THE WEST FRONT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17065, 25 July 1917, Page 5

THE WEST FRONT

BRITISH ACTIVITY. SUCCESSFUL LOCAL OPERATION. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, July 23. Sir Douglas Haig reports : A successful local operation southward of Avion reached its objective with little loss. We raided and bombed •dugouts southward of Mavrincourt, in the neighbourhood of Bullecourt, and at Hollobeke. We repulsed raids at Lombaertzyde and south-eastward of Loos. THE DUNES BATTLE. GERMAN SPECULATION. The Times. LONDON, July 23. Discussing the dunes battle, General von Ardenne writes in the Berliner Xageblatt : "The English meant to make Nieuport the starting-point of an advance upon Ostend and Zeebrugge, which, being bases for submarines, are a thorn in their flesh. The loss of the bridges across the Yser, however, spoilt tiheir plan for their next great attack. Tiiey intended that their left wing, under t)he shelter of the fleet, should envelop the German right." General von Ardenne forecasts that the British will proceed with their plans, despite their, partial failure, remarking that the tremendous artillery fire and other signs indicate that a great British attack -will shortly be launched. BRITISH COMMENTS. FURTHER FIGHTING EXPECTED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, July 23. Mr Philip Gibbs writes : Since the German thrust at Lombaertzyde on July j.v. tliere has been no important action on the British front, but there have been many raids and minor activities. The shelling is sometimes of great violence about Lens, - yreo, and close to the coast. The enemy are suffering great wastage of men. A single division which went to Lens has been burying 80 Germans daily for several weeks. Blood flows in a steady stream from the Germans at Lens. The Germans retaliate by shelling Wytschaete, Messines. Armentieres, and Loos, but their bombardment does not reveal any definite purpose. The enemy pour out gas shells, and we retaliate with gas clouds, whioh creep into the German crater's and trenches and kill any man taking a breath of it. The enemy directed a particularly ferocious bombardment to-day between Lombaertzyde and Nieuport, using many gas shells. They are apparently doubtful when our next blow will fall, and are trying to do as much damage as possible before it happens, when their heavy guns must hurry back, as they did at Wytschaete and Messines. AT CALIFORNIA PLATEAU. FRENCH STILL SUCCESSFUL. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association ami Reuter. LONDON, July 23. French communique: German attacks, accompanied by violent continued last night on the plateau before Craonne to the casemates. After the finish of extremely violent attempts the enemy succeeded in -penetrating our first line, but our immediate and vigorous coun-ter-attacks ejected them from all but a small portion. The struggle on California Plateau ended only late last night, and despite all efforts the enemy were unable to drive us off the plateau.

GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. Admiralty, per Wireless Press. LONDON, July 23. (Received July 24, at 7.10 p.m.) German official : There was an artillery battle all night in Flaoiders. Air squadrons unsuccessfully attacked our balloons. We brought dawn, eight aeroplanes. The enemy vigorously attacked' between Avion and Mericourt, but we equalised the enemy's success. We attacked oil the slope of Winterdeg and carried several lines of trenches on a front of one kilometre. .

ON THE FRENCH FRONT. . MOSTLY ARTILLERY WORK. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, July 23. (Received July 24, at 11.15 p.m.) French communique: The bombardment of our positions in the Hurtebise-Craorme region continues violently, especially at California Plateau, but there was no infantry attack. Eight _ hundred and fifty shells were thrown into Rheims to-day. In the Champagne a German attack north-west of Montonillet was completely repulsed. Our batteries are active against organisations in the Moronvillers region. Long range German guns fired a hundred shells in North Nancy, but there were no casualties. We effected a reprisal by effective fire on works at Chateau Saling. ATTACKS ON FRENCH POSITIONS. TERRIFIC INTENSITY. SPECULATIONS AS TO REASON. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, July 23. (Received July 24, at 11.20 p.m.) The Daily Chronicle's Paris correspondent writes: " The battle of the three plateaux was continued throughout yesterday, its intensity equalling that of the Somme or the Meuse. The German bombardment of six hours was nnprecedentedly severe. Then came waves of Guards as storming troops, with reckless daring. They were repeatedly driven back, but eventrally gained only a part of the first line of trenches on the northern edge of California Plateau.

It is difficult to understand the enemy's efforts to regain the Chemin des fiames line. Nearly forty serious assaults have been delivered since May 4. The mvstcry is probably due to the faf.ure of the submarines and an endeavour to force peace before the Americans come."

[The cable news in this issue accredited to The Times has appeared in that journal, but only where expressly stated is such news the editorial opinion of The Times.]

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