ENEMY PRESSURE DIMINISHING

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13643, 24 November 1917, Page 5

ENEMY PRESSURE DIMINISHING

THE BRITISH THRUST STRONG ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACK " ■* ■■ f* r THE GERMANS RE-TAKE A VILLAGE, By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright THE BRITISH THRUST IN FRANCE .• " A BIQ CAPTURES OF ARTILLERY, MACHINE-GUNB AND TRENCHMORTARS. ~ OPERATIONS IN THE OPEN SMACK OF OLD-TIME WARFARE, SEVEN COUNTER-ATTACKS STOPPED BEFORE GETTING. UNDER WEIGH (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received November 23, 8.10 p.m. LONDON, November 23. The United Press correspondent says that the British are still advancing. The cavalry is preceded by tanks and followed by the infantry. The correspondent believes that the number of guns taken considerably exceeds the figures announced, while the captures of machine-guns, trench-mortars and other booty are important. The present operations smack of old-time war in the open, with the cavalry on the move along the roads across the fields, jumping trenches and following the tracks which the tanks made through the entanglements. Our losses wefre very small. The tanks, infantry and artillery combined in stopping seven counter-attacks before the latter got fairly under weight. Four occurred in the region of Havnncourt, where the British took the principal defence line of the Hindenburg system, and three south-west of Cambrai. Of the latter the first was against Noyelles, the second between Noyelles and Masnieres, and the third against Masnieres. The weather is mild and foggy. V GERMANS CLAIM REPULSE OF TANKS AT VARIOUS POINTS. WRECKAGE OF TANKS TO LITTER THE BATTLEGROUND. (Admiralty Per Wireless Press.) Received November 23, 7.50 p.m. LONDON, November 23. German official: We repulsed English thrusts northward of Lens, southward of the Scarpe, and in the neighbourhood of Riencourt. The battle south-west of Cambrai continues. The enemy failed to break through, gaining only a little ground beyond our front lines. We drove back the enemy to Anneux and Fontaine, and recaptured positions southward of Rumilly. The wreckage of tanks lies over the whole battlefield. MANY GERMANS FLED ON THE APPROACH OF THE TANKB. TANKS AND CAVALRY PRECEDE THE INFANTRY IN THE ATTACK. INFANTRY CHARGE AND CAPTURE GERMAN GUNS. FRENCH REJOICED TO MEET THEIR LIBERATORS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received November 23, 7.30 p.m. LONDON, November 23. Mr Philip Gibbs writes that some of the Germans kept their nerve and served the machine-guns till the tanks silenced them, while others sniped our men at close quarters, but mostly the enemy broke down as soon as the tanks appeared. A few tanks had bad luck by shell-fire or were bogged. One or two lay overturned head downwards, where they attempted to negotiate steep banks, but the tanks' casualties were light, and a large number fought all day on Flesqueires ridge and around Havrincourt chateau, where the enemy held out foAome tjme. The Germans fought bravely at Havrincourt chateau, Lateau wood and Flesquieres village. Their defence of the village Upon the ridge against the Highlanders was a serious impediment to our general advance. The special attack was organised early on Tuesday in a novel manner by tanks and cavalry skirmishes, the infantry following in open order, and the villages seem to have been stormed and the ridge cleared. Later in the forenoon there was fierce fighting, about Flesquieres, where many gallant actions were recorded. The Durhams charged seven German guns which had been firing point-blank on our advancing tanks. The Durhams captured the guns, killing the gunners. The West Yorks did a similar exploit at Envirmy where they charged and captured three 75's. Before five in the evening Marcoing and Masnieres had been secured. Our troops advanced steadily, gathering in prisoners and occupying the villages. They found numbers of French civilians, who rejoiced to meet their liberators. After heavy fighting our troops cleared Lateau Wood and mopped up snipers at Ribecourt. It is reported that the cavalry reached Noyelles. The enemy counter-attacked on the left at 8.30 in the evening. Then came our cavalry charge against the guns at Noyelles, which they brought in. Fighting ceased for the most part of the night, but the infantry, cavalry and tanks advanced again at dawn on Wednesday. The greatest fighting was upon the left of our advance. ATTACKS SOUTH-WEST OF CAMBRAI AFTER ARTILLERY PREPARATION. x (Admiralty Per Wireless Press.) Received November 24, 12.35 a.m. LONDON, November 23. German official: Fresh English attacks following strong artillery preparation south-west of Calbrai failed.