WESTERN FRONT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3292, 18 April 1917, Page 15

WESTERN FRONT.

BRITISH OFFICIAL REPORTS. Sir Douglas Haig's reports for the week stato:— Wo attacked at 5.30 on the'* morning of the 9th inst. on a wide front, and penetrated the enemy's linos everywhere from a point southward of Arras to a point southWard of Lens. We arc progressing satisfactorily at all points. We stormed tho villages of Hermies and Boursies, in the direction of Cambrai, and penetrated into Havricourt Wood. . Wo captured Fresnoy-le-JPetit, in tho direction of St. Quentin, and advanced our lino south-eastward of La Verguier. A considerable number of prisoners were taken. Our operations continue successfully in accordance with our plan. Our tsoops everywhere stormed the enemy's defences from Henin-sur-Cojeul to the southern outskirts of Givenchy-en-Cabelle, penetrating to a depth of from two to three miles, and the advanco continues. The enemy forward defences on this front, including the Vimy Ridge, which the Canadians carried, were captured early in tho morning. They comprise a network of trenches and the fortified localities of Neuville, Vitasse, Tele- <•- graph Hill, Tilloy-lez-Mofflaincs, Observation Ridge, St> Laurent, Bagny-les-Tilleurs, and La Folio Farm. Subsequently we advanced and captured the rearward defences, including, besides other powerful trench systems, tho fortified localities of Feuchy Chapel, Feuchy, the Hyderabad Redoubt, Athies, and Thelus. Up to 2 o'clock in the afternoon 5816 prisoners, of whom 119 were officers, passed the collecting stations. Many more had not been counted. Of these many belong to the Bavarian divisions. , Our captures include guns and numbers of trench mortars and machine guns. Further progress was made in tho neighbourhood of Havricourt Wood. We captured the village of Demicourt, and in the direction of St. Quentin the villages of Pontru and Le Verguier. 1 During the night of the 10th inst. there was severe _ fighting on the northern end of Vimy Ridge, where tho enemy retained a footing. Wo ejected the enemy, who attempted a counter-attack, but failed. We cleared tho eastern slope of the ridge, repulsing counter-attacks. Wo advanced and seized the village of Fampoux and tho neighbouring defences to the north and south of the Scarpo- River. We took prisoners on Monday over 9000 men. We also took 40 guns. Wo drove tho enemy from tho high ground between Le Verguier and Hargicourt. Fighting continues along tho v/hole_ battle front, There was a strong enemy night attack on a narrow front south and cast of Ypros. The enemy reached our support line, but were immediately ejected. Operations have been energetically continued despite he ( avy Snowstorms, (ffo reached the outskirts of Monchy-le-Preux, five miles to the eastward of Arras. We cleared Farbus Wood. There was hard fighting in the afternoon at the northern end of tho Vimy Ridge, resulting in our gaining further prisoners and important positions. Wo advanced our line northward of Louveral. Enemy' counterattacks at different points were unsuccessful. Tho number of prisoners taken since the morning of the 9th inst. to the evening of tho 10th exceeds 11,000, including 235 - officers. _ We have captured over 100 guns, including a number of heavy guns, up to Bin, also 60 trench mortars, and 163 maohine guns. The situation is developing favourably in accordance with our general plan. We captured early on tho morning of the 11th inst tho village and heights of Monchy-lc-Preux and La Bcrgcro, and are progressing satisfactorily elsewhere. A heavy snowfall lasting all day rendered observation impossible and impeded our operations. Wo beat off two counter-attacks on the now position near Monchy-le-Preux. Prisoners taken at Monchy-le-Preux state }hat they were ordered to hold the village at all costs. Further south wo penetrated trenches in tho neighbourhood of Bullecourt, taking them. Large enemy forces counter-attacked, but wo forced them back. Our artillery inflicted heavy losses on tho atacking troops. Tho weather was wet and stormy on tho 11th inst. Wo # attacked and captured two important positions northward of the Vimy Ridge and astride tho Souchez River, taking prisoners. Wc drove off two night attacks against tho northern end of the Vimy Ridge with heavy German Josses. We made .progress south of the Scarpo River. Wo attacked on the 12th inst. on tho front between St. Quentin and Cambrai. After sharp fighting we captured the enemy's positions on a wide front northward of Hargicourt to Metz en Couture. Wc now hold Sart Farm, Gauche Wood. Gouzeaucourt Village, and Gouzeaucourt Wood. We successfully raided south-westward of Loos. Our machine guns stopped a raid in tho neighbourhood of Pioogstrect (north of Armcntiercs). Extended operations took

place to tho northwards on tho 13th, East and north of Vimy Ridge we pressed the enemy back on our whole front from north of the Scarpe River to southward of Loos. We seized tho villages of Bailleul,Willerval, Vimy, Petit Vimy, Givenchy-en-Gobelle, and Angros, and also gained a footing in the trenches north-east of Lens. Southward of the Arras-Cambrai road we captured Sancourt Tower, and advanced astride tho Hindcnburg line to a point seven miles south-east of Arras. We also progressed on the high ground eastward of Le Vergnier. Since the 9th we have taken over 13,000 prisoners, of whom 285 are officers, and captured 165 guns, including eight Bin and 158 "field guns and howitzers,- 84 trench mortars, and 250 machine guns. In addition, many guns were demolished and buried.

