NEW BATTLE FOR THE RIDGE OF PASSCHENDAELE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 17, 15 October 1917, Page 5

NEW BATTLE FOR THE RIDGE OF PASSCHENDAELE

HAW'S LATEST STROKE ; DESPERATE CONFLICT STOPPED BY THE RAIN Br Telerraph—Press Association—Oopyricht. v London, October 12. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "We attacked at 5.2 a this morning on a front of six miles, north-east of Ypres, and are making satisfactory progrcEri. Heavy rain fell in the night."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Keuter. (Rec. October 14, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 111. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Heavy rain fell all night, and is still continuing. There have beon no hostile counter-attacks."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Renter. OPERATIONS STOPPED BY THE RAIN. ■ (Rec. October 14, 5.5 p.m.) , London, October 13. Sir Douglas Haig's latest report states: "Notwithstanding tho night's heavy rain, the troops during this morning's attack made progress along our entire front from the Ypres-Eoulere railway to our junction with tho French on the southern edge of the Forests of Houthulst. Throughout, on this front we captured many defended localities, fortified farms and woods, and concreted strong points, together with a number of prisoners. The fighting was especially severe along the slope of the main ridge itself, southward of Pnsschendaele. Heavy rain recommenced this morning, and continued with increasing violonco all day. Impeding bur progress. Consequently it was decided to make no further effort to reach onr final objectives. There were approximately five hundred prison- i era."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

(Rec. October M, 11 p.m.) London, October H. Sir Douglas Haig reports"Tho weather ir> wet and stormy, The usual reciprocal artillery activity prevails. Seven hundred and forty-ono prisoners, including forty-one officers, were taken yestorday. In spite of the weather, our aeroplanes went out. A few of tho, enemy's machines were encountered, but there was little air fighting. Nino of the enemy's machines were brought down; ten of ours aro missing, evidently having been lost in tho storms."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reutcr. SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S TRIBUTE TO HIS MEN London, October 12. Tho United Press correspondent says ho talked to Sir Douglas Haig yesterday. Ho was full of admiration for the men. "The entire history of Flanders," said Sir Douglas Haig, "shows .that mud is always the soldiers' worst enemy. This is true to a greater extent now than ever before, because the natural drainage has been stopped. Nevertheless tho British troops from all parts of the Empire, and also the French, are undaunted before the mud and <hc Germans." Tho Field-Marshul concluded, "They are all simply splendid."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn,

. ' IRRESISTIBLY SWEEPING ONWARD London, October 12. The United Press correspondent states: "The British hive taken all their first objectives, and are still sweeping on, carrying all before them. Considerable batches of prisoners are coming in. The battlefront extends for sir miles south from tho Houthulst Wood, and everything is going well. At noon the troops were within the shortest distance of Passchendaele. It is too early to estimate the number of prisoners. Fighting continues vigorously. The aeroplanes are swooping up and down. Swarms of machines, at a low altitude, freely fired their machine-guns at tho enemy infantry. The French took no part in the attack. The rain ceased at dawn. Heavy low olouds remained, but the visibility is fair. The enemy's artillery was active at night in the central and southern portions of the battlefront, especially at the Broodscinde Ridge and Anzao Bidjge and on the Roulers railway, putting over considerable numbers of gas shells between four o'clock and half-past. When the British barrage began the enemy machine-guns answered with a terrific rattle, but tho artillery Teplied tardily and erratically. The rain has reduccd the battlefront to a porfcct morass, but the British and Anzac' troops navigated the 6eas and mountains of mud like men performing a miracle." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable As6n.

ANOTHER STORY OF THE BATTLE ■' t ' ONE OF THE MOST DETERMINED YET FOUGHT. v (Bee. October 14, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 13. Mr. Perciral Phillips writes: "The fifth battle on the slopes of Passcliendaelo Ridge resulted in fighting as determined as any that lias been chronicled in the war. The enemy made a superhuman effort to prevent our taking mora ground, and met our attack on a six-mile front was an abundance of picked infantry, supported by the heaviest bombardment the British troops have yet confronted in Flanders. Though some of our men seem to have leached the edge of Pas6chendaele village t the wore forward elopes still bristle with unsilonced strong posts. The houses in Paescliendnele shelter many other machine-guns. Onr attack commenced at 5.25 a.m. The German batteries immediately redoubled their fire, and laid a curtain acro63 our front, while other groups of German suns 6ought to break the infantry that was storming the ou.ter redoubts. Sharp fighting occurred at Augustus Wood, which was defended by young and welltrained Jaeger troops, who stuck to their posts. Wo also had a hard time trying to got forward along the flooded banks 0 f tho Lekkerboterbest, which flows alongside the road from Poelcapelle to Westro o sbeke. Tt stretched over the open country commanded by a few redoubt?, and a machine-gun barrage from Passchendaele. We went easily through the village, retook the ruins of the brewery, and pushed along the road towards Wosfroosboke. As T write tho battle continues along the entire front. We are everywhere attacking with unabated resolution. The Germans nre fighting better than lisnal, and all the wounded men state that there has been a great amount 0 f bayonet work."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable As on.

