GERMAN ATTACKS ON NEW BRITISH POSITIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16039, 4 October 1915, Page 5

GERMAN ATTACKS ON NEW BRITISH POSITIONS.

ENEMY DRIVEN OFF AND LINE CONSOLIDATED. BRITISH AIRMEN HARASS ENEMY'S COMMUNICATIONS. ' RAILWAY DAMAGED AND TRAINS WRECKED. By Te!<3srra.-Dh—Press Association—Copyright. (Received October 3, 7.20 son.) Losdojj. October 2. Sir John French reports:— Several German attacks were made' on Wednesday north-west of Hullucb. There was severe fighting all day long. We maintained all our positions except on the extreme left, where the Germans gained 150 yds of trench. . "We have firmly consolidated our position, and hostile counterattacks have now weakened. The Germans fired a mine on Wednes- 1 day afternoon near Hodge, gaining a footing on our front line southward of the Menin Koad. Counter-attacks on Thursday recovered ' all except a small portion of the trench. The situation on the British front on Friday was unchanged.

," Our aircraft was active last week. Of 17 air combats there was only one in which the British machine was worsted. We brought down a Taube inside our lines on Thursday. Our airmen attacked and damaged the main railway lines in 15 places, and partially wrecked five, probably six, trains. They also set fire to the locomotive sheds at Valenciennes, a railway centre 18 miles north-east of Cambrai, and caused considerable interference to railway organisation."

In their recer.t advance the British captured the western outskirts of Hulluch, which is three miles south of -La Bassee. .

Hooge is south-east of Ypres, and here the British recently attacked .on either side of the road leading to Menin, which is an important point north of Lille. The British attack gained 600 yds of trenches south of the road.