THE BRITISH FRONT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12408, 28 August 1918, Page 5

THE BRITISH FRONT.

SEVERE FIGHTING. COUNTER-ATTACKS MET. r A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Eeuter. (Received August 28, 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, August 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—There was severe fighting on.Monday afternoon between Mancourb and Bapaume, also north of that town. The enemy counter-attacked repeatedly in strength, incurring great losses from our fire, but ho was unable to arrest the progress of the English and Welsh, who pushed through’ iMontauban and along the crest of the ridge, capturing High Wood and reaching Longueval. Here a heavy counter-attack at C.30 in the evening forced us hack towards Bazentin-le-Grand and High Wood. On this line we broke up the enemy 1 s attack and, again advancing, established ourselves well eastward of High Wood. Early in the night the enemy counter-attacked for the second time, and was driven off by rifle fire beforo. reaching our positions. Northward of High Wood the enemy twice counterattacked in tho neighbourhood of LignyThilloy (south-west of Bapaume), press- , ing back our advanced troops for 400 or 500 yards. His infantry were then stopped and driven hack. Tho New Zealanders, after fierce fighting, established themselves on the northern outskirts -of Bapaume. Tile English, further north, made progress towards Beugnatre. They had hard fighting .about Oroisilles. On the right of tho battlefront the Australians continued to advance astride the Somme, and substantially progressed towards Dompicfre (south of the Somme) and eastward of Suzanxie (north of the Somme). On tho left of the battlefront the Canadians in the afternoon captured a ridge eastward of Wancourt, and established ■"■ themselves eastward- of Guomappe. 'Northward of the.Scarpe the Scottish, renewing tile attack at night, substantially progressed . towards Plouvaiu (north-east of Arras). _ Prisoners since the morning of August, 21 exceed 21,000. >