STRUGGLE 111 WEST

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 30938, 23 July 1917, Page 5

STRUGGLE 111 WEST

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: :: GERMANS 'SEVERELY PUNISHED. ' - ■ 1 ' ' f>, " - | , V ■■ ' '• f v ; 1 L. ( ■ GALICIAN ADVANCE RECEIVES A CHECK, ■ s ■ ' ■ V. . ■ v/ >. : ■. .. v: AUSTRO-GERMANS PRESS BACK RUSSIANS; ' ECj' I * 1 POLITICAL CHANGES IN; RUSSIA. \ ' ' i l OFFK3AL PEACE MOVE CONTEMPLATED .. i ■ ' r ' . ! BY AUSTRIA. ! - CHECKED BY RUSSIAN INTERNAL ; DISORDERS. r t (P« Cable—Ptesi Association—Copyright.) TERRIFIC FIGHTING ON WESTERN FRONT. v, ' DETAILS OP BRILLIANT FRENCH SUCCESS. GERMANS :DRIVEN POSITIONS. & • TT ,1 COUNTER-ATTACK SLOW AND HESITATING. , \ i (Australian and New Zealand' Cable feociallon.) : PARIS, July 20.

' Details'of the brilliant success at 'Verdun shows that ww June 28th, when the Germans, after a violent artillery bombard inont with five hundred.gnus, secured the French foremost position, between Avpcourt Wood and Hill 804 with its supporting positions southward, they commanded a salient at the intermediate saddle and Col d'e Pommerien. This overlooked all the French . organisations and j threatened to outflank Hill 304, The French determined to winiit back, prepared a plan of assault. Continuous^ bombardment caused heavy losses to the Tenth Gorman Reserve holding the Col ,de Pommerien, and some of its companies lost , fifty per cent of their effectives, until they were reduced to. fifty--,-six ■ bayonets each:' Reinforcements■ 'brought their numbers up to seventy-five 'bayonets, but a few days' bombardment again brought them down to fifty, and consequently the division was withdrawn and'replaced by the Twenty-ninth Division from Ta- .. hurs, in. the Champagne. These were later placed in the front' - line'between Avocourt Wool and Hill 304. The Forty-eighth ' -Division, just withdrawn from the Russian front somewhat demoralised, was entrusted 'with the second position behind the Twentyninth Division, and the transference was in full swing when the French attack opened. .Prisoners were taken from all three divi- • siohs, and this is clear proof of the enemy's disorganisation. - ■■'' ' The-French advanced magnificently on a mile and a-half front in order to captiire the saddle and crest. They reached the;third enemy trench ■ before the Germans realised that- the first had .The victors swept over the crest and three hundred ' yards beyond their objectives, firmly establishing themselves on ' • the receding slope". *A counter-attack twelve hours later was slow and hesitating and foredoomed to failure. , . FRUITLESS GERMAN ATTACKS-IN ORAONNE .REGION. ■■ ■ ■ ■-.'•' • ' ■ l-Ea'-?-< , ■<■■'- , ENEMY SANGUINARILY DEFEATED. L ~: ; ; (Australian and Reuter). . .-Received July 22, at 5.5 p.m, ■ ■ ■'■: . " ' LONDON, July 21. ,■' ■ A" French communique-says: The struggle continues violently. ' In the region of Hitrtcbise and Craonno. ': The Germans renewed '.their attacks until jate at night, After .'powerful artillery cob- . , centration the enemy on thewening of -.yesterday re-attempted !a . general, assault with important forces'along the line of our plateau before Craonne and Vauclerce. Hand-to-hand fighting occurred ; along the whole front whjch our forces defended with magnificent . cptirage. Their resistance and tenacity overcame furious assaults .; and we entirely maintained our positions everywhere. The enemy ~.;, despite heavy sacrifices, obtained no footing either in the California , Casements Plateau, 'or in our positions to the westward.. The

