GREAT BATTLE IN FLANDERS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15496, 27 April 1918, Page 5

GREAT BATTLE IN FLANDERS.

(SEVERE FIGHTING AT DRANOUTRK. REPEATED GERMAN ASSAULTS. (N.X. and Australian Cable Association, and Reuter.) CBaeeived April 27, 8.15 a.m.) LONDON. April 26. Reuter's correspondent at British headquarters, writing yesterday evening, says: Daring the last two nights the enemy has attacked the French aroond Dranontre in strength. Six battalions gained a temporary advantage, bat were driven back by counter-attacks. This morning a much heavier assault was delivered by from four to six divisions over a front of seven miles on the line of Meteren, Bailleol, and Wytschaete. The Alpinl Corps, the 11th Bavarians, and the 117 Division, consisting of mountain troops, were engaged, with Jager regiments supporting. and an entirely fresh division, the Fifty-sixth, has been identified. The attack overlapped on our front on the right flank of the French. [Dranontre is situated about two miles south of Kemmel Hill, which fhs Germans have been for some time desperately attempting to secure.] GERMANS CAPTURE MONT KEMMEL. [Received April 27, $.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 28. The Germans have captured Kemmel Hill. [Mont Kernel is a hill 600 ft high Just south-west of Kemmel. It is Che highest point in tku locality, and commands a big stretch of counter.] AMERICAN CASUALTIES GROWING. WASHINGTON .April 26. The War Department announces that the casualties sustained by the American forces in France since they entered the war total more than £doo, including 274 marines. THE FIGHT FOR KEMMEL HILL. ENEMY DRENCH POSITION WITH GAS. (Received April 27, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON. April 26. The stack on Kemmel Hill was carefully planned. It included four or six German divisions, of which three comprised mountain troops. The fighting continues. We still hold Grand Bois and Wytschaete. The mountain troops at one time occupied the crest of Kemmel Hill, though the French (ought with their usual gallantry and determination. The Germans assaulted from two sides, of which one was swept bare of trees by artillery, and the other was covered with broken trunks and branches of trees. The position was drenched with gas, the timbered slopes holding the deadly fames, and the defenders had to fight wearing gas masks. TERRIBLE STRUGGLE AT REMHEL. FBINCO-BRITIBH FIGHTING GRANDLY. (Received April 27. 10.0 a.m.) LONDON, April 26. The United Press correspondent reports;— Fighting continued all day along the heights dominating Amiens and eastward, also around KemmeL The French are bolding Kemmel village and the hill, while the British hold Grand Bois, northward of Wytschaete. The Germans flung fresh masses against the positions between Baillenl and Wytschaete, to which Hindenborg attaches importance. He made progress southward of Kemmel ridge, and has apparently occupied Dranoutre. The Franco-Britlsh troops are fighting brilliantly side by side. The British apparently hold Villers Bretonneux. 1 % - SIR DOUGLAS HAIG’S REPORT. (Received April 27, 11.20 i.nT) LONDON, April 26. Sir Douglas Haig reports; The Franco-British positions from northward of Baillenl to eastward of Wytschaete were heavily attacked, fighting proceeding all day with great severity on the whole of this front, particularly In the neighbourhood of Dranontre. Kemmel, and Vlerstraat In the course of repeated attacks and counter-attacks the Allies were compelled to withdraw from the positions held in the morning. Fighting continues south of the Somme. Successful Australian and English counter-attacks last night regained positions in and around Villers Bretonneux, and advanced our line to within a short distance of the former front. We prisonered over 600. The village is now in our hands. The enemy employed at least four divisions in the attack on this front Prisoners state that the objectives included Cachy village and the Caeby-Pouilloy road. The enemy’s objectives were not reached anywhere. The numbers of dead found in the re-captured positions show that the enemy's losses were very heavy. Despite the mist yesterday onr aviators attacked troops in the neighbourhood of Villers Bretonneux from a low altitude. Our night fliers dropped 5% tons of bombs on Estaires, Amentieres, and Roulers, also on the railway stations at Courtral and Thoront. All our machines returned.

SLAUGHTER OF UHLANS.

POSTWAR ECONOMIC

OFFENSIVE.

FKBANIANS PUNISH RAIDERS.

Auaiislisn and N.Z. Cable Asnoriation Received April 27. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, April 26. As Uhlans continue to raid Ukraine fee foodstuff*. Peasants with machineguc at ICaeeoerev surrounded and prsssmsred three squadrons, compelled \ them to disarm, and then mercilessly ■lew ths Uhlans GERMANY STILL DREAMING HOPES OF GREAT COLONIAL EMPIRE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. Recurved April 27. 9.30 a-m. BERNE, April 26. Meyer, nrofessor of geography at Letpxig, states that Portugal must contribute to Germany s war expenses by heeding over the Portuguese colomia, which are indispensable to the creation pi Germany's great colonial empire. U-BOAT SINKINGS. SPANIARDS CLAMOUR FOR BEPRISALS (Tima.) Received April 27, 10.5 a.m. MADRID, April 26". Three Spanish cargo steamers have been submarined in four days. These stteagw have intensely incensed shipping circles, and ths Government is being urged to seise all German ships in Spanish ports.

FRANCE TAKES BOLD STEP DENUNCIATION OF TREATIES. Australian and N.Z- Cable Association. Eooeimed April 27, 9.30 a m. PARIS, April 26. The Government have taken a decisive move regarding the post-wax economic offensive. Henceforth France denounces all the “most favoured nation” commercial treaties, also 52 conventions regard* mg commercial, navigation, and Customs. France’s bold step is believed to have been taken in complete agreement with the Allies, and leaves her free for whatever new commercial, maratime, sad Customs status she may intende to adopt. The denunciations include trade treaties with neutrals, in order to pave the way for the altered post-war situation. This is the first step towards an economic alliance among the Allies, which The Central Powers greatly dread. THE SIBERIAN SITUATION. RED guard outrages. (Times.) E«o«v*d April 27. 10.5 a.m. __ PEKIN, April 26. The Red Guards are holding up, rohbing, and ill-treating travellers on the Ara M r rai lwaj a *>d dismantling l steamm on the Jut mer.