CANADIAN ASSAULT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16620, 17 August 1917, Page 5

CANADIAN ASSAULT

POSITIONS STORMED NEAR lens BRITISH CLOSING ON CITY HEAVY FIGHTING IN ROUMANIA CHINA SEIZES ENEMY SHIPPING " 00ps havc «'"«J forward the , lne .a .he 1" = rial ' r ° U " d Le ° 5 ' " h ' Ch attack was "T* dCaUI f ° r the Germans - The Canadian 1 7 f de 00 a front 0f two miles north of Lens - The formidable defences of Hill 70 were taken by assault, the tacked" St h trenCh SyStem Carried 00 the Who,e front at = tacked, and the assault pushed to a depth of a mile at points. p' 16 counter-attacks were repulsed, including one by the Prussian Guards, and heavy losses were inflicted on the enemy. Over 2SO prisoners had been counted when the communique was despatched. There have been a number of local actions at other points on the western front. The British and French improved their positions in the Ypres sector, and the French made progress west of the Dixmude Road, while Portuguese troops repulsed a strong raiding attack east of Neuve Chapelle. Heavy fighting continues for the railway systems which the Roumanians still hold in Moldavia. The Russians and Roumanians have been successful at several points, but the Germans claim that they are weakening. The enemy claims to have stormed a bridgehead on the west bank of the Sereth capturing 3000 prisoners and several guns. China has seized 18,000 tons of Austrian and German shipping in her harbours.

During the week ended August 12 sixteen British vessels were sunk by submarines, the lightest week in regard to losses since the Admiralty commenced publishing weekly figures in February.