FIGHTING ON THE OPPY LINE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9648, 1 May 1917, Page 5

FIGHTING ON THE OPPY LINE

BATTLE OF THE FIERCEST CHARACTER. NOTHING ON THE SOMME COMPARABLE WITH IT. Reuter’s Telegram. LONDON, _ April 29. Reuter’s correspondent n-fc Headquarters states that the British Ist and 3rd Armies were engaged to-day in an attack extending from the Scarpo Valley northwards to the east of Vimy. The main coal was the Oppy line, a hastily-constructed northerly extension of the Hindonbure lino. The fighting was of the fiercest. It was a fluctuating struggle, with most desperate attacks and counter-attacks. There was nothing at the Somme to compare with the number and fury of the present counter-attacks. The correspondent instances that the counter-attack to-dav at Gayrello was the fifteenth since the Germans lost the position. Once, near Gnny, five waves advanced blindly, facing an appalling fire, in massed ranks. The survivors persisted through field gun, Maxim and rifle fire till they utterly collapsed. Often the British rifles decided the rout, but frequently there were deadly personal grapples, in which the bayonet but oftener the butts were used. NEWFOUNDLAND TROOPS IN ARRAS BATTLE TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER OF ENEMY. ■ i Published in “The Times.’* (Received April 30. 7.30 p.m.l LONDON. April 29. Mr Robinson tells how the Newfoundland troops in the battle of Arras added a new lustre to their reputation by pushing farthest in the advance in a difficult section. They had to fall hack from an overwhelming counterattack, holding the German masses til] the British fire checked the advance of the latter. Then came the Newfoundlanders’ onnortunitv. The next halfhour saw such a slaughter of Germans as has only been witnessed once or twice in battle. It is believed that no enemy escaped. Between 1200 and 1000 bodies were piled round the Gorman trench. GERMAN GENERALISSIMO’S SAD EXPERIENCE HIS LINES BROKEN. HIS TROOPS HACKED TO PIECES. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. PARIS. April 29. The “Paris Journal’s” correspondent at British Headquarters states; Von Hindenburg was here a week ago, and saw his best troop o driven from the impregnable Vimy Ridge. He saw the Bavarians, worn out. give place to the Brandenburgers and Pomeranians. He saw his line hero hacked to pieces and there shaken, torn, and indented bv the British guns. He .saw his defence crumble before the ardent drive of a young and well-trained army. He saw Gavrellc heaped up with thousands and thousands of German corpses. Ten times the Prussian. Guard counter-attacked at the village: ton times they fell back, defeated. Von Hindenburg came, and saw, and went away conquered. ON THE FLEMISH COAST WHAT THE GERMANS CLAIM. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Router. (Received April Sj; 5.50 p.m.l LONDON, April 29. A Gorman official message states: A number of fighting aeroplanes unsuccessfully bombed our torpedoers on the Flemish coast, also Zeebruggo harbour, on the 2Gth. W© brought down a British aeroplane and a French seaplane. FRENCH APPRECIABLY ENLARGE THEIR POSITIONS SUCCESS IN SOUTHERN ALSACE. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. j LONDON, April 29. A French communique states: There have been isolated operations in the region north and south' of Oourcy and north-west of Reims, and we have appreciably enlarged our positions. There is a somewhat lively artillery duel in the Champagne between Prunay and Auberive. Our detachments .penetrated far into the enemy’s second line at several points in Upper (southern) Alsace, and lively grenade fighting ended to our advantage. _