BRILLIANT SUCCESS IN FLOODED FLANDERS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1160, 30 October 1917, Page 5

BRILLIANT SUCCESS IN FLOODED FLANDERS.

FIERCE FIGHTING IN YPRES SALIENT. UNITED SUCCESS SECURED ON WESTERN WING. (A. & N.Z. & Eeuter.) (Eec. Oct. 30, 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 29. A British official report says:—Franco-Belgians carried out successful operations northward of Merckem. The French captured Luyghem Village. The Allies now hold the whole of the Merckem Peninsula, west of the Houthulst Forest. There was reciprocal artillery fire on the battlefront. Our aeroplanes were busy all day Saturday, and co-operated with the artillery. They fired several thousand rounds at ground targets from heights ranging from 100 ft to 1000 ft. They dropped 29 heavy bombs on Roulers Station, six on the Abeele aerodrome, and 121 lighter bombs on billets eastwards of Lens. Our squadr rons at night-time dropped four tons of bombs on seven aerodromes and three important railway stations. Several burst near hangars and railway tracks. Enemy aeroplanes repeatedly attacked us, but ours never failed to reach their objectives. We brought down 11 of the enemy's, and nine of ours are missing.