THE WESTERN FRONT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3312, 5 September 1917, Page 17

THE WESTERN FRONT.

A British correspondent gives a vivid description of the attack on the St. JulienPoel Oappelle road. It was launched in a driving rainstorm, and tanks wallowed heavily in the bogland, while the heavilyladen infantry ploughed through the mud. The attackers' task was to capture a series of concrete strongholds, each held by a score of Gorman machine-gunners. The tanks in some cases got within 30 yards of these and fired point-blank until the strongholds surrendered. The weather that night was wild and savage, making a continuance of the fighting a practical impossibility. The Petit Parisien states that the Lens battle continues furiously and stubbornly. Around Green Crassier the Canadians and Prussians are engaged in violent hand-to-hand fighting. BRITISH OFFICIAL REPORTS. Sir Douglas Haig reports to the following effect: We made a (successful raid on the 26th ult. eastward of Costtaverne (north of iYlessines), taking some prisoners. As the result of an attack on the 27th ult. we advanced our line, after heavy fighting, over 2000 yards astride the St. Julicn-Poel Gapelle road and established ourselves in further portions of the German third system of defenoe. The enemy twice resultlessly attacked Inverness Copse. We successfully raided north-east of Gouzeaucourt and south-west of Hulluch. We captured a strong point which had held out before our new line south-east of Langemarck. On the Ypres battlefront we slightly advanced our line south-east of Saint Janshoek. The enemy heavily bombarded the recently captured positions eastward of Hargicourt and eastward of Epehy; also our lines eastward of Gouzeaucourt. Strong enemy forces attacked and forced us to evacuate an isolated knoll northward of Guillemont Farm. We repulsed attacks eastward of Gouzeaucourt. Enemy raiders entered a post eastward of Costtaverne. We successfully raided eastward of Wytschacte, bombed dugouts, and machinegunned the escaping garrison. Wo repulsed raiders south-westward of Havricourt. The enemy heavily bombarded and then attacked our advanced posts south-west of Havricourt, which they had failed to reach the previous night. We were compelled to withdraw, but recaptured them later. We repulsed raids north-west of Lens and southwest of La Bassee. Both artilleries are active eastward of Ypres. _ Our aeroplanes bombed aerodromes and railway stations on Friday night. The weather hindered flying on Saturday. The British took prisoner during August 7279, of whom 158 were officers, making 1.0.697 (including 234 officers) since the morning of July 31. Thirtv-eight guns (including six heavy guns), 200 machine guns, and 73 trench mortars were captured during August. FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORTS. French communiques state: After a lively bombardmont special detachments attacked us at various points, notably east of Moisy Farm, east and west of Oerny, and on both sides of Hurtebise. Our watchfulness frustrated a violent enemy counter-attack, which they attempted on the southern outskirts of Beaumont, on the right (east) bank of the Meuse. Our fire annihilated their efforts, and we held all the rjositions wo had won, taking over 1000 unwounded prisoners, including 32 officers. We took prisoners 1470 unwounded men, including 37 officers, in the region of Beaumont since August 26. After a strong artillery preparation on the Aisne we attacked north-west of Hurtebiso. With one bound we carried all our objectives on a front of nearly 1500 metres to a depth of 300 metres, and broke three counter-attacks. A great many of tho enemy were killed in the preliminary artillery work and the fighting, which was very violent. Our aircraft co-operated, machine-gunning trenches and batteries. All returned safely. We captured a further 200 metres of trench north of Hurtebiso. A counter-attack during tho afternoon did not reach our lines under our violent artillery fire. In the Champagne, south of Butte du Mesnil, we repulsed a strong enemy coup de main and captured prisoners, including the commander. There was very lively reciprocal artillery work at night on the Aisne. Our firo completely smashed another enemy attack on the positions we captured on August 31 north-west of Hurtebise. Tha attackers wero unable to reach our lines. There is considerable artillery work in the Hurtebise direction, in the Maison de Champagne, and Verdun sectors, Hill 304, Samogneux, and Beaumont. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORTS: German official messages state: Violent English attacks north-westward of Lens heavily broke down. Tho enemy gained local advantages westward of Lo Catelet. Tho French captured Beaumont village, and Fosses and Claume Woods, but our counterthrust regained them, with hundreds of prisoners. A strong English attack on the Ypress-Menin road broke down with heavy losses. The English also attacked between Langemarck and the Roulers-Ypres railway,

using numerous tanks and low-flying aeroplanes. The attack was resultless, except for a small indent in our line north-east of Frezenberg. The French seoured initial successes near Hurtebise Farm, but our oounter-thrust threw the enemy back. We regained portion of the ground lost southwest of Le Catelet, and repulsed Russian raiders north-west of Dunaberg. Tho French captured a small portion of our foremost line at Hurtebis Farm. The French strongly attaoked near Monastir. Wo wiped out or took prisoner those penetrating our lines. Serbian attacks at Dobropolje broke down. A REVIEW. In an interview General Maurice said there were no developments on the British front. The process of wearing down the enemy was continuous. The bombardments and infantry actions were proceeding with greater success than was generally imagined. The Germans had engaged in the battles round Yfprea since July 31 twice as many divisions as the British, and they had withdrawn from the fighting a shade less than twice as many as the British. Tho exhaustion of the enemy's reserve was the great test. The progress of General Mackensen's attack had failed owing to Austrian withdrawals to strengthen the Italian front lines. General Maurice said ho had received many letters stating that fl, e British were getting colonials to fig'- J >r them. This idea was current in America, and especially in Spain. This was a downright he, and was part of the German propaganda. At present the British troops in France were six to one compared with the overseas forces, and the casualties throughout the war were exactly the same. The figures for the casualties at Ypres isinco July 31 were almost exactly nine to o"ne. GERMANS AND OCCUPIED TERRITORY. The Germans have ordered the Courtrai banks to transfer all their valuables to Brussels. Ihe Telegraaf 6tatee that news from Belgium indicates that Germany is preparing for the possible evacuation of the coastal district before winter. Civilians are leaving towns and villages, and the banks have transferred their gold to Brussels. Inadequate food is supplied to civilians, and thousands are ill. The Petit Journal alleges that the Germans are starving the French population in occupied territory. They have had no meat or wine for three years. . Many deaths have occurred, especially of aged people. It is estimated that a quarter of the population in occupied territory had perished at .the end of 1916. The Telegraaf states that practically the .whole of the male population of Bruges has been ordered to help to strengthen the new German lines between the BrugesOstend Canal and the Yser Canal. 'The Germans have arrested Madame Errera, wife of the director of Brussels University, on charges of espionage and of forging identity cards. M. Kenman, burgomaster of Ramont, in Belgium, and two-priests named Ballings and Mush have been sentenoed to death for espionage. Three workmen at Ramont have been imprisoned, _ and the burgomaster's two sons and sister and five nuns have been arrested on similar charges. When the Germans retreated on the Somme they abandoned a number of cases in tho village of Ercher containing valuable gold and silver chalices, bowls, ' and vases, also pictures, stolen from Belgium and the North of France.