ON THE FRENCH FRONT

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 12 July 1917, Page 7

ON THE FRENCH FRONT

.OPERATIONS AT CHEMIN DBS

DAMES

BITTER FIGHTING FOR THE

PLATEAU

VERY VALUABLE FOR OBSERVA-

TION PURPOSES

(Received July 12, 11.35 a.m.) > LONDON, July 11. The Daily Chronicle's correspondent at French headquarters says that the Chemin dcs Dames ridge continues to be the scene of fight-ing, the desperate obstinacy of which recalls the fighting before Verdun. The Crown Prince has launched his trooi>s against the narrow arest of hills, endeavoring to win back the lost observatories and caverns where the Germans have had safety for two years. :;

There was particularly fierce fighting on Sunday between Pantheon farm and Froidmont farm, the German infantry •charging behind a storm of shells. 'Twelve fresh battalions reinforced the .atftackers, and detachments of engineers, with flame projectors, participated in the attack, which the French repulsed with difficulty, as thus far they have been unable to establish a proper system of defence upon the bare slopes. The French were far outnumbea'ed upon the threatened sector, but fought from shell holes to shell holes when driven out of their trenches. Bombardments during Sunday brought relief to the sorely pressed Foot Chasseurs, enabling the French to regain nearly the whole of the lost ground. The -artillery barrage meanwhile caused German losses exceeding the French.

The fighting has obliterated the Che. tnin dcs Dames, which is only traceable by a few tree stumps. The position gives such a splendid view over many of the enemy lines that the plateau is bound to be bitterly contested until further progress is made. However, the French still possess a first-class observatory in a French fort on the plateau of Malmaison.