TERRIFIC FIGHTING ON WESTERN FRONT.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13933, 16 July 1917, Page 6

TERRIFIC FIGHTING ON WESTERN FRONT.

REMARKABLY INCREASED AERIAL ACTIVITY, /j] \ ' - ■ ' " SEVEREST FIGHTING SINCE, COMMENCEMENT QF THE WAR. . . ARTILLERY ACTIVITY IN VARIOUS SECTORS. ','. (Australian and Router). '\ i " Received July 15, at 5.5 p.m. . I • LONDON,: July 14. ' Sir Douglas'Haig reports: We drove off enemy parties west-, ward of Queant and conducted successful bombing operations ' against the rail stations, hutments and aerodromes. There is .uncreasing aerial activity on both sides. All day long on Thursday, ' the fighting was the severest since the commencement of th*sar« aud resultqd greatly in our favour. There were continuous * engagements between large formations. We brought: down German machines. Nine o'f ours are missing. ' i (Australian and Reuter). \ f' Received July 15, at 5.5 p.m. ' , ■' ' LONDON;'JuIfa * A wireless German official report says: The artillery, duel is intense in several sectors in Flanders and Artois. We repulsed thrusts eastwards of Nieuport,' south-east of Yju-es, iieai'^Hullucli and southward of the Scarpe. The artillery firiiig is'-iiit|lse on the west bank of the Meiise. Our stormcrs recaptured the trendies on Ilill 304. We lost eight, 1 and the-enemy lost nineteen aeroplanes. .... . (Australian and Reuter). ' Received July 15, at 5.5 p.m.! . ■ ' LONDON,. July 14. A Belgian communique says: ■ The enemy violently'bombarded the region of Steenstraete, and our communications. ■ ' A French communique reports great mutual artillery and aerial activity. Eighteen enemy aeroplanes were brought down,' Tlio Germans heavily bombarded Rhcims, . We raided the enemy's trenches southward of 'Hullucli and .south-westward of Ypves. ' We repulsed raids south-westward of Gavrellc, in tlie neighbourhood of the Yprcs-Comines Canal and eastward of Nieuport. -' •' :l " '

General Ilalg reports: We drove: oft'■raiders.;Westward of Queant, and some wore taken prisoner. There was great aerial activity yesterday, and- a large number of bombs were dropped 011 enemy aerodromes and ammunition dumps. Oiir airmen fcarried'Out eight other successful raids, brought down four German aeroplanes, and drove down six others. Three of ours are missing.

(Australian and New Zealand Cable. Association / ' Received July 15, at 11.5 " ia • ' LONDON, July 14. The enemy raids were unsuccessful. ■ A French communique says; We-checked several attempts south of St, Quentin. There is violent artillery activity on'the left bank of the Mouse. German aeroplanes bombed flic entire region, north of Nancy. Two women and one child were killed. A wireless German official reports: The English attacks, near Lombartzyde broke down. We occupied and held against counterattacks the positions and trenches southward of Bois-Sonlains and • north of Rheiins. We frustrated i an attempted'thrust south-west of Somme-Py. We brought down twenty-one airnlen; v