ENEMY THROWN BACK ON HIS HUMAN DEFENCES MOST TERRIFIC BARRAGE TO DATE. London, October 12. Renter's correspondent at Headquarters states: "We have driven the Germans out of practically the whole depthot' their defensive front over a width of several thousand yards. The result is that the Germans must now opnose us more than on auy previous occasion sine# the first battlo of Yprts with flesh and blood, instead of dugoute, deep trenches, and concrete mlonbts. Our barrage, more terrific than ever, crawled ahead of our lads, searching every yard it traversed. The enemy artillery responso was somewhat ragged. From many reports the Germans are 6hort of gun ammunition. Certainly the Army Orders invariably ndmonish commanders to husband this as much as possible. Recently the enemy has been firing at us some of onr own shells captured from the Russians. The facti that they are bringing these so far in view of the fereat transport difficulties is significant."—Renter.

NEW ZEALANDERS HAD AN HONOURED PLACE (Eec. October H, 5.5 p.m.) London, Octobcr 13. Mr. Murdoch slates that the Australians and Now Zealanders had an honoured place in this latest attack.—United Service. GREAT ARTILLERY ACTIVITY ON THE FRENCH FRONT London, October 12. A. French official comfliuniquo (states: "Tho night "was marked by great mutual artillery activity, and a series of German attempts at various parts of the front, including sectors west of Corny, west of tho Maison de Champagne, and the regions of Souain and Auberive. All these attempts failed. Tho artillery duel continues in the region of Bezonvaui, on tho right bank of the lleuse."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Aesn.-Houter. i (Rec. October 14, 5,5 London, Ootober 13. A French official communique states: "North of the Aisno the Germans daring the night launched several attacks on our positions on the HurtebiseChevraux sector. In 6pite of the, violence of his offorts, tho enemy only temporarily gained a footing in our advanced line." A later report states: "The artillery has been active in the sector of Xaffaux Mill and in the region of Craonne. Tho enemy raids at Souain. and Auberive, mentioned this morning, were carried out with strong effectives, and preceded by a thirty-six hours' bombardment. The attacks we delivered by storming troops and pioneer detachments 140 strong. Lively engagements resulted, ending decidedly in our favour. Tho enemy's losses wore particularly heavy."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT London, Octobor 12. A German official report states: "Between the river Lys and the YpreaMenin road, firing increased Buddenly to drumfire this morning, and new enemy attacks then commenced on wide sectors. There iB intense artillory activity northcast of Soissons, and east of the lleuse." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesn.-Renter. ' , (Koc. October 14, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 12. A German offioial report states: "Tho battle is still in full swing on the Langemarck-Zonnebeke front. Fighting continues at soma places wlier© tho British penetrated our lines north of Poeleapelle and south-west of Passchendaele." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. (Eec. Octobor 14, 5.5 p.m.) London* Octobcr 13. A German official report states: "'Tho English yesterday penetrated our lines between the station and the village of Poelcapelle. We threw back the enemy on both sides of Pondsbcck. The enemy directed strong pressure on Passchendaele, which we retained. The enemy gained only a naxrow strip in the forefield. The artillory increased its drumfire between the Lvs and Ihe CominesTpres Canal."—AU6.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. ' GERMAN CORESPONDENT DEPICTS THE NERVE-AGONY OF HIS COUNTRYMEN. Amsterdam, October 12. Herr Wegener, a correspondent of the "Cologne Gazette," in a description of the tremendous development of the British war machine, says that Belgium is an enormous war camp. "Networks of railways spring up and bridge after' bridge has been built over the Yser Canal. The country is covered with munition dumps, aerodromes, and encampments. The masses of airmon are unexampled. The new tactics of intermittent drumfire are designed to destroy the jeives. What the German soldiers havo endured is beyond description."—Reuter. THE NAVAL AIR OFFENSIVE IN FLANDERS / London, October 12. The Admiralty reports: "In spite of the weather, naval aircraft dropped manv bombs in the Sparappelhoek aerodrome yesterday. All Iho machines returned/' —Aus.-N.Z. Cable As6n.-Eeuter. THE WARSHIPS TAKE A HAND (Hoc, October 14, 11 p.m.) Amsterdam, Ucldbur H. Advices state that warships are shelling the German positions 011 the Belgian coast.—ius.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.