ENEMY COMPLETELY THWARTED IN THE WEST

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 60, 4 December 1917, Page 7

ENEMY COMPLETELY THWARTED IN THE WEST

TERRIFIC FIGHTING AT CAMBRAI GERMAN LOSSES VERY HIGH. The High Commissioner reports: — London, December 2, 1.10 a.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Wo completely thwarted tho enemy's encircling counter-attacks at Cambrai, where there is terrific fighting." Bj Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, December 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "The enemy yesterday delivered nine separate attacks in tho neighbourhood of Masnieres. We beat off all of them, with heavy losses to the enemy. Detachments of German infantry in the last attack obtained a foothold in the village of Les Reus Vertes, on the west bank of the Escaut Canal. Our counter-attack drove them out. We repulsed raiders in tho neighbourhood of Avion and south of Irmentieres."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Routcr. OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE 11,551 PRISONERS CAPTURED IN NOVEMBER, London, December 2. Sir Douglas Haig states: "Reports from various sectors of thet Cambrai battlefront, with the aid of captured orders and of the objective maps, enable the following account to be given of the battle: The enemy's intention was to deliver a simultaneous encircling attack with a largo number of divisions to drive us out of positions gained on November 20. General von der Marwitz, commanding the 2nd German Army, issued on November 29 the following order: — "Tlio English, by throwing into tho fight countless tanks, on November 20 gained a victory near Cambrai. The intention was to break through. They did not succeed, thanks to the brilliant resistance of the troops put into the line to check tho advance. We are now going to turn their embyronic victory into a defeat by encircling counter-attack." Sir Douglas Haig proceeds: "Owing to the magnificent defence and stubborn resistance of our troops, the enemy's object was completely defeated. The enemy advanced in masses from Vendhuille to a point two thousand yards west of lioeuvres, endeavouring to break through by weight of numbers. From Masnieres northward our positions are intact. Our artillery, rifle, and machine-gun fire inflicted tho severest losses on the enemy. Where ho temporarily broke through he was caught by point-blank fire from field artillery, and driven back by immediate counter-attacks. The enemy forced his way .into our lines on a considerable front southward of Crevecoeur, capturing a number of prisoners, and reaching our gun positions in places. Our reserves coun-ter-attacked, and recaptured a great part of the ground, and to-day retook Gonnelieu and the St. Quentin spur southward of that place. We took several hundred prisoners in these operations, and many machine guns, and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. In the afternoon there were repeated attacks in the neighbourhood of Masnieres, Marcoing, Fontaine, Bourlon, and MoeuTres but thoy were completely repulsed. We took 11,551 prisoners in November 'induing 214 officers; also 138 guns, including 40 heavy pieces, 303 machine-guns, 64 trench mortars, and great quantities of engineering stores, ammunition; and other war material."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. BRITISH SUCCESS ON PASSCHENDAELE FRONT (Rec. December 3, 9.50 p.m.) London, December 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Rifle, North Country, and Home County battalions this morning captured somo fortified buildings and strong points on the main ridge northward of Passchendaele. Wo withdrew unmolested last night from the sharp salient formed by Masnieres, which tho enemy was still shelling this morning. Ten hostilo attacks on this front during tho last twentyfour hours were completely repulsed. Fighting occurred in and around Gonnelieu. We broke up attacks in tho neighbonrliood of La Vacquerio and Bourlon. Our artillery successfully engaged tho enemy's concentrations of infantry in the vicinity of Moeuvrcs. Despite the prevalence of clouds and mist on Saturday, our aoroplanos made several successful reconnaissances in tho areas near the battlefront, bombing and machine-gunning tho infantry."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. HOW THE GERMAN ATTACK WAS DELIVERED FEINT ON THE LEFT AND TERRIFIC BLOW ON THE RIGHT. (Rce. December 3, 8.50 p.m.) London, Docember 2. Mr. Philip Gibbs, describing the fighting round Cambrai, says: "The onemy seemed to have been apparently concentrating his efforts during tho past week on the northern side of the saliont, but had meanwhile secretly boen concentrating heavy forces on our right _ flank, intending to strike through the woakest part of tho saliont, hoping thus to cut off great numbers of the British troops. Our forward lines on the right flank were held thinlv, and when this sudden weight of men was flung against them they were forced' to give way, and tho enemy broke through tho lines. Tho surprise was so great that our men in most cases wore unaware of the break through until they saw the Germans swarming close to them. A gunner told me that when his officer shouted to tho men to stand to their guns ho rushed to the battery and saw a great number of advancing Germans with machine-guns only three hundred yards away. Tho surprise was stupefying. The guns were laid directly on the enemy's ranks, and several rounds were fired which tore great gaps in their lines, but others filled them, and the gunners were almost surrounded before thoy abandoned tho battery and ran for their lives. Tho gunners on ioining the infantry were given rifles, and participated in the counterattacks which recaptured Gozeaucourt and drovo back the enemy."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. THE ODDS WERE THREE TO ONE. (Rec. December 3, 8.30 p.m.) London, December 2. Reuter's correspondent at Headquarters says: "The amount of territory the etiemv gained during Friday's attack at aloss of thousands was so trifling as' to scarcely show on the map. The tactical situation was practically unaffected. Wo retain our gains up to a depth of nearly six miles, while the Germans were beaten back almost^ everywhere to whence they started. It was a test of the respective fighting qualities of tho contestants, with the I odds probably three to one in favour:, of ths Germans."—Router,

