WESTERN FRONT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 25 October 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT

JRENCH OPERATIONS

NEW BATTLE ON THE AISNE. DEVELOPING FAVOURABLY. ALL OBJECTIVES CAPTUREDLAON PLAIN~BEFOEE THE FRENCH. (Router's Telegrams.) , ~PARIS, Oct. 23. It is officially" announced that the new battle on the Aisne has developed very favourably. The French -captured all' the crests forming their objectives, ahct made progress beyond. The troops are now occupying the counter slopes, the advance being three kilometres deep on a front of eight kilometres. . Fort de Malmaison -was .captured earlv in the attack, as also were the villages of AUemaDt, Lesvallons, _ and Chavignon, with Chavignon Ravine. Laon Plain is now lying before the French. Three thousand orisoners and nineteen 'guns were captured.

A BRILLIANT ADVANCE

7500 PRISONERS"" COUNTED. (Australian and . N.Z. ©able Associatieti and Reuter.) LONDON, Oct. 24 A French communique states that north of the Aisne the attack developed most brilliantly, despite fog and rain, against formidable defences .garrisoned by Germany's best troops. The first rush captured a line marked by the IBohery quarries, and then Fort de Malmaison, in the centre, fell. The French, pushing forward, expelled the enemy from the Mont Parnasse quarries. The progress on the left was equally successful. The villages of Allemant and Yandesson were taken. Our right carried the line to the heights commanding Pargny and Fillaine. The troops in the • centre, hustling fresh enemyi reserves, - stormed the village of Chair geon. The advance here Teached a depth of 2A milek The enemy's losses -were very heavy. Seven thousand -five hundred prisoners have hitherto been counted, and_ enor rnous booty was taken, including* 25 guns. GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. (•Australian arid N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.) f Admiralty per Wireleai Presa.) LONDON, Oct. 23.' A German official message says : "Bitter fightin continues .on 'the northern slopes of the Ghemiri-des-Dame» and also astride the liaon road 1 . The French advanced as far as 'Chavignon." ELABORATE GERMAN DEFENCES. enemy -Masses six divisions. : (Australian N.Z. Awxnatfrf. > (Rec. Oct. 25, 12.5 p.m.) PARIS, Oct. 24. The battle began in darkness an hour before the dawn. The central point" of attack was Malmaison Fort, which was defended, by German Guardsmen. The Germans l altogether massed six divisions at the threatened front. Malmaison Fort was in ruins, but proved of immense use to the enemy as an observatory. Its glacis was cleared by shells, but it was reconstructed and furnislied with ma-chine-gun posts connected /by a, _ labyrinth of caves and tunnels running to the German rear. Many German troops were 40 feet below the surface. The whole crest attacked was honeycombed with ancient quarries. . . Fortunately the.French held a similar qavern on the southern slopes of the Hills, .and were able to lodge reserves until The French used 16-inch guns to break the quarries. THE GAINS bRGANiSEI>. EIGHT ENEMY DIVISIONS ENGAGED. (Rec. Oct. 25, 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 24. A French communique says : —The night was calm. The enemy bombarded the new lines, especially in the region of Vandesson. are organising the .gains. The number 6000, including 160 officers, belingirig to eight .different divisions. This has confirmed the report that two _ enemy divisions place din reserve behind the front, participated in yesterday's fighting, and were severely handled. _ A violent attack north of .Hill 344, and on the right branch of the _ Meuee was repelled after desperat fighting. The enemy obtained a footing over our advanced line, but were driven out. Our line was entirely restored. The German attempt upon Carnieres Crest failed with heavy losses.

FUH3ERS ENEMY CQUNTIR-ATTAGKS CONTINUED

NO SUCCESS ANYWHERE. (Australian an-l N.Z. CabU Association and Reutar.) ■ -LONDON, Oct. 24. t Sir Douglas Haigi reports: Besides r the attack reported in this morning's conjmunique, the enemy delivered twc * other counter-attacks' last evening- , l' l > one case they attempted' to advance r along the ijne west of the Roosbekei Poelcapelle road, tut ■when 200 yards » from our new positions.they en,b caged by our infantry rifle and machine gun and beaten offi with. loss. Stir-

-vivors endeavouring to withdraw were caught in the artillery barrage and again suffered heavily. The second attack, in considerable strength, wag made immediately northward of the Ypres-Staden Tail way. It was also met by rifle and machine gun fire andi driven off. Early this morning another attack oil our positions at Houthulst [Forest, north-east of Veldhoek, was completely repulsed, leaving prisoners in our hands. _ A less powerful attempt against a fortified farm captured yesterday southeast of Poelcapelle was equally unsuccess fill. There was reciprocal artillery activity to-day, despite unfavourable weather. Flying yesterday was almost prevented by the weather until the afternoon. 'Our aeroplanes, desuite raini and bad visibility, co-operated with the infantry's attack, continuously Tep®rting progress and assisting with'"machine guns. The enemy have dropped' manyi bombs in the last few nights on our forward areas. Their machines last night were not nearly so active except in the neighbourhood of Dunkirk. Ours vigorously attacked seven aerodromes, and bombs fell near hangars and aeroplanes on the grouhd. The railway station at CouTtrai was later attacked, and a-train, hit. The rear portion burst into flames. There was a little air fighting, two enemy machines being brought down. Two of ours collided over the enemy's lines. One other, is missing.

SEVEN COUNTS-ATTACKS DEI'VERFD

ALL FAIL TG KECOVJER GROUND. I Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and' R«nter.) (Bee. Oct. 25, 8.40 a.m.) LONiDON, Oct. 24. | Sir Douglas Hai.g reports : —The enemy last night again attacked- our positions on H'outhulst Wood at, the junction of the Anglo-French armies. He ■was completely repulsed. Since Mondav. the enemy has delivered seven counter-attacks, not achieving material results at any points. The Gloueesters successfully raided' south-west of Gavrelle. " '

GERMAN DEFENCES

CURIOUS INEQUALITY COT STRENGTH. DIFFICULTIES AT HOUTHUDST FOREST. 4 , ufltirfi'U&D *ik3 N. Z C>lil> Anaffetiw LOMDON, Oct: 23. Mr Gibbs reports , that the fighting: on the "22nd revealed a curious inequality of strength, and determination of the German defence. The Norfolk and Essex Regiments east of 'Poel capelle found their chief difficulty from the machine gun barrage in tlie German rear. Th e heavy gunfire which the Britist had put over the ground for a week hac made the area most unhealthy for th< Germans, "who had withdrawn many troops, to safer 'lines, leaving only small outposts. The hardest position .to take was or th e right, south-west of the forest which, despite aIL the gas it had beer soa"ked in, was full of the 26th Re serve. Division, under stern orders tc defend it to the death. There were many concrete enrplace ments in the forest, arid blockhouse! along the Staden railway."