THE WEST FRONT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17091, 24 August 1917, Page 5

THE WEST FRONT

BRITISH MAKING PROGRESS. SOME HEAVY FIGHTING. ARTILLERY .ACTIVE. Australian anu IV.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, August 22. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We maintained the positions which we captured yesterday morning on ttho outskirts of Lens, and made further progress at certain points. We have secured additional ground north-westward and northward of Lens, as a result of heavy fighting, in which we repulsed strong counter-attacks. There is artillery activity eastward and north-east of Ypres. VIOLENT ENEMY ATTACKS. FRENCH HOLD THEIR GROUND. SOME PRISONERS TAKEN. Router's Telegrams. LONDON, August 22. A French communique says : The enemy last night violently bombarded different points of our first- line on the Aisne heights. The Germans made several strong attacks in the region of Mecejean Farm, east, of Braye, south of La Bovelle, between Allies and the Hurtebise Monument and on the California Plateau; but we entirely maintained our positions everywhere, and took some prisoners. We repulsed a violent counter-attack ' yesterday evening between Hill 304 and Mort Homme, on the west bank of the Meuse, and our brilliant counter-offensive drove out enemy elements wliich had obtained a footing in our new front-lines. DESPERATE FIGHTING. ROUND LENS AND YPRES. STRONG ENEMY FORCES.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, August 22. The United Press correspondent at headquarters reports : Heavv fighting continues about both Lens and Ypres. The British at daybreak attacked the positions between Langemarck and Frezenberg (northeast of Ypres), and fclio battle is progressing. The Bavarians and Prussians are fighting desperately amongst the ruins of Lens. The Canadians, despite two violent counter-attacks in rapid succession, succeeded in establishing their advanced posts. The Canadians at one time were fighting into Lens proper, while the Germans came pouring up from concreted cellars and rnineshafts like ants from disturbed anthills. The Crown Prince threw iii 'tlie Fifth Grenadiers, belonging to the I'ii'st Prussian Guards Reserve Division. Portions of at least six divisions are concentrated .against the Canadians, showing the importance which the German High Command attaches to Lens. NEW FRENCH GUN. A POWERFUL 1 WEAPON. , . PARIS, August 22. j. lie Echo tie Paris mentions a new giant Fronch gun as being used at Verdun, which throws a shell nearly six miles high. ACTIVITIES OF AMERICANS.; . ■ WASHINGTON, August 22. Mr Baker, Secretary of War, announces tuat he will issue regular communiques regarding the activities of the Americans in France. HUNS' FIENDISH CRIME. ATTACKS ON HOSPITALS. MEDICAL MEN FIRED ON. Router's Telegrams. . _ PARIS, August 22. Infuriated by their defeats near "Verdun, the Germans have committed a fresh and' inexcusable crime. Aeroplanes dropped incendiary bombs, and set fire to three I 1 rench hospitals full of wounded men and turned their machine guns on to the medical men while the'v were attempting to rescue the patients. The victims include seven medical men, while seven wounded soldiers were killed and 33 injured afresh. A Red Gross nurse and a male nurse were also killed. There was no panic. The wounded able to walk assisted their comrades.. Although the red crossei on the roofs were plainly visible in the glare of the burning buildings, the Germans returned and bonv barded the hospitals a third time. ENEMY LOSSES HEAVY. LIQUID FIRE ATTACKS. NEARLY 7000 MEN CAPTURED. Australian and N.Z. Cabin Association and Renter LONDON, August. 23. (Received August 23, at 10.40 p.m.) A French communique says: Severe enemy attempts to recapture our new posi tion on the rijrht bank of the Meusd were broken, with great loss and without anywhere reaching our lines. Attacks with liouid fire in Caurieres Wood merely increased the enemy losses. Since the 20th inst. we have captured 6116 unwounded men, including 154 officers ; also 600 Wounded, and important booty in one of three tunnels which we captured. At Mort Homme we took prisoner a whole regimental stall corps and a commander and officers and engineers.

