STORIES FROM THE BATTLEFIELD
VIVID DISPATCHES FROM WAR CORRESPONDENTS THE LOSS OF BAILLEUL ~,, ~...„ London, April IG. lha United Press correspondent writes: Kushing up important reinlorcements, Von Hindenbnrg is attackinjr heavily along the Lys hattlefront from near Mra--2?„ u L ' UVe Jislise - Mllm] WM Men (lining h u mjji,,., illl( | , lku llle I?av(!tj . °«'g ltitlgp. Tho enemy, after a heavy trench-mortar bombardment, attempted to storm the positions on the eastern edge of the Nieppe Forest. The, attackers ornung the southern Hank were caught under shellfire and failed to progress jhe northern flank developed the attack fiercely, but were smashed before h'-.V reached their objectives, and were thrown back. The Attack on Baillcul. [ "The attack on Bailloul began early in the night, and was preceded by a terrific bombardment. Late at night General von btettin, with fresh troops, attacked from tno south, while General von Carlowitz hurled storm troops to the north past tno city on the east, simultaneously assaulting the Ravetsborg heights, wliich are the southernmost positions of the agglomeration of protuberances rising out of the otherwise level lowlands of l'ianders. Against Bailleul alone several divisions swept, iucluding a German Alpine Corps, and the 117 th and 11th Bavarian Divisions, white at least three divisions followed the barrago un the elopes between Bailleul and ' Neuvn Egtise. The British lines are established behind these places, bent, but not broken. On the Somme battlefront Von der Marwitz's artillery is speeding up, showing that the battery are*-, of the German secondary offonsivo is bristling with guns. Considerable shelling of the villages along and behind the British front is going on." Neuve Efllise Bec'amo a Death-Trap. Air. Philip,Gibbs writes: "The British who hold Ne'uvo Egliso for three- days and nights withdrew .unknown to tho enemy rather than remain a target for unceasing shollfire.' Tho enemy had broken into tho streets, but small parties of Wiltshhys, Worcesters, and other troops fougnt them desperately, clearing them out several times. Tho enemy was unusually savage, and commanders sending up fresh troops sternly ordered that the business must bo finished. Yet Neuvo Egliso did not fall to a direct assault. The enemy was obliged to concentrate artillery lire on the village, making it a, death-trap for our men, vho retired under orders to a line a short distaneo away."-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. A Costly Capture. (Hoc. April 17, 'J. 15 p.m.) London, April 17. Mr. Pliiliji Gibbs writes: "The capture of Bailleul must have cost the enemy heavy losses. When tho 11*35 t-ame that concentrations- of German infantry, guns, transport, and cuvalry were moving on the roads in and northward of Merville, our artillery and airmen rained shells and explosives on them, Our meu were stubborn in .defence, and after a great resistance our line was withdrawn beyond tho town. Thousands of our men will regret tho loss of the charming old town tor old association's sake. It was here that tho King came once, when the old squaro was lined with fighting meu, including New Zealanders, Australians and Scots, ."After tho taking of Bailleul the enemy this morning doveloped his attack again by pressure westward, simultaneously delivering' separate fierce attacks against Wytschaeto village, which ho appears to havo taken after desperate fighting, and also at Spanbrock Molcn. Probably the next attack will bo directed against the hills Kemmel Noir and Mont liouge, which run east and west abovo bailleul."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE FIGHT FOR HANGARD London, April IG. Renter's correspondent at French Headquarters, writing on April 11, says that one of tho bitterest engagements in the great battlo was fought on Friday for Haugard, a position of importance north of tho road from Noyon to Amicus. Tho Germans attacked threo times, hoping to thrust a wedgo between tho French and British armies ajid Dbtaiii the mastery of tho Amiens road. Tho village was taken, retaken, and taken again by tho Germans, and rescued a second time by tho French iust in timo to save tno remnants of tho garrison. •In tho great battlo of April i tho village was gallantly held by a battalion against furious onslaughts. A hill dominating the village- was captured by tho Germans, and retaken by the French. Tho Germans 011 April 1) fought their way into tho village. After fighting all night from house to house they were driven out. On Friday the Germans again attacked and surrounded the village. A battalion commandor fortified himself in <a house and held out from 8 in the morning until 6 o'clock in the evening. Then he telegraphed to Headquarters: "I am surrounded,, but still holding out; make haste." His last message read: "Enemy about to attack." It was then 6 o'clock in the evening. A few minutes later ho and his men were taken prisoner. A counter-attack by French and British was completely successful. Hundreds of Germans were captured, and tho French defenders, except two, wore rescued—Reutcr. ENEMY CARGOES IMPORTANT JUDGMENT AFFECTING NEUTRALS. London, April 16. Sir Samuel Evans (president of tho Prizo Court), in condemning the Dutch I vessel Leonora and her cargo of Belgian coal for Sweden from Rotterdam, delivered an important judgment upholding the Order-in-Council of February, 1917, which, as a reprisal for tho new German submarine policy, authorised tho capture of neutral vessels carrying enemy cargoes. Tho owners contended that reprisals must not infringo tho rights of neutrals "under the cstabliscd international law. Sir Samuel Evans? scathingly sketched the history of German submarine barbarity, and, alluding-to tho Lusitania said that there had been no more cruel crime since Cain slew Abel. Tho German Bubmarino jolicy rendered retaliatory measures imjrarativo. Sir Samuel remarked that neutrals who complained of interference with trado forgot that they were making enormous profits at the oxptnse of the belligerents. Tho judgment affects two Dutch and six Swedish vessels.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. BOLO'S "REVELATIONS" Paris, April 16. It is stated that investigations do not substantiate many of Bolo's "revela-tions."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE LONG-RANGE GUN London, April 16. A French official report states that one person was killed and two injured by tho bombiu'duieut of Paris last night.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. FEDERAL PRIME MINISTER IN AMERICA NEWS OF MR. HUGHES'S MOVEMENTS. New York, April 16. The New York "Times" correspondent at Chicago fays that Mr. W. M. Hughes will arrive in America shortly, and will urgo President Wilson to bring large stores of Australian wheat to America and thus relieve the scarcity in America, Mr. Hughes will suggest that Australian wheat should bo taken over at ft dollar per bushel.—AnsvN.Z. Cable Assn, ,
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Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 179, 18 April 1918, Page 5
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1,080STORIES FROM THE BATTLEFIELD Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 179, 18 April 1918, Page 5
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