FRANCE AND BELGIUM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145998, 3 December 1917, Page 3

FRANCE AND BELGIUM.

; ' ‘ ! GREAT GERMAN ATTACKS. ! \ ij QN NEW BRITISH POSITIONS. I ' I ! . ] REPELLED WITH HEAVY LOSSES.- - . /'I GROUND NEARLY ALL HELD. ] j LONDON. Dec. 1. ' Sir Douglas Haig reports: —After a violent bombardment, the enemy, who was in strong force, at oighjj o’clock in the morning, attacked on a wide front southward of Cambrai, between VendImilo and Crevecoeur. Shortly■ afterwards heavy attacks also developed against our positions westward of Cambrai, in the neighbourhood of Bonrlon 'Wood and Mocuvrcs, and all tho front from Masnieres to '■Mocuvrcs. Those were repulsed after many' hours’ fierce fighting, in which 'great losses were inflicted on the enemy infantry by our artillery, riflo and machine-gun fire. Southward of Masnieres, from thcucighbourhood of Bon Avis to Villens Guislain, the enemy succeeded in entering our positions ut : different points, and penetrated as-far as La Vacquoric and Gonzoaueoiirt. Our counter-attacks have already regained La Vacqucrio and driven" back the enemy from Gouzcaucotit t and a ridge, to tlie eastward, The enemy’s advance has been checked. Elsewhere fighting continues. A later message states that the enemy h.as not attempted to renew his principal attacks on the Cambrai battle front. We have .successfully repulsed local attacks south-westward ot Vendhuilc. Hostile artillery is active in tho Scarpe Valiev. We drove olf three attempted raids last night 'south-westward of La Bassee, and carried out two successful raids in tho neighbourhood of Warneton Tho battle is still proceeding, but the ebemv hits been'completely repulsed. Air lighting, of the moat .severe nature, resulted greatly in our favour. Eighteen enemy machine;-, were brought down. Seven of ours are missing. Our aircraft has been very active. Low flyers fired a thousand rounds on the enemy infantry, others bombing railway stations, ammunition dumps and billets in the battle area. We brought down eight enemy machines. Two of ours arc missing. THE GERMAN VIEWS. LONDON, Dec, 1. Wireless German' Official.—The new struggle developing in the Cambrai battlefield is so far in our favour. Tho battle near Cambrai broke out with great violence. Our eounter-at- - tacks for improvement of our positions iriet with complete success. V o threw back tho enemy on Graineourt and Anneux, and stormed tho heights on both sides of Bantcux- Wo captured Gonnelieu and Villers Gui Main. The enemy’s emmter-atacks at Gonnolieu collapsed. We captured four thousand men and several batteries. Strong English’ codntcr-attaeks against the positions captured yesterday, near Cambrai, failed. LONDON, Nov. 30. Wireless German Official. —There is most violent artillery activity on both sides of Roclcappelle rind northward of Ghbluvelt. We repidsed -an English attack west of Bonrlon. REPORTS'OF CORRESPONDENTS. LONDON. Dec. 1. Reuter's correspondent atr headquarters writes that yesterday’s attack' Was a big and determined attempt to cut our railway communications' in 'two places, with the object of making our" salient probably untenable. The attempt’definitely failed. The Germans retain some gains, but insufficient to exercise tactical effect on the position! Our counter-attacks Were so vigorously pressed' home that the northern line has been almost' wholly restored, while'in the south, beyond occupying the village of Gonncliou, the Germans have little to show for tho costly attack. It is believed some guns .-■which had to be abandoned tinder pres'suro of the first rush, were blown up. At one time it looked like a serious reverse, but, thanks to the extraordinary gallantry and dogged tenacityof the troops opposing at groat odds, the German success was very largely neutralised. The United' Press correspondent at British headquarters says that despite tho la vish use of guns,' which were lately galloped up, the enemy is apparently unable to make any progress in a new attack near Oonnelieu, on our extreme southern'flank of'the now battle ground. The enemy shelled Bonrlon Wood and its vicinity all night, and continues the shelling to-day. Prisoners declare that the officers are fearful lest the British' wedge at Bonrlon should' force a German withdrawal from tile area south of the Scatpe. Civilians have already evacuated the Cambrai region, and the Gormans have begun destroying tho city by torch and explosives. The Germans launched a very heavy counter-attack .on the Cambrai battle .front, between Mocuvrcs and Bonrlon. Prince ' Riipprecbt, 'outgeneral!ed -by General Byng. decided to put every available German life in the balance in an effort to regain' some, if not all/of the-newly-won ground, and, likewise, some of his lost prestige. The blow is, perhaps, the hardest stnick by the Germans sirico Verdun in February of last year. Vast masses charged into the teeth of the British machine-gun’ fire, while tho artillery filled ' the fields with fresh strips of tho mangled‘pawns of the Crown Prince. The Germans thrust southward ' towards Graineourt, "every forward yard being bought by Countless'Gcrman'dead. It'is manifest that Prince Bupprecht’s pride will not allow General Byng to retain his winnings if the Gormans are able to rebuy. Meanwhile tho Britisli infantry is vigoronsly counter-attacking. THE PARIS CONFERENCE. PARIS, Dee. 1. The conference has practically ’finished. An agreement wasreached■regarding-the Russian ‘ situation.

