The European War.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XVII, Issue 673, 27 August 1917, Page 1

The European War.

■ * LAST NIGHT'S NEWS. Per Press Association—Copyright. THE WESTERN CAMPAIGNTHE FLANDERS BATTLE. • BRITISH FRONT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn* LONDON, yesterday. General Sir Douglas Haig reports : Fresh enemy troops counter-at-tacked our positions in the neighbourhood of the Ypros-Menin road, and repeated assaults forced hack our advanced posts. Fierce lighting at Inverness Copse and Glen corse Wood continues. Our artillery dispersed concentrations in this are,:!. The enemy’s losses were heavy.We advanced slightly south-east at St. Julieu and captured a length of Gorman trench westward cf Lens, and an enemy post in the neighbourhood of Lombartzyde, seeming prisoners. Our artillery is active. PHILIP GIBBS’ NOTES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn* LONDON, Yesterday. Mr Gibbs, describingi the Canadians’ wonderful fighting against heavy odds at Lons, states th>u six Guards’ divisions which attacked hove been shattered, together with portions of other divisions engaged. The Gormans used over fifty battalions, and their losses are estimated at between twelve and fifteen Gumsand. After ten days’ furious attack mid cam ter. attack the Canadians seized Green Gassier. The enemy .came in strength and thrust them from the crest of the ridge, but the Canadians still dung to The western side. The fighting consists of an uninterrupted series of fierce and bloody encounters, above and below ground, for redoubts, emplacements, houses and slag heaps, mostly hand to band, with every weapon. The shell-fire is indescribable. Men coming out of the inferno seem stricken with nightmare. • Lens has become a Prussian tomb 1 , a city of abomination. FRENCH FRONT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn* LONDON, Yesterday. A French communique states: We dashingly attacked this morning between Avocowt Wood and Mort Homme, and went considerably beyond our objectives. Wc carried the formidable HiU 301 in a single rush, also Bois Ammard, westward of the line of fortifications north of the Hill. We reached the south bank of Forges brook, between Baucourt .and Bethincourt, The average depth of our advance is over two kilometres. A vigorous offensive east of the Esnos-Bethincourt road enabled us

to widen our position' north Oil’ Mort 1 tommy to a, depth of a kilometre. ANOTHER ADVANCE. We have since further progressed on the north of .Hill* 304. We carried last night three fortified works south of Bethincourt. . ' Wc took 450 umvoundod prison' ers on the left bank of the Mouse yesterday, making the total 8100. DETAILS OF THE ACTION. After capturing Hill 304 the French advanced two-thirds of a mile beyond the northern foot. This success rounds off the crescent of the new front and leaven the French established in advantageous positions on 'the heights of the Meuse. Excepting ga,s and other 'infernal tricks the German a r my has spawn itself in every respect inferior in this test of battle. VERDUN BATTLE. REVEALS ENEMY’S WEAKNESS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn, LONDON, yesterday Mr Warner Allen states that, the Yerdun battle reveals material evidence that the enemy forces are becoming inadequate to maintain the existing line. In one tunnel at Mort Ifomme GOO prisoneis wore taken. One division lost 2500 prisoners, and the, division 'must be regarded as wiped out GERMAN REPORT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn* and Reuter. (Admiralty, Per Wireless)* LONDON, Yesterday. A ‘German official report states;— An English attack aslndc the Ypros-Meniii road p r essed us back on the north-weslora fringe of Hereiithage wood. We evacuated height 30-1. Our troops reached the river Somme in places. ITALY. SIEGE OK HERMADA. CRITICAL FOR AUSTRIANS. (Admiralty, Per Wireless), ROME, yesterday. Hermado is being attacked on all sides and is isolated, but continues to pour out fire from five hundred cannon and thousands of machine &uns. The Austrians recognise that its fall would probably cause the collapse of the entire front. MONTE SANTO CAPTURED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn* and Reuter. LONDON, Yesterday, (Admiralty, Per Wireless). An Italian official report states.The Tricolour flies since yesterday on the summit of Monte Santo. The second army troops arc pursuing the retiring- enemy on the Carso front. Fighting continues at Caprone. We bombed Chipovano valley. 4

i AUSTRIANS IN RETREAT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn* ROME, yesterday. An official report states:— Our second army, broke the enemy's defence at several points. The Austrians arc defending every yard of their retreat over difficult ground. The Italians arc closely pursuing and airmen are flying low over Chiapiouvano Valley, which is crowded with troops, and infantry is being repeatedly bombed. RUSSIA. MINISTER OF WAR RESIGNS.,. Australian and N.Z* Cable Assn, LONDON, yesterday. M. Savinkoff, acting Minister of War, has resigned, owing to military and political difficuilies with M. Kerensky. It is .staled that General Korniloff shakos the views of M, Savinkoff, ROUMANIA. THE ARMY HOLDING OUT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn, JASSY, yesterday. Alter a fortnight’s desperate fighting Marshal Mackensen only advanced four and a-half miles. His attempt'to encompass Hie Roumanians cgui safely lie said to have failed, GERMAN REPORT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. LONDON, Yesterday. A German official report states WG repulsed attacks near Soveja and in Susila valley.