THE GREAT BATTLE

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13469, 26 April 1917, Page 5

THE GREAT BATTLE

British Make Satisfactory Progress HINDENBURG LINE ATTACKED Desperate Effort to Strengthen Position Greatest Aerial Activity of the War AVIATORS VERSUS DESTROYERS German Ships Successfully Bombed

By Cable. —Press Association. —Copyright.

GREAT BATTLE IN THE WEST

A LIFE-AND-DEATH STRUGGLE. GERMAN REPORT OF THE SECOND THRUST FROM ARRAS. BRITISH ATTACK FOLLOWS AN INTENSE BOMBARDMENT. REPULSES CLAIMED, BUT LOSS OF GROUND ADMITTED. (Admiralty per Wireless Press.) Received April 25, 6.55 p.m. LONDON, April 25. * German official: On the Arras battlefield the British troops standing on French territory on Monday delivered a second great thrust to break through the German lines, opening one of the heaviest battles. For days they had been hurling masses of shells of every description against our positions. Early on the morning of the 23rd the artillery battle increased to very strong drumfire, and soon afterwards the English thrusting troops, led often by tanks, burst forward on a thirty-ki'ometre front behind this wall of Are. Our fire forced them in many places to withdraw, with heavy losses. At other points the battle sways backwards and forwards with great bitterness. Whenever the enemy gained ground our brave and eager infantry drove him back. The suburbs of Lens, Avion, Gavrelle, Rouex and Gemappe were the hottest places in a fierce struggle, and the'r rames will be associated with deeds of heroism by regiments from almost every German district between the sea and the Alps. A further attack of particular intensity with new *masses followed in the evening on bo:!' sides of the Scarpe. The strength of this attack also broke under our fire, but by hand-to-hand fighting the enemy gained a few hundred yards on the Cambrai-Arras road, the ruins of Gemappe remaining in ins hands. The German soldier at the front krows that every man and woman at home is working increasingly to support him in his life-and-death battle. BRITISH WAR OFFICE'S ESTIMATE OF THE DISPATCH. (High Commissioner's Cable.) LONDON, 10.20 a.m. Wednesday. The War Office regards Tuesday's German wireless communiv? Ps the most encouraging yet received*, indicating the state o* mind of fie German army and people and their anxiety at the situation.