OVERNIGHT CABLES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12088, 17 August 1917, Page 2

OVERNIGHT CABLES

WESTERS FR3HT. OFFENSIVE RENEWED.' THE LENS ADVANCE. ALL OBJECTIVES REACHED. Phe High Commissioner reports: — LONDON, August IS. A British official message says:— 'arly this morning Canadian troops German pcs-caonssouUi-eait-of Loos on a front of two miles. Formidable defences on Hill 70 were carried by assault-. After storming the first trenc-n system on the whole front attacked, u'6 advanced to ic-he western defence of Cit-e St Augusta, penetrating the position to the depth of a mile, Besides an elaborate series of trenches and strong points on Hill 70, the villages Cito St Elizabeth, Cite St Emilie and Cite St Laurent, as well as the Bois Rasa and the vreste.ni half of the Bois Hugo, are now in our possession. All the objectives were captured. Our casualties wore slight. During the day live coun-ter-attacks were repulsed by our infantry or were broken up by artillery fire. Ouo attack was made by troops of the Prussian Guard. The enemy's losses wore heavy. The Germans taken prisoner have not been ascertained, but L'S2 reached the collecting stations this afternoon. On the Ypres battlefront an attack against our positions near 'the Pilkem Lamgemarck road was completely repulsed. ('Cite St Augusts is a mile- and a half north-east of Lens, on the road to Poht-a-Vendin- It is due east .of Hill rO, north of which is Hugo Wood. Cite &-, Laurent is south of Hill 70, and is a, mile from Lens on the road to Hullueh') LONDON, August 15 The United Press Association correspondent said that the Canadians also .stormed positions near Kill 70, carrying everything irresistibly and achieving t-hs day's objectives in the first rush along a thousand yards front and to a depth of nearly a mile. Rose Wood, Cite St Laurent, Cite St Emilie, parts of Cite St Elizabeth, Hugo Wood and a number of other important positions, about Lens passed into British possession. Severol hundred prisoners were taken. Lena is a mere death-trap i the Germans continue to hold it. THE -ARTILLERY BATTLES. PARIS, August 15 M. Marcel Hutin says:—The artil-.-ry of all the Allies appear to be it r iking in unison. Unfavourable weather in Flanders hampers the aviation work, preventing the British artiluy achieving its maximum effect. TVITH TEE FRENCH. Lustralian aad ST.Z. Cabla Associa.tioa :tad Beuter. LONDON, August 15. A French communique says:—We made appreciable progress west- of the Dixnmde road, in Belgium. There was an active artillery duel on both banks of the Meu.se. The enemy attacked west of Hill 304 but wai-i repulsed, GERMAN REPORTS. .ustralian and N.Z. Cabla Association ud Reuter. LONDON, August 15. A wireless German official message gays:—There was an artillery battle all night long in Flanders. We repulsed the English south of FrezeuV.erg and on both sides of Hooge. There was a violent artillery duel between Hulluch and Lens. French attacks at Cerny failed. Australian N.Z. Cable Association . 1 Eeuter. LONDON, August 16. A German ofScial wireless message says:— Infantry engagements are proceeding i.-.r-h of Lens and east of Cc-rny-en-■aonnais.