WESTERN FRONT

Nelson Evening Mail, 17 May 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT

BULLECOURT .-y> POWERFUL 'COUSTTER-ATTACKS. 'DESPERATE 'eMENY ATTEMPTS. FOURTH ATTACK PARTIALLY ~~ SUCCESSFUL. and N.Z. Cable A««ociaticn.) and Renter.) LONDON, May 16. Sir Douglas- Haig reports: Further details of the fighting this morning show that the enemy deliberately attempted by four strong concerted attacks, powerfully supported by artillery, to drive us out of Bullecourt and the section of the Hindenburg line eastward of the village. . , The first attack temporarily gained a footing in our trenches on the right flank of the position on the Hindenburg - line, but our counter-attack immediate--ly ejected:the enemy, who left 240 killed and\w:6unded. _ Our larfillery dispersed a simultaneous attack on the left flank, and repulsed ythe third attack at the northeastern* corner of Bullecourt. The fourth attack, delivered from the south and south-east, drove back our posts in the western portion of the village for a hundred yards. . The enemy's"'losses were heavy. . Ihe hostile,artiUery fire is heavy on the Scarped '...'_. A GERMAN COM?*TJNIQUE. {Australian ' ,-md N:Z. Cable Associatica and 'Renter.) LONDON, May 15. A German official message says: "Our fire prevented the development of English attacks between the Scarpe and Monchy. We repulsed an advance east, ' and south of Bullecourt.'' GERMAN OFFTCIAir:MESSAGE. (Australian and N.Z. Cabl* A*«>ei»tio».> *iuj Reutflr.) (Admiralty per Wireless Press.) ' LONDON, May 15. A German official message . says: — ' "We stormed and captured St. Berthe farm, east of Fontaine-le-Maison. We also retained- against four attacks the newly-captured : line on Height 108, northward, of Sapigneul. "We repulsed an attack on the village of Blanche, we brought down'seven enemy aeroplanes.