FURIOUS BATTLE AT LENS. DESPERATE EFFORT BY THE HUNS. Reuter's Telegrams. ir} . LONDON, August, S3, -ri a August 23, at 11.40 p.m.) Ihe Headquarters correspondent' s;u-f that a ferocious battle continued throughout yesterday round Lens. The Canadians are holding cneir gti'iis on the western fringe of the city,' but north of the railwav the situation is r.ot oWmg t0 the SWay ° f the great The German artillery fire is the heaviest yet experienced. The First Prussian Uuards Reserve Division comprises the latest troops to be thrown in to trv to relieve the situation It is mainly a soldiers' battle, where methods of /rightfulness are impossible owing to endangering one's own people equally with the adversary. Few prisoners have ( *en taken. Ifc looks as if the Huns realhe that- they must retake Hill 70 or nuit Lens. SUCCESSFUL ALLIED OPERATIONS. STEADY ADVANCE. 1 STUBBORN RESISTANCE.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. , D . , . LONDON, August 23. (Received Aug. 23, at 11.45 p.m.) Sir Douglas Haig reports successful operations eastward and north-eastward of ipres for the capture of a series of strong points and fortified farms astride the xpres-Menm road, between the YpresRoulers railway and Langemarck. There was bitter fighting at all points. Kie enemy repeatedly counter-attacked, but our artillery and machine-gun fire inflicted heavy losses. The struggle was fiercest on the high ground in the neighbourhood of the YpresMenm road, where we advanced to a depth of 500 yards on a front cover inn- a mile. We captured an important observation position, also the western portion oi the Inverness Copse. Our line further north was advanced to a maximum depth of over half a mile on a , miles. The enemy resisted stubbornly. Owing to the obstinate nature of the lighting the number of prisoners is unusually small in proportion to the enemy's total losses. Since the 15th inst. we have captured 1378 at Lens. '

After fierce air fighting we brought down 12 and drove down five aeroplanes: .twelve of ours are missing.

VIOLENT ARTILLERY DUEL.

, . LONDON, August 23. (Received Aug. 23, at 11.45 p.m.) A French communique says: The artillery duel is somewhat violent in the regions of Braye and Cerny. Our batteries m the Champagne destroyed more enemv gas reservoirs. On the Verdun front the enemy reacted in the course of the day with artillery, especially on the left bank of the Meuse but did not attempt to attack our new positions. Six enemy aeroplanes were destroyed in air fights, and five others fell damaged. ■ CANADIANS' STRENUOUS TASK. VIOLENT ATTACKS CHECKED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. /r> • , LONDON, August 23. (Received Aug. 24, at 0.5 a.m.) Mr Philip Gibbs states:—The severe fighting eastward of St. Julien is extending southward across Zonnebeke and beyond the Frezenberg Redoubt, while our right has again penetrated the Glencorse I strongly efe the enem y is defending j The Canadians are still heavily engaged j at Lens, checking violent counter-attacks/! of which there have been at least 20. ! Never have the Canadians been so hard pressed by the enemy, who is regardless 0 ™ le losses lf he holds the ground The enemy massed manv new troops and guns for the defence of Lens but the Canadians won't lose their crip ti.l they have strangled it. A GERMAN ACCOUNT. Admiralty, per Wireless Press. (T1 . i LONDON, August 23. (Received Aug. 24, at 0.5 a.m.) _ A German coihmunique says:—Strong Imglish attacks near St. Julien were repulsed. A fresh engagement has developed between the roads from Staden and Messines towards Ypres. Bitter hand to hand fighting has occurred round Lens. Our shell fire ignited hands Whidl iS ® tiU " l En S lish i P- e I French . repeatedly stormed, and obtained a, footing on the knolls eastwards of Avocourt Wood. French attacks on the eastern 1 bank of the Meuse secured a looting m the southern part of Samogneux, but otherwise their massed attacks' were sanguinarily repulsed, forcing the enemy to replenish 10 divisions.

ANOTHER GERMAN ACCOUNT. Admiralty per Wireless Press. . LONDON, August 23. (Received August 24, at 0.5 a.m.) A German official message says: British attacks eastward of Ypres on a 15-kilo-metres front failed, with heavy losses. BRITISH AERIAL RAID. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter ■ ir . . AMSTERDAM, August 23. (Received August 24, at 1.20 a.m.) • This morning airmen raided the Zee-bnigge-Briiges Canal. P-The cablc news in t"his issue nocredifcod to The Times lifts appeared in that journal, but onlv where expressly sUfe>l j s SU ch news the fditorfnl opinion of The Timns/]