MOST INTENSE FIGHTING

Nelson Evening Mail, 22 May 1917, Page 5

MOST INTENSE FIGHTING

'-BRITISH; HOLD ON<HI&TOENBURG : .MJNE TIGHTTEtI .TiHiAN EVER. PRISONERS TAKEN; OUTNUMBER ATTACKERS. (Australian, .and N.Zl* Cable Association.) (R«c. Biajr 22, 1.40 p.ni.) LONIDON, May 21. Correspondents British Headquarters state that JLhe fighting at Bullecpurt and Roeux continues to be intense, e'quaU ling, that Pozieres or the most serious struggles 'ob -the Somme. The "Germans. have thrown in. large masses of troops, but IBoillecourt and are more strongly in our hands than ever. - A surrendered .German officer excused ; himself by ; .saying that it was impossible ;to do anything else. He added: "You attacked with such overwhelminc; force." : A British officer told the Geronan the nunSber of attackers. ; The German said: "Impossible.. We -came into line 26C0 strong." As a mat-, '" ter of fatft,- the British took more prisoners than the whole number of the attackers. The prisoners include ex-convicts re- ' leased from long terms of imprisonment , in order, to fight. I There' is considerable ' rivalry v as to ! -which British corps takes the most prisoners. The Canadians reached 6000 first. The neighbouring anixed English and Scottish corps have now a short lead. Already two German divisions have been cut to pieces a.rou&d Bullecpurt. j The Anglo-Australian, success has resulted in a curious sitatiqn. "We have cut into the ifindenburg line around , . ißullecourt, and) eaten off the end to--wards; Arras, so the enemy is left with an island section of four miles between bur two forces. This the Germans have •been ordered to hold tp the death, a specialoi'der" saying that Ihey might rely - with absolute certainty oii .rescue, as the Germans .-were -much stronger than the British in .attack. GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. I Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Mid Renter.} (Admiralty per Wireless Press.) LONDON, May 20. A German official message says: "We repulsed with heavy losses English attacks southward of the Scarpe."