THE FLANDERS BATTLE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 3 August 1917, Page 5

THE FLANDERS BATTLE.

HEAVY ENEMY COUNTER-

ATTACKS

ENEMY ADMITS WEIGHT OF

OFFENSIVE

LONDON, Aug. 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Rain fell heavily all day. Our line was advanced slightly in the neighborhood of the Zillebeke-Zanfoorde road. The French, gained further ground on the east bank of the Yser canal. Strong forces of the enemy heavily counterattacked our new positions eastward and north-eastward of Ypres, between Westhoek and St. Julien. After resisting repeated, attempts we were compelled, after stubborn fighting, to withdraw from St. Julien.

The fighting was particularly fierce for Westhoek. AYe now hold the western outskirts. The enemy in the afternoon re-attacked in the neighborhood of the Ypres-Roulers railway, and entered our advanced positions on a narrow front. Fighting is proceeding.

The British took prisoner yesterday over five thousand, including ninetyfive officers, and captured a few guns, a number of machine guns and trench mortars?

Despite the weather yesterday, our aeroplanes made contact with the advancing infantry all day, and successfully bombed and machine-gunned the enemy's aerodromes, transport and infantry. A few enemy machines attempted to fly. We brought down six. Three of ours are missing.

A French communique says: In Belgium persistent rain fell. Our treops continue to organise the positions won. North of the Aisne there was reciprocal artillery fire in the Craonne-Hurtebise sector. The Germans' attack west of Cerny was repulsed. There is an artillery duel to the right of the Meuse.

"Wireless German official: With masses such as have never before been used in ..the war period, the English, with the" French in their wake, attacked yesterday. Their aim was a lofty one, being intended to deliver an annihilating blow to the U-boat pest, which from the coast of Flanders is undermining England's mastery of the eea. Densely packed attacking waves of closely placed divisions followed each other. Numerous tanks and cavalry units participated. The enemy' penetrated by tremendous pressure our defensive zone in some sectors and overran our lines, temporarily gaining considerable territory. There were bitter hand-to-hand engagements all day. We drove out or forced back the enemy into the foremost crater field. We were compelled to abandon Bixschoote, the enemy penetrating deeper into this sector. The enemy's attacks in the evening on our new" battle line failed.

We repulsed four French attacks at Chemin-des-Dames. and drove back the French astride the Malancourt-Esnes road on a two kilometre front to a depth of seven hundred metres, taking 500 prisoners.