FIERCE FIGHT AT LENS

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 46, 23 August 1917, Page 7

FIERCE FIGHT AT LENS

WHEN WAVE MET WAVE

BOMBS AND BAYONETS IN NO MAN'S LAND

LONDON, 21st August. Reiiter'fi correspondent at Headquarters says : "The Canadians around LenSt launched another attack, converging on the western environments of Leus, at 4.30 o'cl6ck in the morhing. Dawn broke iii a thick haze, and when the infantr? went 'over the tbp' they .siivv masses of shadowy grey figure* advancing. Th6y Wei's Germans, Who had planned an attack at. the identical moment oUfs was tamvjhed. It was probably one of the most desiperate hand-to-hand conflicts of the war. An eye-witness says that the Germans fought like cornered rats. In the struggle in the shell-torn, wire-encumbered No Man's Land, bomb and bayonet were the principal weapons. Gradually the Canadians beat back the Huns, and fifteen minutes after Ihe clash the enemy ■was making his last stand on the parapet of his trench. Theh he retfaated a*

rapidly as possible into the ruins of Lens. Almost immediately furious ma-chine-gun fire started in the northern part of the city. The Canadian attack made good progress in the centre* In the southern' portions the advance was more fiercely resisted."

(AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND OABLB ASSOCIATION.)

LONDON, 22nd August.

Mr. Philip Gibbs writes : "The Canadians' attack has tightened the line around Lens. Some of them are already within the city, having penetrated places in the vast defensive system," but they are not yet beyond the outlying houses."

TWO THOUSAND YARDS OF POSITIONS CAPTURED

(AUSTR*LIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION AND RECTEIt.) LONDON, 2lst August.

Sir Douglas Haig reports : Early this morning we attacked and captured the enemy's position on a front of two thousand yards west and north-west of Lens. Heavy fighting continues. We repulsed strong counter-attacks northwest of Lens. Our a^tillei-y broke a third attack to the southward. We captured a number of prisoner; and repulsed raiders north-east of Measines.. Our aeroplanes were successful, in spite of the enemy's aggressiveness. We brought down nine machines, and drove down seven others. Four of ours are missing.

MORE GROUND GAINED AFTER HEAVY FIGHTING

(Received August 23, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, 22nd August. Sir Douglas Haig reports : We maintained the positions captured yesterday morning on the outskirts of Leri&, and made further progress at certain points. We secured additional ground north-west and north of Lens is the result of heavy fighting, in which we repulsed strong counter-attacks. There is great artillery activity east and north of Ypres. ,