BIG ATTACK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 6 October 1917, Page 5

BIG ATTACK

MOST TERRIBLE BATTLE OF THE WAR

ADVANCE ON EICHT MILES FRONT

BRITISH COMPLETELY SUCCESSFUL (;rall* objectives gained, \ OVER 3000 PRISONERS TAKEN. POSITIONS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. WON. NEW ZEALAND DIVISION TAKES . PART. GERMAN ATTACK ANTICIPATED BY FfcWMINUIfcS MASSED 'TROOPS CAUGHT BY BRITISH BARRAGE. GERMANS TERRIBLY" OUT UP. SIX- ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACKS FAIL. The High Commissioner reports: LONDON, Oct. 5, 191/, 12 a.m. A British official message says:—We attacked this - morning ron * a front of eight miles 'southwards of Tower Hamlets to "tne. Ypres ; Staden railway, and were- completely successful, gaining all our objectives. Positions of ~ great importance were won, and : more than 3000 German-pri-soners were! captured • . We Vca*ptured- the main ridge to'; a thousand yards' northward of * Broodseinde. , There were a gale and rainstorms dur- \ ing the"-battle: - - _— The "assault was delivered by English, ' AustraUa'hY and New -Zealand Divisions. South of Menin road, the objectives were reached early. Oil the north of the road, we captur- ~ ed Polderhoek and numerous farms and small: woods stfith 'and east of Polygon Wood. J „ , The Australians captured jylolenaar©lsthoek "and ' cleared houses on Zonne-beke-Broodseinde road. . The New Zealanders took Gravestafel. - Enelish divisions - reached PoelcappelleMii;? > ul '?•• ■' -; ,J J The EpglishV captured Reutel and. - Noord*mahoek\ and : "" secured - - high, ground overlooking Becelaire. - The Australians captured Broodseinde' and established themselves well over the crest 'of"the" ridge -five miles east of ' Ypres, giving observation eastward. The English carried the greater part of : £oelcappelie village and secured th«ir line "and their"objectives' eastward: , pur attack anticipated by a fewminutes, an attack in force by five German divisions, 5 '"our barrage - catching them. . , r The German infantry escaping tne artillery were overwhelmed'by. our infantry. - , . Six enemy counter-attacks failed. ±iis losses-were "exceedingly heavy, whilst ours were light. We captured "a;.iew. guns and much material. ' '" * ' \" A LATER REPORT. The High Commissioner reports: ' ■: LONDON, Oct. 5/ 11.20 a.m. Sir. Douglas" Haig reports: —There has ' been' no' German counter-attack. We are consolidating. -'.-;■'

ENEMY'S ASBEMBLINC TROOPS CAUGHT

. FEW COU;BWDER-ATTACKS POSSIBLE. GERMAN LOSSES EXCEEDINGLY HEAVY. OWING TO'" CONCENTRATIONS BEHIND BATTLE FRONT. ■ _ ft : (Australian and .N.Z.. Cable ..Association .:, :■: a nd Renter.} ; "'..' (Rec. OctT.v'63Lo:2D"'A-.m:>: "^ : " : * £ON-BON, Oct. -ST^ Sir Douglas Haig reports: —Prisoners' statements and. the identifications of Gerniari units and numbers of German dead;' show that oar attack anticipated by''la l few, minutes, an attack by five German divisions again6t our front from* Polygori/'Wood"to Zonnebeke." * Our barrage descended on the enemy's asembling troops and their attack did n6t T inaterialise.,' ': ~ ' '' ' On'r infantry overwhelmed those escaping the. artillery fire. $ Owsh"g"*tif the enemy's leases in this area,'-few counter "attacks have yet- developed. Two were attempted early in the afternoon east "of Gravenstafel, but'were broken by our fire. Another north-east of .Langemarck led to. severe fighting 1 , but failed to drive us from "the positions gained. Later in the afternoon, three counterattacks south-east of Polygon Wood were unsuccessful. TKe enemy's losses throughout the whole fighting were exceedingly heavy, largely bwinrr to the unusual number of German troops on the- battlefront at the outset of our attack. :" Oiir casualties were light. We captured a few guns and much material... Low clouds and a hieh west wind on Wednesday, mdde aerial work "almost impossible. " Foiir machines attempted to bomb enemy aerodromes.' One bombed its objective and two bombed other targets. Few /hostile aircraft were seen. ENTHUSIASTIC FRENCH COM- . :.J> MENT. v * -(Rec: Oct. 6, 12.30 n.m.) „.. ■ r -*?• -■■™ ; PARIS, Oct. 5. All newspapers' ; «nTameht eulogistically on thef brilliant "success of the British; j -.-,■,,-

