BRITISH GAIN FURTHER GROUND

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9717, 20 July 1917, Page 5

BRITISH GAIN FURTHER GROUND

' ' High Commissioner’s Cable. LONDON, July 18, 3.40 p.m. French official report:—On the left bank of the Meuse, after violent bombardmemts, tho Germans counter-attacked several times the posj tons captured 1 at Avocourt Wood as far as the slopes to west of Hill 304. AIL the efforts were broken -with sanguinary losses to the enemy., and without our coding a scrap of ground. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright, Published in “The Times.” (Received Julv 19, 5.30 p.m.) PARKS, July 18A semiVofficial message states that yesterday’s advance on tho left of tho Meuso was of considerable importance, as it releases Hill 304, which the enemy had been closely pressing. It lias also clouo much to dear tho a;pproaches to VerdUn. FINE BLOW DELIVERED BY FRENCH SECOND ARMY GERMAN TRENCHES COMPLETELY CRUSHED BY ARTILLERY. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. PARIS, July 18. The French Second Army delivered a fine blow in tho Avocourt sector, where the Germans during the last three weeks made numerous attacks, and succeeded two or throe times in biting into the French trenches. The French 'refrained from making an attack, awaiting a favourable opportunity. Yesterday formidable artillery work completely crushed the German trentohes, and the infantry rushed through to the enemy’s supporting positions, where tho troops were sheltering from the artillery fire. Tho Gormans, at bay, fought stubbornly. Those refusing to surrender were killed. The rest surrendered. The French gained at tho end of the battle an advance of five-eighths of a mile on a mile and a-quarter front. GERMAN ATTACKS NEAR CERNY REPULSED Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Renter(Received July ID, 10.50 p.m.) LONDON, July 18. A French cornu.unique states: —Wo repulsed a German attack west of Corny sugar factory. INTENSE INCREASE IN AIR FIGHTING COLOSSAL BRITISH OVERHEAD OFFENSIVE ON FLEMISH COAST. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. LONDON, July 18. There is tremendous air activity on all fronts. The machines are now reckoned in thoiisands where they were in tens at the beginning of the war. ■> The struggle is fiercest on the Flemish coast, where a colossal British air offensive foreshadows portentous events. Swarms of machines are raining bombs day and night on German military works, communication, dumps, and depote. . While wo are using all types of machines, tire Germans apparently pin their faith to tho largo, twotengined. Gotha battleplanes, of which new squadrons aro constantly appearing on the West front and in Flanders. Numerous machines have also been wiithdrawu from tho Russian front. Tho Germans undoubtedly are making their boldest bid for air supremacy, but the British communiques reveal than they aro unable to hold their cHvn against the British pilots. AMSTERDAM, July 18. It is reported that aviators three times attacked tho Belgian coast between midnight and one o’clock yesterday. SUCCESSFUL RAIDS NEAR FRESNOY Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Reuter. (Received July ID, 10.50 p.m.) LONDON, Julv 18. Sir Douglas Haig reports;—We successfully raided tho neighbourhood of Fresuoy. There wore a number of air fights last night, in which large formations engaged. Wo brought down nine and drove down six machines. Four of ours aro missing. BRITISH GAIN FURTHER GROUND NEAR MONCHY LONDON, Julv 18. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Local fighting oast of Monchy-le-Pleux* resulted in a further gain of ground. We captured prisoners. We conducted a successful raid near Boesinglie. A GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT ADMISSION OF FRENCH SUCCESSES AT AVOCOURT. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Renter. (Received July ID, 5.30 p.m.) LONDON, Julv 18. A wireless German message states r—l here is lively artillery firing' on the coast from Yser to Lys and La Bassoc Canal, Lons, Lens, and" both banks of tho Scarpe. We repulsed English, advances between Hollcbeko and AVarneton, and drove back an English attack on the. Arras-Cambrai road except at a narrow point westward of Boisdouvert. The French attacked on a five-kilometre front between Avocourt AA 7 ood and westward df Alort Homme. ■ After bitter fighting thev penetrated the south-eastern comer of Malanoourt AVood astride the Malancourt-Bsnes road.