VIOLENT FIGHTING CONTINUES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 27

VIOLENT FIGHTING CONTINUES.

PARIS, September 29. A communique states; There has been fighting all day long. We main* tained our new positions between Sou* chez and Vimy. A violent struggle occurred in the Champagne region be* fore the inner German positions, and also for the possession of the salient north of Mesnil, where small German groups maintain their positions. We are progressing north of Massiges, There have been violent reciprocal bombardments at Bois=!e=Pretre and Apremont. GERMAN CASUALTIES. PARIS, September 29. The German casualties in the recent offensive of the Allies are estimated to exceed 120,000. The progress of the French in the Artois region continues. The prisoners taken in Artois and Champagne exceed 25,000. A communique states : The latest reports enable us daily to gauge more completely the importance of our successes in the Champagne and Artois. The Germans were expelled from strongly-entrenched positions on an extended front, in which they had been ordered to recist to the end. The total enemy losses exceed three army corps, including 23,000 prisoners. We have brought thus far 79 captured guns to the rear, also 17,000 prisoners, including 315 officers. Stock-taking of the abandoned material is in progress. We captured east of Souchez yesterday Hill 140, which is the culminating point of the Vimy crests, also the orchards to the southward, taking prisoner 300 Guardsmen. The struggle continues in the Champagne, and a further 1000 Germans surrendered north of Massiges.