, PASCHENDAELE CREST. LIKE A SERIES OF VOLCANOES. (Australian and N.Z. -Cable Association.) (Rec. Oct. 6, 11.50 a.m.) - ' LONDON, Oct. 5. (Mr Philip Gibbs writes: The German barrage was the beginning his new plan, which failed, because of the gTeat courage of our troops arid because the German infantry attacked an hour too late. If the attacki had occurred two hours earlier it might have led to' our undoing or might have prevented anything like a real victory. Fortune was on" our side, and the wheel turned round to crush the enemy. The main force of the German attack was the Fourth Guards Division. Two others 'were ready to assault in the centre "of 5 but r battleffont'' at Polygon Wood and down from Broodseinde cross roads, but we fought the German assault divisions at Broodseinde cross roads, taking prisoner 'many before they had. time to advance. ' "'' ' ' '■ m Viewed'from the westward, the whole scene from Paschendaele Ridge and Hill 40 westward to' Z6nnebek e and the line from the crest to Polygon Wood, was veiled in smoke and mist, through which the loomed darkly. But one clearly saw the white and yellow cloudbursts of our shellfir© and the flame of shell bursts. : Great as were the bombardments »at the Somme, Vimy, Arras and Messines, in frightfulness they were not comparable to this,, the most terrible witnessed in the-whole course of the war. '"";' The entire Paschendaele crest was like a series of volcanoes belching pillars of earth and fire. v ■ ■'■•••.■•..

GERMAN ASSAULT TROOPS ANNIHILATED

A 6REAT VICTORY

ROBABLY MOST IMPORTANT OF THE WAR. | SEVEN COUNTER-ATTACkS FADE. ANIZACS EIGHT LIKE TIGERS. (Kec. Oct. 6, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 5. The United Press says that to-day the line is substantially intact. ' Bodies of Prince Rupprecht's storm troops are lying in ghastly postures tore the British positions. . The prisoners are probably more numerous than at first reported. The weather improved at night, and there-was a brilliant sunrise this ingHindenburg's defences have definitely been proved vulnerable. The British barrage levelled a wid* defensive zone, forcing the Germans to give: up' a complete trench system which had become a death'trap. ; Hindenburg's pillboxes" and concreted shell craters over'a wide zone did not meet the German expectations raised iu ihv early summer battles. ; Yesterday's seven counter-attacks all faded before reaching' their objectives, e::cept. at minor points, leaving the victory as'a whole untarnished. There was little activity at < night, every indication pointing to the complete disorganisation of the enemy. The Anzac Division fought like tiger* and deserve 'special praise. The battle wa s probably the most amt>ortant victory of the war.

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPORT

PLAN OF ATTACK CRUSHED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Rec. Oct. 6. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 5. Mr 'Philip Gibbs says that although tne German barrage fell upon our men befor e they leapt to the assault ~it happened terribly for the enemy that our men were not stopped, but went through the zone of German shells without disorder and swept over the German as.uault troops, annihilating them arid crushing" their plan of attack. Those German troops did not attack—their defence even 'was borken. As our lines of fire crept forward they Teached'arid broke the second and third waves of riien "who'were intended for the' attack and caught those who were in support and in reserve "positions. '. ;. We 'can only" guess -what-the slaughter has been. It was a slaughter in -which five divisions were in•volved. ' ;-.;' ' : '' ''" ' ''';:".*"'■ ■. 1?; A battle Was being prepared•" for on & big seal© ■ as soon as the last was fought -and won. Tomrikies, Chinesej .and 'coloured men were - enagged in feverish work of piling up mountains of ammunition to feed the guiis." ; " Thousands of shells new from English factories were unloaded, in- the waste ground of the old. battlefield iiear Ypres ! ready for tha greedy guns. The Pioneers continued repairing the roads and laying tracks and railways with astounding unconcern. ?

