THE WEST FRONT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4710, 7 November 1917, Page 5

THE WEST FRONT.

AMERICAN TRENCHES RAIDED.

’THE GERMAN TOUGH,

Australian and N.Z. Cable Assoication. WASHINGTON, Nov. 5. Official: The Germans on November 3 raided the American trenches. Three Americans were 'killed and five wounded. Twelve were captured. One wounded German who was taken prisoner states that the Germans first barraged the trenches which formed a salient, cutting off a group of Americans. A raid followed. . '

It is believed the Germans repeated the tactics which they executed against the Australians and Canadians when they first occupied the front lines.

LATEST BRITISH REPORT,

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. Reuter’s Telegrams. (Received Nov. 6 11.40 p.m.) - LONDON, Nov. 6. Sir Douglas Haig repor ts : We slightly advanced our post southeastward of Poelcapelle. We repulsed a bombing attackwestward of Becelare. There is great activity by hostile artillery northward of the. Ypres railway. ; The activity of ours continues.

BETWEEN BATTLES.

AUSTRALIANS IN FLANDERS

SCENES BEHIND THE LINES. LONDON, Oct. 3. Between tlie last great blow and the blow which is anticipated., now at any moment the main battle-work on the Australian front, east of Ypres, continues to be organisation by day And scouting and digging by night, writes Mr. Keith Murdoch, war correspondent of the Sydney Sun. Every man at such a time has a task absorbing all his waking hours. In the front line there is no sleep for anybody,, for the enemy movements continue to indicate his plucky, though desperate, intentions to counter-attack. _ Ihe great armed camp which made victory possible is still an extraordinary spectacle. For miles behind our front the fields are dotted with camps, horselines, artillery parks, and reserves. Prisoners continue to remark with amazement upon the thrusting power of the British armies thus disclosed to them.

MAGNIFICENT ARTILLERY;

The work is all at a high pressure, mostly tinder shell-fire, in the desolated area of the guns beyond Ypres. Tne artillery continues to work magnificently, taking the guns into the new positions won in-the advance, and pouring out shells, the supply or which now without limit. I visited to-day the green fields behind the battlefield where some of our assaulting troops are now .resting. No reaction is apparent. The boys are quieter than when I saw them in Hie line, but are still full of satisfaction with the battle and the master minds which led them to such a victory. Like good soldiers they were cleaning their equipment, removing the mud and dust from their rifles, and making themselves good-looking again. One party which had been without sleep for two days, marched miles to camp, and then tumbled asleep from exhaustion.

AUSTRALIAN MINER’S DAY OUT,

They awoke fresh and eager as children to clean and examine the captured machine-guns and other trophies. Each has a story worth telling. The officers with them as they sprawl about the grass—colonels and brigadiers alike—are all talking eagerly. One of the strangest cases was a South Australian miner who was sent out to reconnoitre. Crawling from shell-hole to shell-hole searching for Germans, he discovered a Victorian scout. Together they located a German machine-gun, 200yds ■ ahead, which was taking steady toll. They decided to stop it. They crawled forth, knowing that visibility meant death. After a stuggle with bombs against the machine-gun they killed the gunners. except one, whom they made carry the gun back to the Australian line

THE MISSING DIVISION

This South Australian had in the advance personally attacked a' post, bayoneting three and capturing nine. The same night he worked heroically establishing a .post. The officers vouch for tlie facts.

The excellent equipment of the Bavarians opposite to'-the Australian right is much commented on. Tliey are a division fresh from the depot, with new waterproof sheets, clothing, and weapons, each bayonet tasselled with red and gold. , The Australians-are pbunding the mound at-Polygon with heavy shells. The great counter-attack intended to be delivered against the Australians last Thursday was traced to - this mound. The Germans arrived by mo-' tor-bus to a point on the Menin-Road near the mound, and disappeared apparently into tunnels. Their emergence was carefully awaited, and then the heaviest gunfire was poured on to them. The Germans are still searching for that division.