VERY CHEERFUL REPORT.

: FROM Sflß DOU<3 LAS ! «Arl6. I . _ ,i GREAT GERMAN ATTACK. ■ - PROVES ’AN ' UtTER FAILURE. _ } (Received Dec. 3, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Doc. 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— Captured orders and objective maps in various sectors ou the Cain brat battle front enable the following'account to bo given of the battle. The'enemy’s intention was to deliver a simultaneous encircling attack with-a large nurfibei-of divisions and drive us hut of the positions'gained on November'2o. General von der Marfvite, commanding the' 2nd German Army, issued‘ on November 29 the following order: “The English, by throwing into -the fight countless tanks on November 20'gained a victory near Gambrai. Their 'intention was to break through, but they did not succeed, thanks to the brilliant resistance of the troops' put in the lino to chock their advance. AVe are- now going to turn their embryonic victory into defeat by an encircling counterattack. ’’ SPLENDID BRITISH VICTORY. Sir Douglas Haig proceeds; “Owing to the magnificent defence and stubborn resistance of our troops the enemy’s object was-completely defeated. The enemy advanced in masses from Veudhuilc to a point two kilometres westward of Mocuvrcs, endeavouring to break through by weight of numbers. From Masniercs northward our positions are intact. Artillery, rifle and machine-gun fire inflicted very severe losses on the enemy. Where he temporarily broke through he was caught by the'point-blank fire of field artillery aiid driven back by immediate counterattacks. “The enemy forced his way into our linos on a considerable front southward of Crcvccoeur, capturing a number of prisoners, and reaching our gun positions in places. Our reserves, in a counter-attack, recaptured a great part of the ground and to-day retook Gbnnelieu and the St. Quentin spur southward .of the village. We took several hundred prisoners in these operations besides machine-guns, and inflicted heavy losses. “The enemy in the afternoon repeated the attacks in the neighbourhood of Masniores. .Marcoing, Fontaine, Bourlon and Moeuvrcs, hut was completely repulsed.” CAPTURES IN NOVEMBER. In’November'we took 11,551 prison■'ers, including '214 dfficors;-and captured 138 ‘guns, including 1 40 'Heavies, "303 ‘maohinekguns, 64 trench mortars,-'and great - 'quantities of engiheefmg stores, 'ammunition and war material. ./ Nine Attacks. I - ,:t - - "BEATEN OFF OH SUNDAY. .9 (Received Dec. 3, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Dec.'2. Sir"Douglas'Haig reports;—The'enemy yesterday delivered nine sepiarate attacks in the neighbourhood' of Masnicres. We beat off all with heavy lotees. Detachments .of German infantry in the last attack obtained a foothold in the village of Lcs Rues Vcrtes, on the west bank of the Canal de I’Escaut. A counter-attack drove them out. ■We repulsed raiders in the • neighbourhood of Avion and southward of Arracntieres.

FRENCH HOLD THEIR GROUND. LONDON,' Now’3o. ■ A French communique, states:—’After a series' of ‘violent bombardments 'm' the ■region" of Lcs Chambrettes,' the' enemy ’carried out tin important 'niid, which completely failed. The artillery dftel 'increased' in intensity on the right'bank of tho'Meuse'ahd the' Boaumont-Ghaume"Wood sector, followed by a violent attack on' our positions north of Fosses Wood. The assailants were driven back after lively fight'ing. "Our bne was entirely maintained. There' is violent artillery activity at St Quentin and south of Juvihcourt. We' repulted an enemy coup de main nortli-wcst qf Bczohvaux.

ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. CONTINUED NEAR VERDUN. (Received Dec. 3, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON,' Dec: 2. A'French'communitpie says; Artillery activity continues, to be very great on the right bank of'the Meuse, but there have been'no' infantry encounters. ’ FRENCH' BISHOPS. WANT REPRESENTATION AT ROME. (Received Dec. 3, 9.30 a.m.) PARIS, Dec. 2. Cardinal Am.ette presided at a' special meeting ,of the episcopate, which decided to urge the' resumption 'of diplomatic relations with the Vatican. The matter' was urgent because' of the Allies’' occupation of Palestine.