NEW ZEALANDERS IN GREAT FORM

WEATHER UNFAVOURABLE FOR ATTACK. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter.) (Rec. Oct. 6, 9.5 a.m) LONDON, Oct. 5. Sir Douglas Hairr reports:—We made an attack over an eight, miles frout from southward of Tower Hamlets' to the Ypres-Staden railway northward of Langemarck. It was completely successful. All objectives were gained and positions of 'great importance won. 'Over three thousand' prisoners have already. been counted. We are-now in possession of the main ridge to anoint a thousand yards northward 'of Broodseinde'. The weather after promising to be favourable, became less settled, and a strong westerly wind set in. The force of the gale and rainstorms throughout the battle, added to 'the difficulites of the advance and the airmen's work. Nevertheless, aircraft did valuable and afforded useful information of positions "to our troops and the assembly of the enemy for counter-attacks. • _ The English, Australian, arid New Zealand Divisions delivered the assault. Among the English troops were batalions from 28 counties, also a few battalions from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. ■ . .■..■•■■ Rapid -progress was made at all points from the start. , \ Only a short advance was intended southward of the Menin road, where the objectives were reached at an early hour.. , ~ j English battalions north - of the road carried, after sharp fighting, the hamlet of Polderhoek and Polderhoek Chateaux. Thev expelled the enemy from numerous farms in the small woods south and east of Polygon Wood. The Australians captured Molen Webelsthoek and cleared houses on the Zonnebeke-Broodseynde Road. The New Zealanders took Gravenstafel. , The English, on the New Zealanders left, continued the line of our advance and reached the outskirts of Poelcappelle. ; ' The first objectives were gained on the whole front of attack shortly after the assault opened. . Our advances against the final ob]ectives were carried out in accordance with plan and were equally successive- English" took the village of Reutel and Noordemhoek '"ana secured high ground overlooking Becelaere. The Australians captured Broodseynde and established themselves well over the crest of the--ridge five miles east of Ypres, giving-observation -east; _ The -English on the left' of our attack carried the bulk of Poelcappelle and secUred the lifie ;, of" their' objectives east of Poelcappelle, Church. The whole objectives were captured before" midday.

EARLIER REPORTS

NEVER KEENER TO MEET THE,.' .■<-.. enemy. r '■;■ ANZACS 'SECURE COMMANDING POSITION. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Rec. Oct. 6, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 6. Mr Gijmbur writes that he saw the. New Zealanaers going up to the front, greatly relieved that they had not been: overlooked. Their greatest anxiety, haii been lest the show be over, before they were given a. chance. : ' 'They were in great - form. They had been resting since_ Messines, and were never "keener to'-meet the enemy, -• ; C THe~N'evr cb-oper-ated with the Australians in the same difficult terrain as in previous assaults. The Anzacs were chosen for slightly north of the' front they occupied at the commencement of the offensive. They had to advance across slightly rising ground and secure, a ridge north of Polygon Wood, which was the highest point necessarv to obtain complete command of the whole of the Passchendaele Ridge. 'Otherwise the British line would be subject to' constant menace < Sir' Douglas Haig by this third rapid.' assault *oh the same wide front has wrenched from the enemy the wholes'of the high ground. ./ It ha s been proved that nothing th© enemy 9»n do is able to stem our advance .behind this terrible artillery barrage. The Germans'-only hope lies in counter-attacks, and therein they inevitably suffer heavily under our bombardment the moment troops begin massing preparatory to at* advance. The Anzacs will oe delighted at findjri"- tuemselves in a position to look down'on ground where a storm of shells is bursting over every vestige of German defence.

v ATTACH EAST OF YPRES SATISFACTORY, PROGRESS. (Australian an'l N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.) LONDON, Oct. 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We attacked at six o'clock this morning on a wide front eastward of Ypres. The troops are. making satisfactory progress.

THE ATTACK DESCRIBED

■ RAIDERS DRIVEN OFF.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter.! (Rec. Oct; 6, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 5. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—The enemy heavilv shelled our new positions eastward "of Ypres which ' our • troops were enjraged organising.We drove off raiders northward ot Goii'zeaucourt with loss. ■ce repulsed three raids in the bourhood of- Lens.: ]_ i _ mmmm^^^^^^^^^

