THE WEST FRONT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17104, 8 September 1917, Page 7

THE WEST FRONT

MINOR BRITISH OPERATIONS. GERMANS BOMB HOSPITALS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Router. LONDON, September 6. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Patrol encounters occurred eastward of Fleureaux and south-eastward of St. Julien. Enemy aircraft bombed three hospitals on Tuesday night.

FRENCH ARTILLERY. DOMINATING THE ENEMY'S. ARTILLERY. LONDON, September 6. French communique: Our batteries in the Champagne are dominating the enemy's artillery, which is particularly violent in the sectors Butte-du-Mesnil and Main-de-Massignes. We vigorously shelled the enemy's front lines, preventing any attack. The enemy bombed Dunkirk, wounding some civilians. French aeroplanes bombed an aerodrome, railway station, and many bivouacs.

FRANCE'S DEMANDS. ALSACE AND LORRAINE. AND REPARATION FOR DAMAGE, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. PARIS, September 6. (Received Sept. 7, at 8 p.m.) M. Ribot, speaking at a cemetery where lie many of the Marne heroes, said: "France is not fighting to conquer territory, but she wants her own provinces back which w6re taken by abuse of strength. We will not compromise on this demand. The restitution of Alsace and Lorraine cannot be submitted to diplomatists for discussion. It is one of the first conditions for the establishment of the rights of nations. France does not ask punitive damages, but Germany should be compelled to repair the evil done in France."

BRITISH REPULSE COUNTERATTACK. SLIGHT PROGRESS MADE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, September 7. (Received Sept. 7, at 8.5 'p.m.) Sir Douglas Haig' reports: There has been heavy rain. We slightly advanced our posts south-west of Lens, and repulsed a counter-attack with considerable enemy casualties. The enemy twice attempted a raid eastward of Armentieres, and in the second attempt succeeded in entering our trenches, but were immediately driven out. Wβ carried out a local attack on strong points northward of Frezenberg, and made some progress. The enemy heavily shelled Armentieres. Hostile.air raids on Tuesday night killed 37 German, prisoners and wounded 43.

. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. Admiralty, per Wireless Press. LONDON, September 7. (Received Sept. 7, at 8.5 p-tn.) German official: English local attacks north-east of Ypres, near Lens, failed. BOMBING HOSPITALS.

ANOTHER GLARING CASE. FORTY-FIVE CASUALTIES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association PARIS, September 7. (Received Sept. 7, at 11.25 p.m.) A ■ German aeroplane bombed the military hospital at Ladelaincourt on- Tuesday night, killing 19 and wounding 26. It flew over the hospital every 20 minutes, and hit the building each time.