ARRAS BATTLE.

Evening Star, Issue 16409, 27 April 1917, Page 3

ARRAS BATTLE.

TERRIBLE GERMAN LOSSES. GREAT AERIAL ACTIVITY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, April 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports. We slightly advanced our lino to-day southward of the Scarpe River. . There were many thousands of German dead on the battlefield we now occupy. Fine weather on Tuesday facilitated many successful air raids, and bomb dropping was carried out on railway junctions, aerodromes, billets, and ammunition dumps. Fifteen German aeroplanes and two balloons were brought down, Six British machines are missing. CAVRELLE SHAMBLES. LONDON, April 25. Mr Philip Gibbs says that the battle between the Scarpe and Sensee is ebbing and flowing in an extraordinary manner. Several British units were rescued after holding out ill a most gallant manner at isolated posts. A party of Worcesters was without food or water for several days, but did not surrender. The Germans have already made eight counter-attacks on Gavrelle, all of which have been broken before they reached our lines. GENERALS AS SPRINTERS. . ‘The Times.’ LONDON, April 26. ‘The Times’s’ correspondent at Headquarters says that the ferocity of the fighting and the slaughter of the Qemans are unparalleled. The repulsed counter-attacks at Gavrelle resembled massacres. The ground was heaped with dead, our artillery blowing whole battalions to bits. The German fury is temporarily exhausted, but renewed concentrations prosago a further attempt to recapture the place. Four British High Command officers investigating the. results on the battle front were nearly capthrod by a German patrol, demonstrating the extreme openness and irregularity of the fighting. The officers had to run for their lives, but fortunately they outran the Germans, who narrowly missed bagging big game. GERMAN REPORTS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Router. Admiralty per Wireless Press. LONDON, April 25. German official: The fighting for Gavrelle has continued since yesterday morning. Southward of the Scarpe a British attack on a wide front on both sides of the Arras-Cambrai road broke down after violent hand-to-hand fighting, with heavy losses. We took 650 prisoners on Monday, and destroyed several “tanks.” Tlie English and French on Monday and Tuesday lost 59 aeroplanes. Later. Three British attacks northward of Monchy-le-Prsux were repulsed with heavy losses. THE AISNE BATTLE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, April 26. A French communique states; Artillery work was continued all along the front north of Yanxaillon. The Germans were bloodily defeated in an attempt against Hurtebiso Farm. Stopped by our fire, they renewed the assault, and a vigorous counter-attack threw them back to their own lines. During the action our artillery caught and dispersed large German concentrations in the region north of the Plateau Vnuclere. . YSER CANAL. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, April 26. A Belgian communique states : Artillery duels were resumed at different points, especially near Dbcmude.