BRITISH BARRAGE-*WIPES OUT WHOLE COMPANIES.(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association,; LONDON, Oct. 4. The United Press' correspondent says the British at six o'clock this morning assaUTtea the German petitions' a misty drizzle* '< on a wide -front centring

about Broodseinde and Drawenstafel ridges. : .'f ■.-■■■•■■■ . ' V The Tommies at hobn appeared to be carrying everything before them along the entire line. The advance was over a mile deep in places. One group of prisoners exceeded 500. The battle impresses the correspondent as one of the biggest of the war. ut During the night the. Germans shelled Olencorse Wood and Inverness Copse. ' The British charge behind a tornadolike barrage reached the first objective with comparative ease. Tae British at Zonnebeke encountered three enemy divisions, "who were also ordered to attack at three o'clock in the morning on a two-mile front in order to recapture the ground lost on September 26th. The British barrage - churned the poor devils into a bloody loblolly. One company is reported to have lost practically the whole of its bayonet strength. Elsewhere the Germans' came in with theTr hands up a minute after the British barrage began. The British quickly silenced cleverly hidden machine guns and broke a counter-attack from Broodseinde. Quickly dvercohiing difuculties, they crossed the Stroombeke stream and briskly advanced beyond &• : " "'[

THE AUSTRALIANS ENGAGED

ALL 9BJECTIVES GAINED. = (Australian and N,Z. Cable Association L,QNI>(>N : , Oct. 4. The Australians participated in the attack. Correspondents pay a tribute to .the determination and steadiness of their,- advance. They, gained all the desired ground, equalling their achieve^ •raents of the 20th and the 26th. : :*■ ■ ■

TOO LATIf^ f "

* U BOAtk l £

GERMAN ATTACK FORESTALLED. "LONDON, Oct. 4. 'Mr Philip Gibbs says: "The fortune of war was on our side. The German High Command, riavihg seen the failure of the piU-box system of defence, planned a big attack for' "this morning, calculated to stun us and take the wind out of our next attack; but the German attack was an hour late. "We had to advance through the German barage, which was laid' down preparatory to their" attack. ' Our attackers' reached the German first' and second lines,' and .annihilated troops which were waiting to- attack. . We inflicting a crushing defeat oil his choice troops. "This may well be the turning point of the war." _ ; Mr Gibbs described 1 this' moTning's attack and the battle' at Broodseinde. The assault started from the ground captured on" September 26th northward and southward of Polygon Wood. We advanced upon Passchendaele ridge and apparently reached Drawenstafel and Abraham Heights, which crbwii the western' spur * 6f the ridge' land ! Broodseinde, which "is a high point, and the keystone of'the enemy's defence line beyond Zonneboke. ' We are 'fighting southward of this with gbbd success between Cameron: House and Bercelare across the Reutelueke and its swampy ground down between Polderhoek to the south end of the Meriiri road. .""'.'' * Our wounded speak of blow dealt the Germans, and our com'pTete victory; A GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association : and Reiiter.) (Admiralty per Wireless Press.) LONDON, Oct. 4. A German official message" says a powerful artillery ~ {duel lasting all night from Houthoust'Wood to the Lys increased- this morning to a drumfire. •Strong English attacks at the;:Ypres bend developed." A German official message says:— "To-day's great English attack penetrated only a kilometre deep between Poelalpelle ' and iGheluyelt. ~ Bitter fighting continues eastward of Zonnebeke and westward' of Bercelare;" <

GREATER FN PAST QUARTER,

VIEWS OF A MILITARY CRITIC

'what colonel repington ■'■■ says: - • .-•■■;■ (Published in The Times.) LONDON, Oct. 4. Colonel Repington says: The British victories in the latest phase of the third Ypres were_exceedingly meritorious', because they were obtained under unusually arduous "conditions. For weeks past the British alone haVe been attacking: -: The chief fighting in the total'frontage of 1600 hiiles has been cbnlined to a frontage of'twelve miles.. The" enemy have been able : .to bring up "men; guns, and aircraft from air fronts, arid concentrate them against us. It has been wholly their advantage. Despite these conditions, our armies have defeated the Germans on every day of the battle. The German people in the remainder of the woi'ld kndw 1 " that the success of the 'British arms * has smitten the enemy hipy and thigh. In comparison with the Ger""rnah reports, the actual facts jeveal ludicrous discrepancies.' The only course of action "likely"'.to iriiperil our success is the withdrawal of bombing squadrons for the purpose of replying to London's score before the ' present operation' in Flanders has : concluded. ' \> NAVAL AIR RAIDS. (Australian and H-Z... Cable Association arid Renter.) LONDON, Oct. 4. The Admiralty reports: Naval, aircraft bombed St. Denis'Westrem, ZeeIbrugge dock gates, Bruges dock, and Xhorout railway junction. • All returni ed.