On the night of the 13th after a sharp fight we carried the village of Fayet, a mile to tho north-west of St. Quentin. Wo captured important positions in Ascension Farm and Grandpriel Farm, on tho high ground eastward of Le Vergnier. We also progressed northward of tho Bapaume-Cam-brai road, in tho direction of Queant. Our constant pressure has compelled tho enemy to yield further ground northward of tho Scarpe River. We seized the Vimy Station, La .Chaudiere, and other enemy positions between Givenchy-en-Gobelle and Angres. The guns captured in this area include Bin howitzers. The ground gained in the recent operations links up with the positions gained in the battle of Loos, and includes Double Grassier. Wc drove off an attempted raid eastward of Loos. On tho morning of the 14th we captured Lievin, to the south-west of and adjoining Lens,- taking considerable quantities of war material. In the afternoon wo seized Cite St. Pierre, to the north-west of Lens. Wo pressed on our whole front on the Scarpo River to the south, of Loos, and reached points from two to three miles oast of Vimy Ridge. Heavy fighting took place all day south of the Scarpe. Everywhere we maintained tho positions previously captured, and inflicted serious enemy losses. Wo progressed on a wide front north and south of the Bapaume-Cambrai road from Boursies. Encounters resulting in our favour took place south-east of Fayet and to within a few hundred yards of St. Ouentin. Wo carried Gricourt village at the point of tho bayonet, Tho enemy stubbornly resisted, and attempted a hostilo counter-attack, which was broken. Early on the morning of the 15th the enemy strongly attacked on a six-mile front astride of tho .bapaumc-Cambrai road, under cover of a heavy bombardment of our new positions from Hermies to Noreuil. Their attack failed everywhere, except at Lagnicourt, where the enemy gained a foothold after heavy fighting. Our counterattack, however, regained the village, and our artillery inflicted very heavy losses on the retiring German troops. We advanced on a line eastward of Hcnincl (north of Croisilles). and progressed northward of the Souchez River We captured the defences eastward of Lievin (south-west of Lens), from Riaumont Wood to the east corner of Cite St. Pierre, and our troops are pushing on to Uens. Heavy rain has been falling since early morning. As tho result of the fighting north-west of St. Quentin we cained ground eastward and northward of Gricourt. We also made progress in the neighbourhood of Saitrincourt Wood and eastward of Lievin, approaching the outskirts of Lens. Later particulars show that the German losses in their attack on the Baupaume-Cambrai road were heavier than was at first reported. .The attack was pressed with orroat determination under our heavy fire. Three hundred prisoners wero taken, and 1500 dead wero counted. FRENCH REPORTS. French reports are to tho following effect: —In spite of bad weather we < advanced somewhat i* the region of Maison-do-Ohampagnc. On the Somme and Aisno there has been vigorous artillery firing. The enemy particularly retaliated north of the Aisno and against Reims, which was subjected to an intense bombardment, resulting in civilian victims. Tho Germans fired "£OOO shells into Reims on Sunday, causing 25 fires. The bombardment continues, and tho civilians have been warned to prepare for tho evacuation of the town. North of the Oise there was reciprocal artillery firing. South of tho Oise we destructively bombarded German organisations east of Coucy. South of the Ailette the enemy violently bombarded German (? French) positions at Nou villo-sur-Margival. The enemy south of the Oise, after a sharp bombardment, drove back one of our detachments north-cast of Everncul-sous-Ccuoy. A counter-attack promptly ejected them". After artillery preparation we -attacked tho German positions south of the Ois'.> a;id oast of a line from Coucy-la-Villo to Qumybasse. and after a lively fight we pushed tho enomv back as far as tho southwestern edgo of Iho Upper Forest "of Coucy,

and captured several important points d'appui. Our reconnaissances penetrated the German lines at several points north of the Aisne, and our line is now completely re-established. We attacked on the 13th inafc. German positions south of St. Quentin. Despite the enemy's desperate resistance, we carried several lines of trenches between the Sommc and the La Fcrc-St. Quentin road. Our advanced elements progrefiscd south of the Aisno and eastward of Couey-la-Villo. Wo captured prisoners and material during the artillery struggle in the Aisno and Champagne. Two enemy coups-do-main in the Verdun region failed under our lire. Wo have organised the conquered ground between St. Quentin and the Oisc, and progressed south of the Oiso on a plateau north of Lower Guinchy. Our artillery 13 most active against the German defences of St. Gobain and the Upper Coucy forests. South of St. Quentin fighting continues before the positions we conquered on the morning of tho 23th, the enemy, vigorously resisting. Our artillery furiously bombarded th. 3 German organisation between tho Sommo and tho Oise, and there was an artillery duel in tho Aisno and Champagno regions. East of Maison-de-Champagne our reconnaissances penetrated tho German trenches, which were found utterly wrecked. On the right bank of the Mouse two German attacks, at Bois do Cauriores and in tho direction of Les Chambrettes, wero broken. There havo been violent artillery actions at St. Quentin, north of tho Aisno, and in the Champagno. Our batteries caught and dispersed enemy elements north of. Saitrincourt. BELGIAN REPORT. A wireless Belgian communique says: After a violent artillery preparation wo penetrated at Dixmude the second enemy lino. There was an artillery duel of the most lively description on the whole Belgian front on the 15th. GERMAN REPORTS. German official reports are of tho usual character, claiming successes in some quarters, asserting that British and French attacks were repulsed with heavy enemy losses, but admitting that in a few instances German trenches wero penetrated.