LOCAL FIGHTING ON WESTERN FRONT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10000, 18 June 1918, Page 5

LOCAL FIGHTING ON WESTERN FRONT

A SUCCESSFUL BRITISH ATTACK HARD ALL-NIGHT STRUGGLE WITH BOMBS AND BAYONETS. Published in "The Times." (Received June 17, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, Juno 17. Mr Firrie_ Robinson states that a successful British attack at Bethune led to a hard airtight struggle with bombs and bayonets. The fight Was especially fierce at La Fannerie, where the Germans had posted strong positions. The enemy casualties, were nearly a thousand. The whole position was occupied by dawn. High Commissioner's Cable. C LONDON, June 15, 11.50 aim. A British official report states: —In the region, of Bettoune (west of Lille) we gained the enemy position on a front of two miles. All our objectives were attained, and we took 1916 prisoners. ' .". DARING ATTACK ON TWO-MILE FRONT .;, GBRJ4AINS UTTMRaJYSTJI?MBISBD IN DABJKNESS. „ Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. (Received June 18, 12.5 a.m.) LONDON, June 17. Mr Philip Gibbs writes;—Tha Suffolks and Gordons at La Bassee Canal made a daring attack on. a front of two miles. They secured 200 prisoners and twenty-five machine guns. The sector consisted chiefly of a mining village and slag .heaps with shell-broken pit heads. The German defence was based on linked shell craters and machine-gun posts. The defenders •were' notorious as belonging to the 18th Reserve Division, who were responsible for the campaign of at Louvain and Tenhonde in 1914. .- Our attack", which was carried out in darkness, utterly surprised tine Germans and many were taken prisoner before they could got their arms. Others fought bravely in the shell-craters and were bayoneted at their posts. Educated- prisoners admit that th* gains from the German offensives have been much.' less than were expected. They are very nervous about the Americans, as they believed that only 75,000 had reached France." NoV they realise that the submarine campaign has failed. ONLY MINOR OPERATIONS RECORDED LOCAL ATTACKS AND .COUNTER-ATTACKS. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Renter. LONDON, June 16. A French communique states: —There were successful' local' actions northeast of the Bois de Genles, south of Dammard, and in the region of Vinli. Enemy attempts to cross the Mtatz at its junction with the Oise failed under our fire. ••.-;• (Received June 17. 8.20 p.m.) LONDON, June 16. A Frenoh oommunique states: —ln the Wbeuvre the enemy during the morning gained a footing in the village of Xivry, from which he was driven out by a counter-attack, losing some, prisoners. ENEMY CLAIMS REPULSE OF ATTACKS (Received June 17, 8.20 p.m.) LONDON. Juno 16. A wireless German official report states:—Wo repulsed English local attacks which entered our foremokt lines westward of Lboon and .repulsed: enemy attaoks at Dommiers and Villers-Ootterets. ......... •- WORK OF BRITISH FLYING MEN (Received June 17, 8.20 p.m.) LONDON, Juno 16. Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report states;—We dropped ten tons of bombs during tho daytime and nine tons at night time on Saturday, the iargetß'lncluding the Bstaires and Armentieres railway station and the Bruges docks. We brought down three and drove down two enemy machines. *' No' British 'planes are missing.. o _ _ GERMAN DRIVES CAUSE EXTENSION OF ALLIED FRONT WASHINGTON, Juno 16. General Marsh, Chief of tho General Staff, states that tho extension of the Allied front as a result of tho Gorman drives now exceeds sixty miles. WEST FRONT A CHARNEL HOUSE FOR GERMANS Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. AMSTERDAM. June 15. Herr Colin (Socialist), speaking in the Reichstag, eaid the West front had become a oharnel houso for the best manhood of Germany. The war had now become a .family question forcthe Hohenzolleriis. RAPIDLY GROWING AMERICAN ARMY RECENT ARRIVALS OF TROOPS EXCEED ALL RECORDS. (Received June 18, 12.5 a.m.) LONDON, Juno 17. The "Morning Post" states that the arrivals of American troops dairjng tho past few days have eolipstld all records. As a feat in shipping, the.hiovementsi across the Atlantic' exceed anything in mercantile annals. During the week-end the scenes at oho port wcrei amazing. Ship after ship discharged its-khaki-clad cargo, who were whirled off by special trains" to France. THREE MILLION MEN IN UNIFORMS[BY AUGUST. ' (Received June 17, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Juno 16. Tho United States expects to have three million meti in uniform by August Ist. _ ' •. - ;■-. - The American troops in Franco number 800,000. Sixty per cent, of thorn (i.e., 480,000) aro fighting mon.