BRITISH ENTER LENS

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13461, 16 April 1917, Page 5

BRITISH ENTER LENS

SURROUNDING POSITIONS CAPTURED.

LARGE QUANTITIES OF MATERIAL TAKEN,

ADYANCE ON EXTENDED FRONT—AEROPLANES DO GOOD WORK

(Australian and New Zealand and Reuter.) Received April 16, 12.5 a.m. LONDON, April 15

The British have entered Lens

The latest report from Sir Douglas Haig state?,:—"This morning we captured Lievin, south-west of and adjoining Lens, taking considerable quantities of war material. This afternoon we seized Oitespierre, north-west of Lens.

"We pressed forward on our whole front from the Scarpe river to south of Loos, and reached points two to three miles east of Vimy Ridge. "There has been heavy fighting throughout the day south of the Scarpe, but we everywhere maintained the positions previously captured, and inflicted serious losses on the enemy." Received April 15, 7.30 p.m. LONDON, April 15. Reports issued by Sir Douglas Haig state:—"The area of our active operations was extended northwards on Friday. We pressed the enemy back on our whole front, from north of the Scarpe river to southward of Loos, and seized the villages of Bailleul and Willerval, to the east of the Arras-Lens railway, Vimy, Petit Vimy, Givenchy-en-Gohelle, and Angres, and also gained a footing in the trenches north-east of Lens. "Southward of the Arras-Cambrai road we captured Wancourt Tower, on a spur oast of Wancourt, advancing astride of the Hindenburg line to a point seven miles south-east of Arras. "Our constant pressure compelled the enemy to yield further ground nofthward of the Scarpe. We seized Vimy station, La Chandiere, and the enpmy positions of Fosse No. 6 and Buquet Mill, between Givenchy-en-Golielle and Angres. (iuns captured in this area include 8-inch howitzers. "The ground gained in recent operations links up with positions gained in the battle of Loos in September, 1915, and includes the Double Crassier.'