OVERNIGHT CABLES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12175, 26 November 1917, Page 2

OVERNIGHT CABLES

FURTHER PROGRESS.

THE WESTERN FRIT,

THE CAMBRAI BATTLE.

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPORT.

A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.

LONDON, November 24

Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Successful operations were conducted yesterday west of Cambrai. After severe fighting and stubborn resistance we stormed the important and dominating high ground about Bourlon, to the east of Bourlon Wood. Some progress was made in the neighbourhood of Fontaine-Notre, Dame to the west of Bourlon Wood.' Further progress was made along the Hindenburg line astride the Canal du Nord, in the neighbourhood of Mceuvres, whilo further west, between Mceuvres and Queant the London Scottish captured an important spur giving observation over the Hindenburg lines to the north and west. In the neighbourhood of Bullecourt re- gained further ground during the night, capturing a strong pomt, with guns. Since November 20 we have captured over a hundred guns, including Beveral heavy guns, up to eight-inch calibre. DEVELOPING SATISFACTORILY. THRUST TOWARDS CAMBRAI .CONTINUES. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter. LONDON, November 24. Sir Douglas Haig reports-.—Opera-tions were continued to-day _ against positions westward of Cambrai, and by latest reports these were developing satisfactorily. Hostile artillery is very active in the neighbourhood of Pass-sc-hendaele. HARD FIGHTING AT BOURLON WOOD. BRITISH RETAKE POSITION. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, November 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Fierce fighting occurred in the neignbourhood of Bourlon Wood, the e.wra)' making several determined attacks with fresh troops to regain possession of the high ground. A strong atUok this morning compelled us to give ground slightly in this area. \*e counter-attacked later, and re-estab-lished the former line. We improved our positions in the neighbourhood of Banteux. Hostile artillery is active at Pas6chendaele. The aeroplanes have co-operated with infantrv in the fighting south-wes-J of Cambrai. They also attacked German reinforcements that were being transported," and bombed important railway stations where rolling stock had been collected and detraining was m pro gress. Enemy aeroplanes were more active, attacking our bombing and low-flying machines. We brought clown six enemy machines. Nine of ours are jnissing.

TROOPS FROM CHINA

FOR SECONDARY DUTIES,

A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter, WASHINGTON, November 24.

It is understood that the Allies have endorsed a proposal to permit China to send twenty-fiv.e thousand troops to France for" secondary duties, thereby releasing French troops.

IN MASS FORMATION. DETERMINED GERMAN COUN-TER-ATTACKS. United Service. LONDON, November 24. Mr Perceval Phillips reports:—The counter-attack yesterday against Masnieres oame from the north-east, whence the Prussian Guard advanced in solid lines. We awaited them and our massed machine-guns proved better weapons than flesh and blood. The Prussians were checked, halted, and then broke. None got nearer than a thousand yards. Later other Guards came on from the Cambrai railway, but never gained an impetus. A third attack at Noyel'les resulted in a bitter close-quarter struggle for two hours, and was equally unsuccessful, though the enemy fought well and proved that they had not forgotten how to fight in open warfare. Both sides used the bayonet and there were many single combats with fists and broken bricks where men had lost their weapons. NEW INFANTRY RECORDS. SUCCESS OF TANKS. " The Times " Service. LONDO-N, November 24. Mr Perry Robinson writes:—During }ie thrust, our infantry put up new records- The Ulsters bombed and cleared out four thousand yards of a Hindenburg trench which was honeycombed with dugouts, necessitating much stubborn fighting. The West Riding troops cleared seven thousand yards, the loneest infantry record for a single push pn the western front, but did no bombing. Advancing across open country, they took prisoners from six divisions iroludmg some from the Russian front. The outstanding feature throughout the operations was the success of the tanks. Besides flattening obstacles and cleaiing trenches and points, t».)t>j took and held strongly defended Tillages, and even captured batteries of heavy guns, butting in between the guns and shooting down the gunners with machine-guns. Some of the tanks broke down through mechanical difficulties and were utilised as stationary strong points, proving superior to the German " pill-boxes."

THE ENEMY'S REPORT.

THIRTY TANKS SHOT TO PIECES

A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter,

LONDON, November 24

A wireless German official message itates: —There are great violent waves of fire between the railways from Boesinghe to Staden and from Ypres to Roulers. A strong English attack on Inchy collapsed. We stubbornly defended Mceuvres fcgain&t many assaults. English thrusts ttgainat Bourlon, Fontaine-Notre Dame &nd La Folie Wood, with a wave of iauks in close formation, broke down. Dur counter-thrust ejected the enemy from Bourlon and Bourlon Wood. We Shot to pieces thirty tanks before Fon-taine-Notre Dam©.

FIGHTING CONTINUES. EXPERIENCES OF FRENCH CIVILIANS. LONDON, November 23. Mr Philip Gibbs writes:— When we smashed through the Hindenburg line on Tuesday the German High Command, as soon as they knew what had happened, hurried reinforcements in omnibuses from camps near Cambrai. They were so hard pressed that they actually cleared the camp of cripples and convalescents and hurled the patients into the fighting line. It was a brutal, stupid assault. The men were too ill to fight and are now too ill to stand in the prisoners' cages.

Mr Gibbs adds that he conversed with one of these men, who was on a stretcher, in the last stages of consumption _ and who had been sent to an isolation hospital. ihe reinforcements included the First Guards reserve, from Lens. The Germans are rushing all available troops to make a stand round Oambrai. Our men had no walk-over after the first surprise. The Germans holding the woods and villages behind the Hindenburg line fought hard and well and endeavoured to beat us back in many counter-attacks. Our gunfire mowed down a heavy counter-at-tack north-east of Masnieres, where the Germans advanced, as during 1914., in massed formation, waves appearing shoulder to shoulder. Another similar attack was attempted at Maireoing, but the Germans, meeting our fire, dropped into trenches and never reappeared. Noyelles thrice changed hands. There was fierce street, house and cellar fighting. German snipers were posted on the roofs and in trees.

The Northumberland Yeomanry, skirmishing at Crevecamr, discovered a belt of wire. They dismounted and crawled through it and captured guns. Troops on the Bullecourt sector captured a groat tunnel at Queant.

ENEMY ARTILLERY ACTIVE

A. and N.Z. Cable Association *»* *>—*»t. LONDON, November 25. A French communique states:—There has been intense artillery fire on the right bank of the Meuse in "-he region of Bezonvaux. Intermittent artillery fire is reported elsewhere.

FRENCH POLITICS

M. JONNART RESIGNS

Reuter'a Telegrams. PARIS, November 24. M. Jonnart, Minister of Blockade, has resigned, owing to ill-health.