AMERICANS TAKE A HAND (Rec. December 3, 11.25 p.m.) London, December 3. The United Press correspondent slates that the Americans in soma cases fought side by side with the British, using borrowed rifles. Since the commencement of General Byng's thrust tho Americans have been building and operating strategic railways close up to tho German lines. They relished their baptism of fire, as with sleeves rolled up they plunged into tho spirit of the fighting. A Tenncsseean was'standing by his engine when the shrapnel began to rain. Jlo had no steel helmet, but ho grabbed a petrol tin, and put it on his head. When the Prussians came up he hid in a shell-hole. The enemy blew up tho railway, but left the engine. Tho Tennesseean stole from shell-hole to shell-hole till he rojoiued the Tommies, from whom ho secured a rifle, and fought all day. Ho ended by getting his engine back, and looked as proud as if he had done tho whole thing himself. Two other Americans had similar experiences.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. j THE GERMAN REPORT j . (Rec. Deceniber 3, 8.5 p.m.) , London, December 2. A German official report states: "There has been a most violent artillery bombardment all night astride the I'asscliendaole Ridge. The English attacks eastward and westward of Moeuvres broko down. Wo cleared tho enemy out of Masnieres and repulsed strong counter-attacks after desperate fighting on the west bank of the Scheldt, and also wostward of Veiidlniille, taking several hundred prisoners. Our captures now total sixty guns and oils hundred machine-guns."—Aus.-IS.Z. Cable Assn.-Renter. - ARTILLERY DUEL ON THE MEUSE London, December 2. A French official communiquti states: "The artillery activity continues to be very great on the right of tho Mouse, but ' there have been no infantry attacks."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. December 3, 9.50 p.m.) London, December 2. A French official communique states: "An artillery duel is in progress on the various sectors." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. « A WHIRLWIND WINTER CAMPAIGN GERMANS PLANNING TO FORESTALL AMERICA. Washington, December 2. Mr. Cyril Brown (the correspondent to the New York "World") writes from Stockholm that Germany wiH wago a whirlwind campaign in tho winter, in the hope of achieving victory on the West front by tho end of the spring or the early summer at any cost, so as to take energetic advantage of the six months' grace before tho United States is able to turn the tide of battle. Ihe enemy's leaders know that tho New World is mobilising for battle and not for bluff. Tho consensus of evidence indicates that the economic pressure in Germany is not unbearable, and that she will be able to survive a fourth winter.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SUPREME CALL ON ALLIES' ENDURANCE ENEMY HEAVILY REINFORCING FRiOM THE RUSSIAN FRONT. (Rec. December 3, 11.55 p.m.) London, December 2. The supreme call on the Allies' enduranco in the present critical military situation is complicated by economic troubles a aid a severe winter. The food queues are lengthening in Britain, France, and Italy, and tho difficulties regarding fuel supplies aro becoming intense. Publio restlessness is marked with occasional strikos, though the British workors generally are maintaining staunch war determination. Attention at present is riveted on the Austro-German divisions from Russia. It is variously estimated that tho Germans are bringing up to twenty-five divisions to the Western front, leaving ninety divisions to hold a thin line or occupy Russian territory. Colonel Repington ("The Times" military correspondent) oxpects that the force to bo relieved will he larger, and declares that the appearance of a mass of new fresh German divisions on tho West would bo calamitous.—United Service.