fit to hold the multitude of concrete forts witli which the Hindenburg line and the fnrnuf'of Flanders are studded. While the picked storm troops enter tho barrace the infantry remain idle in their trenches and craters. The attack on ! Inverness Copse was carefully planned and rehearsed by Bavarian storniera and flame-macbino men, the ground had been accurately surveyed by means of aeroplane photographs. Tho Bavarian charge secured a fow small trenches, but our 'ordinary troops, ,counter-attacking a few hours later, quickly flung them out. Such incidents convince our men that they are more than a match for the best of Germany's infantry. General-von Anim is industriously training the' Fourth Army opposite Ypres in new open methods of warfare, which have developed from the shell-hole system of defence, tho Germans being: accustomed to live on the naked battlefield, with only a strip of canvas-cloth across their shell-hole to screen them from aerial observations.' —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ON THE FRENCH FRONT TWO SUCCESSFUL RAIDS. i / London, September 12. A French' official communique states:—"There is an artillery struggle in the sectors of Dry Grachten and Bixschoote (Belgium). Wo made two successful raids, north-oast of Anborivo and east of the St. Hilaire-St. Souplet Koad (in the Champagne), where we penetrated tho enemy's third line, and killed or captured the whole garrison. . An'enemy attempt north-east of Tahuro failed with serious enemy losses. ,We repulsed two attacks on our advanced posts north of Caurieres Wood and north of fionyaux (Verdun area). Enemy aeroplanes bombed Dunkirk. There were several civilian victims.-"—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. (Rec. September 13, 5.30 p.m.) . _ „„, London, September 12. A German official report states:— Wo repulsed a French advance astride the Sommo-Pys-Qnain Road. Wo brought down ninelcen of the enemy's aviators. —Aus.-N,Z. Cable Assn.-Reutor. i - A BIG DAY IN THE AIR . London, September IS. The operations of the naval air service carried out during the past twentyfour hours included raids on St. Denis-Westrom, and Gonlro.dc aerodromes, tho docks «t Bruges, tho Thourout railway junction, ami the railway near Ghent. Sevoral tone of explosives wore dropped. The airmen also dropped many tons of explosives on ammunition dumps at Thorout and Engel. All our machines roturned.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. "VICTORY A QUESTION OF NERVES AND STAYING POWER " MR. BONAR LAW GIVES A GLIMPSE OF A SIX-MONTHS-OLD CRISIS. (R-ec. September 13, 9.10 p.m.) i London, September 12. Speaking at .the Empire Parliamentary luncheon, Mr. Bonar Law declared that six months ago, if they had been without tho United Stales aid, tho Allies' financial position would have been most disastrous. "Britous and Americans," ho said, "understand that victory now is a question of nerves and slaying powor."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.