BRITISH OPERATIONS ON THE ANCRE

Nelson Evening Mail, 19 February 1917, Page 5

BRITISH OPERATIONS ON THE ANCRE

FURTHER PROGRESS. HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association ) and Renter.) LONDON, Feb. 17. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We car- ' ried out a successful operation on both sides of the Ancre this morning, and progressed considerably. We attacked southward'of the river, and captured positions on a front of a mile and a half opposite the villages of JUiraumonf and Petite Miraumont* We penetrated* over' a thousand yards, 1 »nd advanced' our zone io within a few hondredlyards of Petite Miraumont. ■ "We captured northward of the river an important position '' on the upper , " slopes of' the spur northward of Bailies - court Farm, on a front of 1000 yards. We successfully repulsed a counter- • attack. The enemy's losses were heavy. _ We made raids south ward k>£ Nenve -Ghapelle, and north-east of" Ploegsteert, and leached the second line at the latter place. A large number of the-enemy were killed, "and. many dugouts ■ were destroyed. , l " We repulsed hostile parties westward of- the lines eastward of Givenchy. ] . X French communique reports- inter-n.itit-nt artillery fire on most of the front, eaj-eciaily in the direction of .Ribecourt. -The Admiralty reports that naval aeroplanes yesterday effectively -bombed the - Ghistelles aerodrome, and also Bruges -harbour and shipping. - -We made a successful raid southward of'Souchez. north-east of Armentieres, but was immediately driven out. •In air fights on Thursday nine Ger-. 'man machines were brought down. Four English machines are missing. A" FrehcK communique reports several •xaccessful raids at ,Berry-au-Bac, and in « thV^Argonne. -- -An artillery duel is proceeding west of Maison de Champagne, afc Louvemont, .in the Vosges, and south of fhe Col Se - Marie, in Alsace. -'One of our detachments penetrated and wrecked- a, salient at Amertzwiller. (PATROL ENCOUNTERS. fßec Feb. 19, 10.10 a.m.) •';•',. LONJDON, Feb. 18. •A : French communierue stales: There ■were patrol encounters, especially' in the - sectors-Troyon, .Zesta Hambrettes and-north-west of Badonvillers, A detachment penetrated the enemy - trenches at le Pretre Wood, and destroyed.the -works and.a dugout. GERMAN COMMUNIQUES. (Australian and N.Z. Cable-Association.) and Renter.) - LONDON, Feb. 16. A ; German official message says:— -"The. Crown Prince.attacked in Champagne southward of Ripont, and was completely successful. We stormed four - lines on "a .front/ of 2500 metres to a •depth of 800 metres; capturing 858 pris* oners." vwv - LONiDON, 18. A German official message —"We repulsed strong English attacks westward of >firaumont. French advances westward of Berry-au-BacJ and southward of Ripont failed. Our aeroplanes bombed important establishments behind the front, audi blew up several ammunition dumps in the Somme." * LONDON, Feb. 18. -The 'German evening official report * mentions strong artillery fire on the An- - ere." In tEe forenoon fresh infantry en- - ■gagements developed.

EXPECTATIONS FROM COMING SUMMER. (■Australian and N.Z. CaL2a Association, j LONDON, Feb. 18. Mr Arthur Henderson, member of the War Cabinet, speaking at Manchester, said he shared to the full the feeling that the next few months were going to test 'tiie Allies as never before. He was confident that we had got the measure of our opponents. The great Allied leaders would be bitterly disappointed if in the summer they did not strike sucH. a blow as would lead &> final victory. BRUGES AIR RAID; v Australian N.Z. Cable Association. {Rec. Feb. 19, 8.55 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, Feb. 18. Seventy were killed and injured- in Friday's air raid on Bruges, including' many German soldiers. KAISER CONGRATULATES CROWN PRINCE. .Australian and. N.Z. Cable Association (Rec. Feb. 19, 9.10 a.mJ) AMSTERDAM, Feb. 18. The Kaiser congratulated the Crown Prince on his Champagne success. It is doubtful whether this presages an attempt to forestall the Allies' offensive, or is merely a local effort.