* , -V - Bpouhil in front,of out- liner, win covered wjlliMiodif*, testifying to 'Hie violenee of (lie simple iiml Hie KiMKiiiiinry iloftiil of the enemy. |The tjeriiniii litlempls to extend Hie slight advantage they gained yesterday betweeiullie California!! Casements Plnlotoi were equally vain'. Moreover, our energetic cowiWallacks enabled i(s to surI round Hie pockd into which the enemy had pencilled, We hold entirely Hie crest of jho riiilcnn. The enemy still retains a space of about six hundred metres and is clinging to the northern edge of the plateau where were our first line positions which the ■ bombardment completely destroyed. (Australian and Router), i Received July 22, at 5.5 p.m. LONDON, July 21. The French communique continues: The f enemy'a attacks, or attempted attacks, followed very violent bombardments at many points on Hie sector at Corny, Hurtebise, C.raomie road and :■ north of Bray-en-Laonnois but the accurate W aqd vigour of our ■■■ troops caused the plans to fail. An enemy attack carried out ': withforce south-east of Cerny twice -penetrated 'our. advanced , trenches on a point of 250 metres. On each occasion by 'a vigor- , oils.counter-attack we completely drove them out, We'brolce up, ■..with .heavy losses,.powerful enemy concentrations for attack between Hurtebise and California Plateau. We recaptured trench ' elements in the region of Moulin-don-Steristent. ' The artillery duel lias been .fairly lively north of the Aisne.; ' . ■ ' ■/'.•'' . ' SUCCESSFUL 'RAIDING.. ON BRITISH FRONT, ARTILLERY FIGHTING NORTH-WEST OF ST.QUENTIN. ! ;_ , (Australian and Renter). s '.','': ... • " ' LONDON, July 20.-' ■ i Sir Douglas Haig reports: We successfully raided at Gavrelle, 'northward of Ypres. The enemy artillery is active' north-west- ■■ ward of St. Quentin and south-westward of Lens. '■ (Australian and Renter), .Received July 22, at 5.5 p.m. /. _' ■ ■'' LONDON, July 21. ■ ■ Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports: Wo raided last night uin the Greenlind Hills region, northwards of Roeux. The garrison huiTiedl)'\withdrcw on our approach. We also successfully raided 'jsouth-wesiWd of la Bassee and southward of Armentieres. The portions'were entered on a wide front. * We repulsed raiders northward of Havrieourt Wood and southWard of Armentieres. \ (Australian and Renter). ■Received July' 22, at H',s p.m. ■:,- LONDON, July 21. Sir Douglas Jlaig reports great activity on the part of the' eneiny V artillery d\i the Lombartzyde sector. Our aeroplanes suci. cessfully bombed four aerodromes, and an important railway jnnc- | tion, (yhere a large explosion was caused.

'CANADIANS'TAKE UP NEW POSITIONS. CLOSE TO THE HEART OP LENS. \ ■ (Australian and Center). ' *;.•?■& Rcceivea July. 22, at 5.5 p.m. \ '*'"<>■ ■ ■ A ■ ■ VANCOUVER, July 2(1. ■ The Canadian'troops have established a v «ew post fifteen jiu'mlml yards from the heart of Lens. There is every evidence (hat I lie Huns- wiljholdaiie.eity until their losses he^iieiwienduriilile, ■ . L,- "."" V. GERMAN ACCOUNTS OF WEST .FRONT I i.i. n-l p . " ' ' ■ 'l\ , t BRITISH ADVANCES CHECKED. : \ • ,/» "~ — ' ' '"'.'■ FRENCH COUNTER-ATTACKS DRIVING ENEMY BACK.

(Australian and Renter). , \ Received July 22, at .5.5 p.m. \ LONDON, July 21. A wireless German official report states that the artillery firing in Flanders is extremely violent. The ene% advances at Lornbartyzde, eastward of Messines, Gavrelle, and at Monchey failed. The French three times fruitlessly attacked St. Quentin, .We captured part of the French Interbert positions south-west of Craonne, but heavy nocturnal counter-attacks forced us to abandon ' some trenches.;, . (Australian and Renter). < LONDON, July 21. A wireless German official report says: The fighting in Flanders' only temporarily decreased in violence. It has also increased at La Bassoe Canal,, and from Lens to the Searpe. Strong enemy reconnoitring advances were unsuccessful. ~ '..■.. . "' > 'ii.,r :■ "" ;r '!;