OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS OF OPERATIONS

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 90, 16 April 1917, Page 7

OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS OF OPERATIONS

BRITISH MOVE EXTENDING NORTHWARD

The High Commissioner reports :•—

The High Commissioner reports :•— - , LONDON, 13th April/ The area of active operations was extended northwards to-day. East and north of Vimy Ridge wo pressed back the enemy on our whole front from north of the Scarpe to south of Loos. We seized the villages of Bailleul, Villerval, Vimy, Petit Vimy, Givenchy-en-Gohelle, and Angres, ginning a footing in the enemy's trenches north-east "of Lens. In this 'area we captured prisoners and guna. South of the Arras and Cambrai road we captured Wancourt Tower, on a, , spur east of Wancourt, advancing astride of the Hindenburg Line to a poirg seven miles south-east of Arras. We made further progress on the high ground east of le Verguier and Havrincoiu't Wood. / Much useful aeroplane work was done yesterday, despite the -weather. The number of prisoners taken since the commencement of operations on 9th April now exceeds 13,000, including .£BS officers. We also captured 166 guns, including eight 8-inch howitzers, twenty-eight 5.9-inch howitzers, 130 field guns, 84 trench mortars, fyid 250 machine guns A considerable number of guns, trench mortars, and machine guns were demolished and buried by our shell fire, and cannot be enumerated. Many of the captured guns were turned upon the enemy with good effect. ■ LONDON, 14th April. The village of Fayet. north-west of St. Quentin, was carried during the night. After a sharp fight on the high ground east of le Verguier, we captured the important positions of Ascension' Farm and Grand Priel Farm. We also made progress north of the Bapaume-Cambrai road; towards Queant. Northwards of the Scarpe, after constant pressure, we compelled the enemy to yield ground. - We seized Vimy Station, ,1a Chaudiere, .and positions of Fosse No. 6 and Buquet Mill, between Givenchy-en-Gohelle and Angres. The guns taken in this area include four 8-inch howitzers, ... . , ■ _ The ground gained in the recent operations now links up with the positions gained in the battle of Lops, !and includes Double Grassier. An attempt-. Ed raid by the enemy during the night, eastwards of Loos, was driven off. CLOSING ON ST. QUENTIN (ATJBTBALIAN-NEW ZEALAOT) CABLE ASSOCIATION AND REUTEE.) LONDON, 15th'April. Sir Douglas Haig reports: This morning we captured Lievin, south-west of, and adjoining, Lens, taking considerable quantities of! war material. In the afternoon we seized Cite vSt. Pierre, north-west of Lens. We pressed on along our whole front from the Scarpe River to the south of Loos, and reached points from two to three miles east of Vimy Ridge. In heavy, all-day fighting south of the Scarpe, we everywhere maintained the positions we have. previously captured, and inflicted serious losses on the enemy. We made progress on a wide front north and south of the\BapaumeCambrai road, furious encounters resulting in our favour. From south-east of Fayet we are within a few hunSred yard's of St. Quentin: We carried Gricourt village at the point of the. bayonet. The enemy stubbornly resisted, and attempted a hostile counter-attack, which was broken. Our aeroplanes, on Thursday and Friday, dropped large quantities of ex- • plosives, with good results, on the enemy's stations, ammunition depots, and aerodromes, and successfully attacked the enemy's infantry convoys with , machine °-uns. Four German aeroplanes were brought dowa, and cix were driven down. Twelve of ours have'not returned. . . ,