PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 10, 6 October 1917, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Against all that the Germans can do to check it, and it is abundantly clear that, they are sparing no possible effort or sacrifice to that end, the British offensive in Flanders is developing irresistibly. At the moment of writing there arc preliminary reports of another British attack on a wide front east of Ypres. It seems to have been no less successful than the recent attacks in which the- attacking armies gained important positions flanking the southern end of the Passchendaele ridge, a vital element in the weakened enemy barrier in Flanders. The attacking front in the present battle ■centres on the Broodseinde ridge, an elevation cast of Zonncbeke. The village of Broodseinde, standing on the high ground, is a junction of roads, one of which runs north along the Passchondaelc ridge, while ! another runs east from Zonnebeke to I Moorslede. The Broodseindo ridge practically forms part of the Passchendaele ridge, which extends to the north. The attack in progress is therefore towards the Passcheudacle ...ridge,, against its southern end, and around its southern flank. The attacking- front includes the Polygon AVood area in which the. Germans recently effected a small recovery of ground, and tho British front is now presumably extended well to the eastward of Polygon Wood. A notable event of the lattle is that the British anticipated a German counter-attack in tho Zonnebeke area. It is stated that three enemy divisions assembled tor this enterprise were caught and wiped out by the. British barrage. Ihe affair illustrates'the vital importance to the enemy of the ground ho is now losing. It shows that he was endeavouring at all costs to saleKiiard the Passehendacle- ridge, but ■ho onlv result has been to heavily accentuate the disaster he is now suffering. . # # # As to "progress made we have nothing more to go upon at the moment of writing than the statement that the enemy defences have been penetrated in places to a depth ot •i mile Details must be awaited, but if the- general statement just quoted is accurate-tho result of the battle- can hardly bo Ices than to lay tho enemy's positions along the. Passchendaele disastrously open to attack, and still more may bo accomplished. The enemy's hold on the Passchendaele ridge had already been gravely weakened by the conquest of Polygon Wood and adjacent ground, and a further adyanco of a mile, if it has been made on thff southern part of the. attacking front, opens big.possibilities. Ai it is at present revealed the battle has given further ground for confidence that if tho Germans contrive to postpone an extended retreat in Mors they will at least be: condemned to spend the "inter .n waterlogged trenches with the Bi - sh posted everywhere- in dominating positions. Detailed reports may how that a long step has been taken towards the greater achievement of compelling the Germans to undertake an extended retreat and abandonee Bdgiaγ-onsfc. # A I.ATB official message- more than Ws out anticipations based on the earlier reports, and shows that the battle has led to such results as will make it rank among the greatest of the war. The British have mastered the Passchendaele ridge to a point a thousand yards north of Broodseinde. Further south, also they won the crest ot the ridge overlooking the country to tho east, Three thousand prisoners are thus far reported, to have been captured, but this number is evidently in very Bmall ratio to the enemy s tota losses. Five enemy divisions instead of three had been assembled for an attack, and-were caught in the annihilating storm of the British barrage New Zealandcrs as well vs, Engiish and Australian troops wtfrc engaged in this great battle. Ino village of Gravenstafel, captured bv the New Zealandcrs, is on the Passchendaele ridge, about a mile north of Zonnebeke.

Colonel Repjxgton docs no more than justice to the merit of the British armies in the article- which is quoted to-day, and there is no doubt that Flan dors, as matters stand, is the centre of gravity of the whole war. Some of his observations, however, call for reservation. It is only in a, limited sense true that the'enemy is free to bring men, guns, and aircraft from all other fronts to stiffen his line in Flanders. ■ lhat the Germans are not at tho moment being - attacked by the French can-, not bo taken to mean that they are able- to reckon on continued itv on the French front. On the contrary, matters are in such a state in that quarter, particularly on the Aisnc heights and in the- Ohamnacne. as to impose a permanent demand upon the enemy's ■resources -a demand which he would ignoie at tho cost of inviting disaster, lo io-noro the extent to which the enemy is extended in defence is to do much less tha-n justice to the skill with which the Allies have developed fchoir offensive, and to depreciate rather than emphasise .the importanceof the operations in Flanders.