GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACK SOUTH OF THE SOMME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16927, 13 August 1918, Page 5

GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACK SOUTH OF THE SOMME.

■ FRESH DIVISION'S THROWN INTO THE BATTLE. J —'" ' " V fy '"' ,V i'./ ,V''. ' I BRITISH BREAK ASSAULT AND INFLICT HEAVY LOSSES. .• ' ; PATROLS SECURE PRISONERS ALONG WHOLE LINE, V; By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. > " V Australian and N.Z. and Renter... (Heed. 7.40 D.m.) LONDON. Aug. 11—11.80 p.m. ' Sir Douglas Haig reports: Fresh enemy divisions from the reserve .: ; . strongly attacked our positions at Lihons, a mile and a-half west of Chaulnes, and south and north of the village. : All the attacks . were repulsed-. after severe fighting, in which we inflicted great loss' upon ~, . the advancing lines. At one point immediately north of Lihons assault troops broke into our positions • and penetrated the western side of I the village. We counter-attacked with determination, and in the ' ' „ ■ 'course of : fierce fighting over difficult ground drove back the enemy \ , to the east and north of the village, the line being completely restored. On our right the French, co-operating with us, continued <to attack , . • and made progress south-west and south of Roye,-. ; Our patrols took .prisoners on the remainder of the.British front. : ? V. • An earlier report stated: In a successful operation last night we I • advanced our line north of. the Somme on the 'high| ground I between ; • Etinehem, on the Somme, a mile and a-half east of Chipilly, and I)erv v E,ancourt, on the Ancre, three miles south of Albert. . Fighting south of the river is reported at different points. The French made progress . along'the. south , bank of , the Avre, and reached the'outskirts' of '' l'Echelle-St. Aurin, eight miles north-east of Montdidier and three miles west of Roye. We repulsed a local attack this morning on our ~ ■ position north of Kemmel,' in Flanders, taking prisoner's/ and slightly improving our positions east of Robecq.: ' Vi ¥ :