THE FLANDERS BATTLE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17089, 22 August 1917, Page 5

THE FLANDERS BATTLE.

STRONG ATTACKS BY FRENCH

ALL OBJECTIVES GAINED

SUCCESSFUL WOEK BY TANKS

THE ITALIAN OFFENSIVE

BIG BATTLE IN PROGRESS

MOEE AIR BAIDS

POPE'S PEACE NOTE

NOT ACCEPTABLE TO .RUSSIA

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copvrmht Australian and New Zealand Cable Association.

THE WEST FRONT

SOME SHARP SIGHTING. ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Router. . ' LONDON, August 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports : After sharp fighting we completely repulsed counterattacks last night against the positions we captured yesterday morning south-east-ward of Epehy. We made successful raida southward of Lens. We slightly advanced our line on the Tpres battle front, south-eastward of St. Janshoek.

THE FRENCH LINK

ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. LONDON, August 20. A French communique states : There is a fairly violent artillery struggle north of Bixschoote. NEW BATTLE OF VERDUN.

DEVELOPING SATISFACTORILY.

SPLENDID WORK BY FRENCH.

LONDON, August t 2O. A French communique says : Our troops attacked this morning on both banks of the Meuse with magnificent dash. The early reports show that this new battle of Verdun is developing to our advantage. Our attack is along a front of 18 kilometres (11 miles), from Avocourt Wood (on the west bank) to the north of Bezonvaux (on the east bank). Many prisoners have been taken. The bravery of our men is beyond praise.

EIDGE OCCUPIED BY FRENCH.

FIGHTING IN PROGRESS.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and

Reuter. Admiralty, per Wireless Press. LONDON, August 20. German official: In the opening battle before Verdun the French occupied, without fighting, Talou ' Ridge, on the east bank of the Meuse. Fighting ia in full swing on a front.

ALL OBJECTIVES GAINED,

A FINE ATTACK.

GOOD RESULTS EXPECTED,

Router's Telegrams.

LONDON, August 21. (Received Aug. 21, at 9 pim.) A report from French headquarters states that at dawn to-day the French began another battle on the historic field of Verdun. For over a fortnight the batteries on both sides of the Meuse had been hammering the German line on both sides of the river, from Avocourt Wood, on the left bank, to Bezonvaux, on the right, a distance of fully 16 miles. This morning the infantry leapt from the trenches, and a splendid rush within 40 minutes carried them to the limits of the first line objective. All the objectives for the day were carried by 7 p.m. The reports coming in are satisfactory. A number of prisoners were taken by all the divisions enga ;d. ■ There is every reason to hope that splendid results were achieved -with relatively small casualties.

POSITION TAKEN BY TANKS.

STRONG GARRISON BEATEN.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, August 20. (Received Aug. 21, at 7.15 p.m.) Mr Philip Gibbs states that tanks attacked at dawn yesterday, northward of St. Julien. For the first time they were employed to capture a position alone After a barrage 12 tan'is crossed some bad ground and approached three socaLed farms, which really were concrete houses mouptmg machine guns and garrisoned by picked men who were brave but their courage ebbed when the tanks 'crept up, firing furiously. A number of Germans were killed, wounded, or captured T).3n the tanks sent a message to the infantr,, which advanced and occupied the ground. The operation w=s completelv successful. J

FLIGHT OF GERMANS

VALUABLE RESULTS

Renter's Telpjrrams. in . LONDON, August 20. (Received Aug. 21, at 8.15 p.m.) In describing the attack on the St Julien region headquarters reports that the Germans generally fled before the tanks reached them. The infantry following the tanks occupied the triangle formed by Mont Busibon and Cockerornt Farms, ™ ha ve given a lot of trouble. The total depth advanced as planned was 500 yards, but the Huns were far beyond, having bolted. The whole affair formed a complete virdication of the utility of the tank in this species of war-

GERMANS STILL HOPEFUL.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. Admiralty, per Wiroless Press m * i LONDON, August 21. (Received Aug. 21, at 9.50 p.m.) A German official message says- The battle at Verdun is going in our favour The enemy penetrated the defensive zone at Avocourt Wood and Mort Homme but we repu.sed attacks on the east bank of the Mouse.

