BRITISH AND CONTINENTAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 3 August 1917, Page 7

BRITISH AND CONTINENTAL.

TWENTY THOUSAND GERMAN

CASUALTIES.

THE' FIRST DAY'S FORMIDABLE

BOUND

GREAT WORK BY TANKS

NEW ZEALANDERS STICK TO

THEIR GAINS

-mX CABLE— PB.ESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. (Received Aug. 3 11.30 a.m.) PARIS, Aug. 2. It is estimated that the German •Mualties on the first day were twenty The Petifr Parisien's correspondent states that after the first day's formid- ■ able bound the Allied troops have contented themselves with repulsing strong •counter-aittacks, especially on the Ypres i .sector. The Germans threw formidable massed forces, but the British endured the struggle, which was rendered harder by their first day's work. The heavy artillery continues its work of devastation, though the sodden ground renders it less effective.

When the Welsh had cleared all the ■ enemy trenches with grenades they penetrated to St. Julien on three sides. There was fierce street fighting, and they had. to lay siege to every house in "turn. The carnage was frightful, but the Welsh, covered themselves with glory.

The Prussian Guards obeyed their orders to die on (the spot, and prisoners were not taken. One young prisoner declared that the guards had been promised that they should not participate in this fight, and were to constitute the last reserve, but as things were going badly they had to go forward. Only two out of 150 were left alive.

The tanks did great work. One attacked a concretted redoubt, and all tho garrison surrendered. Another made for a spinney bristling with machine guns, and crushed everything flat. The garrison surrendered".

M. Painleve telegraphed to Lord Derby: The advance aroused enthusiasm in France. The heroism of your troops iias dealt the Germans one of the heaviest blows of the war.

The Journal says that the New Zealanders showed splendid spirit when .seizing the cross roads and machine gun redoubts at La Basseville, after a terrific hand-to-hand fight. Despite two •great counter-attacks they held on firmly.