OVERNIGHT CABLES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12061, 17 July 1917, Page 2

OVERNIGHT CABLES

I THE FRENCH LINES. S] . ' : ' "ADVANCE IN CHAMPAGNE. ' ' ENEMY TRENCHES TAKEN. • : PARIS, July 15. ; A French communique states: i After several hours' drumfire, 'the Germans last/ evening heavily attacked ojir salient west of Ceruy. A violent fight, with alternating advances and retreats, continued all night. Despite the ; large enemy effectives and the extensive use of flammenwerfer, the enemy • was unable to hold the trench wherein he had penetrated, merely occupying eome of the first line elements on a front of five hundred, yards after his artillery preparation. Our troops last evening attacked two points in Cliami tfagne, and gained all their objectives 'north of Mont Haut and tho slopes of Teton, carrying with splendid dash on a front of eight hundred metres to a •depth of three hundred a powerfully organised system of trenches. A succession of violent counter-attacks, after i hand-to-hand fighting, failed, with "heavy losses to the enemy. All the conquered positions were maintained. Our artillery caught and heavily punished concentrated enemy relief troops. 1 : NEW POSITIONS ORGANISED. f - LONDON, July 16. 'A French communique says: —Tho artillery struggle slackened west of Cerny. * In Champagne wo organised fche positions captured last evening liorth of Mont Haut and Teton. I ENEMY REPORTS, ; i i' % 1 SUCCESSES CLAIMED. . LONDON. July 15 ' 'A wireless German official message 6a ys ; —We captured important positions along the Chemin des Dames, south-east) of Courtecon on a front of fifteen hundred metres and to a depth of three hundred metres. The enemy desperately resisted in a hand-to-hand fight. We held our objectives against, three counter-attacks. After four days' artillery bombardment, the French attacked from the south of Nauroy, to the south-east of Moronrilliers. The assault was substantially repulsed. The enemy penetrated a few places on the Hochberg and the Poehlberg. Fighting is proceeding. An enemy attack on Hill 304, on the left bank of the Mouse, reached our 'trenches, hut collapsed.