NEW BRITISH POST.

DESPERATE AERIAL COMBATS. GERMANS PREFER DARKNESS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. Th. tt •* J LONDON, August 20. h*t a i huted Pres s correspondent at at fe rt6rS VVOto ■ lighting continues S, R fr T Lens t0 * he sea. n „«. £ * Urmg the **&* established secto. P ° U the loft flank of the Y P re * hJPin j P &gh } in s °° ntinu es exceedingly £Swi day * Bn - d d! ni S ht - The enemy are flSf % J tlyi % *? conserve tne * air fi m^w d „f Vold air battles * the day time, but they come out swarming under cover of tie darkness, bombing 2 places indiscriminately behind the British *lin« T 3° A aer ?P ]aj >es are comprised At ~ ha * oJUt** time i h ? British war have fK? °Rfcr fc 7 °£ ensive *« behind the German lines, bombing stations, railways aerodromes, and ammunition depots. The British airmen are fighting the German S?*3[ m - defau Vf a <*ia whL tT g , emplacements while barely skimming the earth.

STRONG FRENCH ATTACKS.

FOLLOW INTENSE ARTILLERY FIRE.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.

a n ~ LONDON, August 20. A Oerman official message savs : After the failure of the English attack southward of Langemarck the firing hZ PnlvfV^T 6 - J l6 rOT e3<*dly repulsed English detachments at Artois Strong French attacks opened early in the morning on both banks of the Meuse a ong a front of 23 kilometres, aft™ teneß? arfclUer y *"* <* the greatest inJ'wtf down 16 aeroplanes and

SUBSTANTIAL GAINS BY FRENCH.

COUNTER-ATTACKS UNAVAILING.

BRILLIANT WORK BY AVIATORS.

,t> ■_j * L °NDON, August 21. (Received Aug. 21, at 10.30 p.m.) A French communique statesNorth of Verdun we carried the enemy defences on both sides of the Meuse on a front covering 18 kilometres, with a depth at some points of over two. kilometres. Un the left bank we particularly hold Avocourt Wood, both summits of Mort Homme, and the Corbeau and Cumieres W ? ods - ~? n Jhe right bank we carried Ta,ou Hill, Champ Neuville, Hill 344 Morout Farm, and Hill 240, to the north of Louvemont. On the right we considerably advanced m Bois des Fosses and Bois de la Chaume.

The total number of unwounded prisoners exceeds 4000.

The Germans violently counter-attacked Avocourt Wood, Mort Homme, and Hill A 44, but our fire everywhere nullified their efforts, and we inflicted heavy losses Cur aviators played a brilliant part, machme-gunning enemy gatherings at low altitudes and thus contributing to the rl pulse of counter-attacks. Our pilots brought down 11 machines and our special

THE MESSINES VICTORY.

NEW ZEALANDERS HONOURED,

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.

a, -d • „ PARIS, August 20. M Poincare, French President, has conferred the War Cross on General Plumer and several New Zealand officers and omen in commemoration of the Messines victory

ALLIED VICTORY ASSURED.

GERMANY'S HOPELESS POSITION,

JAPANESE OFFICER'S VIEWS,

a t ™ PARIS, August 20. A Japanese officer who participated in the Russo-Japanese war, and has made a long-sojourn in France, has been interviewed by Lo Matin. He says: "Victory is assured, scientifically and matheTini a i ly " J* has been so si™* the middle of 1916. Germany to-day is merely a besieged fortress. The critical period in the military sense has passed. There is only one way by which victory can slip from your grasp-4hat is, that you should voluntarily abandon it."