THE WEST FRONT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12089, 18 August 1917, Page 9

THE WEST FRONT.

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPORT. GERMAN EFFORTS FRUSTRATED. Auj»*ra!ian and X.Z. Ca'cie Association. (Received ■Augnst JB, 2 p.m.) LONDON. August 17. Sir Douglas Haig reports that cue enemy t\rico counter-attacked our re- ' &torod position*. V.'c repulsed a further countcr-rttae*. There is great reciprocal, artillery activity eastward of i'p-e:. ....ALLIES' GREAT ADVANCE. MR GIBBS'S ACCOUNT. HUGE LOSSES .OF THE ENEMY. and t.'L Cable Association. " ('Received August IP. 11 a.m.) LOXDON. August. 17. Mr Iviilin Gibbs, telegraphing from Flanders, states:—Our gain of fifteen hundred yards on « wide "front-includes Langcmarck and Ihen-e runs south towards, the French. . tt'o advanced along a swampy neck jkibbwl "Tho Peninsula." bounded by deep, floods on thrpe s'des. The fighting on our right- was most violent, the enemy repeatedly counter-attacking pver the. high.ground between Nun's Wood and Glencorse Wood to the Huneheke River. His losses were high, for although the weather was vlormy, making the ground bad for us, there was light for our flyers and the 3 assembly of the enemy troops was quickly signalled and our guns smashed the formations with crer.t slaughter. The 'orient's lastcst method of holding the front. Hues lightly and concentrating hi.-i bust troops . behind for counter-attacks saves man-power and reduces casualties, but while sound in its policy of an army fighting a retreat, relinquishing ground at the highest, cos I and not returning by coun-ter-attack to quite the. same line over which the assailants flowed, its success in life r-.aving is not great because the Germans linve. suffered hideously by fihel!-i>re. Their counter-attacks are costly in blood, as illustrated in the counter-attacks upon the Canadians at Lens, .where successive waves were broken in which mere boys were marching shoulder to shoulder according to tradition and wore destroyed in great numbers. The lighting at. Langctaarck was greatly impeded by the flooded ground. The Irish on the extreme right, were engaged in the fiercest light towards" Polygon Wood, over frightful ground, where the enemy was in greatest strength. The Irish made headway before they Mere faced by masses of fresh German troops advancing in the wake of an infernal shell-fire. Tho battle continues, and the result is uncertain. Many battalions on both j sides are heavily engaged, and the I enemy is prepared to sacrifice thousands rather than lose their defensive positions. TIi p. French made progress rapidly, their only trouble being the Champ Auhert farm, which bad been tnm*fovmod into a stronghold. They turned all their 'guns upon it. and ultimately a white flag appeared above rhe ruins, and sixty survivor-, surrendered. Tho frightful guiifiro demoralised rho enemy. A German colonel among the. prison--«t.i. dejected and nerve-shaken. s poke freely. M 0 said his men suffered fr. rca {, losses. They belonged to the reserve division and had hitherto been holding Langcmarck. The greatest sufferer was a battalion of the 202 nd Regiment, which was broken to pieces by tho British attack aoroEs tho Stcenbeke. FIGHT FOR LENS. DESPERATE FIGHTING. GERMANS AND CANADIANS IN GRIPS. United Service. (Received, August 18, 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 17. Heavy night fighting developed on the outskirts of Lens, tho Bavarians :harging and counter charging against ihe Canadians, madly and-vainly making efforts to retako Hill 70. Eventually tho Prussian Guards, raiding the Bavarians, attacked tho centre of the new Lens "battle front, but foil back under our artillery and machine /urn fire.' Fresh troops camo up to the eastern slopes of Hill 70, forcing the Canadians,' posts back on tho left ta yesterday morning's line. Tho Canadians soon drove Jjtem out in confusion, re-establishing their positions Westward of Cite St Aligust and repulsing the' counter-attacks. The Germans "left a considerable number of ««ns stuck in tho mud.

PRUSSIAN GUARDS. LOSE 6000 MEN. CANADIANS' ACHIEVEMENT. Australian aud N.Z. C*bl« Association. (Received August 18, 2 p.m.) LONDON, August 17. Mr Robinson estimates that 6000 Prussian Guards were wiped out iu the attack on the Canadian front. The 7cli, Bth and 11th German Divisions were badly broken. ARTILLERY AND AEROPLANES. NO REST FOR, THE GERMANS. United Service. (Received Augu3t> 18, 3.5 p.m.) PARIS, August 17. M. Marcel Hutiu states that aeroplanes find artillery are playing a role in the British methodical advance. Directed small objectives and surprise blows arc merely an accessory to thii plan of advance- which the French are adopting. The Germans must not expect any rcat on the west front. NAVAL AEROPLANE RAIDS. AERODROMES AND RAILWAY STATIONS BOMBED. A.uair*liftn %nd N.Z. CM» Association u»3 R«ii!«r. (Received August 18, 3.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 17. The Admiralty reports that naval aeroplanes ccrried out a series of raids yesterday, and dropped many tons of homhr> on Ostencl, throughout the railway station*, and on the Ghistellrs aerodrome, causing fires. Vv>. also attacked the and Uittkerko aerodromes nnd voiid transports by aeroplane gun fire. All the machines returned.