THAN IN ANY PREVIOUS QUARTER. (Rec. Oct. .6, 8.50 a.m.) " LONDON, Oct. 5. Naval authorities state that the sinkings of U-boats in the past, quarter has been greater than in any previous quarter.

FRENCH FRONT

ARTILLERY DUEL ON THE iMEUSE. AIR* REPRISALS CONTINUED. \Australian and N.Z. Cable Association • and'Reuter.) * •LONDON, Oct. 4. A French communique says: On both sides the "artillery was. active last night on the Meuse. ■ * As a reprisal for, the' bombardment of. Bar-le-Duc, our aircraft bombed Frankfurt and Rastatt. - NEW GERMAN TANKS. (Router's Telegrams.) LONDON, Oct. 4. Reuter's • correspondent at French Headquarters says the Germans axe experimenting with a tank with a tilted beak to assist in crossing trenches. It'''has "a small conning tower for observation purposes. The caterpillar has armoured protection, and -the tank carries a three-inch' ; * and iwo machineguns. GERMAN REPORT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Associat/on •arid Reuter.) ' LONDON, Oct. 4. A German ' communique says:— "French attacks to recapture positions on Hill 344 broke down." ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.) LONDON, Oct. ,4. A French communique says : There is a hand grenade and artillery action on the plateau south of Ailles. An enemy coup-de-main was repulsed west of Pompelle. A violent, artillery struggle continues on the right bank of the Meuse. An attack on our trenches north of ' Hill 342 was repulsed. Our artillery caught enemy assemblages, in this region. r

BRITISH AIRMAN

WONDERFUL VICTORY IN THE

AMERICA

20,000 AEROPLANES CONTRACTED •: FOR.AVIATORS IN TRAINING AT 24 CENTRES. (Rec. Oct. 6, 8.50 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct, 5. The War Department has contracted for the construction of 20,000 aeroplanes in accordance with the provisions of the 640,600,000 Dollars Aviation Bill. Aviators are in' training at 24 centres.

SERBIA AND BULGARIA

NEGOTIATIONS BEFORE INTER- •-• VENTION. '<■•■■• ' ■■'• DISREGARDED BY • BULGARIA. (Rec. Oct, 6, 8.50 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct: 5. A Servian professor, Yovanovitch, declares that ServCa offered to Bulgaria, while the latter lemained neutral; practical! v all ServiaD -Macedonia, including Moriastir, but 'Bulgaria .<im'T..y to consider •overtures.

THE BLOCKADE

' : AIR. TEN GOTHAS ACCOUNTED FOR. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.) ; (Rec. Oct. 6, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 5. I The Press Bureau reports :—An Admiralty squadron commander in a recent air raid attacked ten Gothas at 12,000 i feet over the sea. He fired a hundred I Tounds at a Hundred yards range. The commander then followed arid fired ;25 more to make sure. He saw an enemy crash into the sea. Then followed eight remaining Gothas, one having been fihot down in flames. He caught the Gothas at 14,000 feet and silenced one after 200 rounds. Both German aviators must ' have been hit, as they did not lire 'when the commander • was within 60 feet, and had to ceaße attacks, being ( without ammuiijtion.' j

STuP-PAGE-./OF TO NEUTRALS.' DISTRESS IN DENMARK. (Reutef's' Telegrams^ ..COPENHAGEN, Oct. 4. The stoppage of supplies of raw material consequent*'. upon the stricter blockade has\ greatly ' increased > urjem»ployment. ' "Many' factories are closed. The Government has introduced an Unemployed National Relief Bill; GERMANS RETALIATING. (Rec. Oct. 6, 8.50 a.m.} ■ • l ' ; NEW,. Y'GIRK, : Oct. 5. , It is reported that Germans is . retaliating on"the Allies embargo . She has offered neutrals grain, presumably from Russia' and Roumahia. EXPORT OF BUNKER COAL' PROHIBITED. w ; (Reci: Oct. 6; 8.50 a.m.) WASHING-TOi, Oct. 5. The State Department announces that it has prohibited 1 , the ■ exports.,of bunker coal in order to prevent supplies reaching Germany through northern neutral hattioiis.. ' '