WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

STRONG ENEMY OFFENSIVE. | FIERCE AND CONTINUED BARRAGE. I .IREATER PLAN FAILS BUT BRITISH LINE DENTED. Received Doe. 13,-10.50 p.m. London, Dec. 13, Mr. Philip Gibbs states that the en. cmy's attack eastward of Bulleco'urt. nn a quarter of a mile front, was partly intended to bite off a section of ground jutting beyond our lino, from the quadrilateral position in the old system. The German trenches opposite Lineonrt "nd the neighboring earthworks of the enemy this morning bombarded on a much wider front on each side of the projecting nose, and boxed in the quadrilateral, especially the latter's base, with a fierce and continued barrage, with a view to isolating the point from the lines adjoining, and cutting off the «upporting troops. The assaulting battalions belonged to the 16th Bavarian Division. They had Saxons behind in readiness, in accordance with prisoners' statements, to pass beyond the first waves of assault, and break through our rearguard a soon as the first objective wns gained. . Tlva larger plan failed under the weight of our artillery firp, and the enemy suffered heavy casualties. He, however, dented in the outer line of our promontory, and for the time being is holding part thereof. ATTEMPT TO PIFRCE BRITISH LINE. ATTACK ARRESTED. GREAT ARTILLERY CONCENTRATION. i United Service. Received Dec. 13, f1.30 p.m. London, Dec. 12. Prince Rupprecht's apparent aim this morning was to pierce General Byng's lines near "nllecourt,' and strike at ,t!ie British holding the new Cambrai battle front in the front and rear. The attack seems to have been arrested before the Bavarians occupiec' more than a few hundred yards of British trenches. The German bombardment was very heavy, proving their great concentration of guns. THE OFFICIAL REPORT. ONLY SMALL SALIENT AFFECTED. ' HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES. Aus. and N.Z. Cablo Assoc, and RenterReceived Dec. 1.1, 11.35 p.m London, Dec. 13. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy, yesterday morning, delivered a strong local attack on a mile front, eastward of Bullecourt, and succeeded on the right in entering a short length of our front trench, which formed a salient, and had been demolished by the bombardment preceding the attack. At all other points the attack was repulsed with heavy loss to the enemy. Hostile artillery was active in the area of attack, there being also some activity southward of Lena and in the neighborhood of Armentieres. A French communique states that there was fairly' lively reciprocal artillerying on various sectors. THE CAMBRAI WITHDRAWAL. POSITION REVIEWED > _____ . HOW ITALY WAS HELPED. Received Dec. 13, 9.10 p.m. London, Dec. 12. A high military authority, reviewing the situation, states that the readjustment at Cambrai was accomplished with a considerable area in our favor, including the whole of the Hindenburg defences, and tlhat the enemy has no defences on the ground we evacuated, and, with the winter arriving, it all adds in our favor. It is too early yet to give the reasons why our front' gave way where it did. There has been a good deal of critl fiism about the want of co-ordination. When the Cambrai battle started the enemy had ft full number of division! free, owing to the Russian situation. Cambrai attracted these free forces and benefited Italy. What was that a>ut coordination? Regarding Palestine, the authority emphasised the real difficulty of the'campaign. We were not fighting the Turks, but for tht.conquest of the troops at Gaza and .Jerusalem. Drinking water had to be brought from Egypt over 150 miles of desert. hi Italy, the enemy had gained -but little ground of any importance A SUCCESSFUL RAID ; ) LOCAL ATTACK REPULSED. London, Dec. IJ. Sir Douglas Haig report*: We made a successful raid last night in the neighborhood of Pont.ru. north-west of St. Quentin. We repulsed a local attack north of La. Yaequorie. AERODROME AND DOCKS BOMBED London, Dec. 12. The Admiralty report*: Navnl aircraft on Monday night dropped liianv tons of bombs on Mos'taeker aerodrome and Brugos docks. The results at the farmer were difficult to observe, but a fire was started at the latter place. All the machine* returned.