VIOLENT ASSAULTS

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13752, 27 April 1918, Page 5

VIOLENT ASSAULTS

AGAINST ANGLO-FRENCH LINE VILLERS BRETONNEUX RECAPTURED THE U BOATS BLOCKED pi ' ■ AUSTRALIANSPARTICIPATEIN NAVAL RAID By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright THE NEW OFFENSIVE" IN HEAVY FIGHTING BRITISH REGAIN GROUND BY COUNTER-ATTACKS. HEAVY CASUALTIES INFLICTED BY INFANTRY AND TANKS. (Australian and New Zealand and Renter.) Received April 26, 7.45 p.m. ' k LONDON, April 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports heavy fighting all night in and around Villers Bretonneux, where the fighting continues. AVe regained ground by counterattacks. The lighting yesterday on the whole of this front was most severe. Heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy by our infantry and tanks. The enemy were three times repulsed northward Qi Villers Bretonoeux-St. jQuentin road. He used a few tanks in this fightto?. The enemy a'so late last night attacked the French north-east of E.'Ubu 1 but were r : >u'sed. The enemy early this morning renewed his attacks-in this sector and on the British positions further east, after an intense bombardiient. Fighting continues in this sector on a wide front. - The enemy lust ni,ibt ettempted a raid in the neighbourhood of Beuvry, but were repulsed. V • :-;.W.> -j '•' - act .e at night time in the Festubeit and Pobetno sects?. Received April ?G, 8.45 | ■•. V. ' LONDON April 25, 7.30 p.m. The United Press correspondent states that tlr.re was terrific fighting all night on the heights eastward of Amiens. Tanks were used by both sides for the first time in history. The situation on Villers Bretonneux Ridge looks better to-day, as a counter-attack drove the Gennans out of Aquerie Wood, westward of Villers Bretonneux. The situation of the town is uncertain, the fighting being touch and go. It is impossible atAhe moment io tell the respective positions, but it h definitely known that the British have advanced. Fighting began in this rcdon yesterday morning, after a hurricne bombardifrent of gas and high-explosive shells for over two hours. The first attack was hurried back, and subsequent ones took Villers Bretonneux by storm and reached a wood to the westward, the British successfully countering at noon. We used several tanks against the German ones, and the latter were driven off the field, whereupon two British tanks craw'ed un and down the lines, mowing down the exposed infantry. Straight lines of the enemy who poured out of Vaire Wood at dawn to-dav were stopped with h»a\j loss. General von Armin's hillstormers on Wednesday reattacked the French towards Dranoutre unsuccessfully, and were funs out after a tremendous struggle from portions of the first-line positions in the Kemmel sector, where they had temporarily penetrated, and the situation wes complexly restored. The Germans at two o'clock this morning put down an intense gas barrage on the French and British and a heavy attack followed between three and four. . A GALLANT FRENCH RESISTANCE AT HANGARD EN SANTERRE. GERMANS RETAIN THE TOWN AT A TERRIBLE COST. (Australian and New Zealand and Reuter.') Received April 26, 7.45 p.m. LONDON, April 25, 4.25 p.m. A French communique states that the battle continued violently round the village of Hangard en Santerre. against which the enemy concentrated all his strength. We gallantly res'shd and counter-attacked Several times successfully. The vilL je was lost and retaken, but finally remained in the hands of the Germans at the cost o- losses. We hold the immediate outskirts of Hangard, from which th" enemy has been unable to debouch despite repeated efforts. The aitillci v duel continues very violent on both banks of the Avre, ami very active in the Woevre in the region of Fleury and Regnieville. 1 * AUSTRALIANS RECAPTURE VILLERS BRETONNEUX, WITH 600 PRISONERS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received April 26, 9.30 p.m. LONDON, April 25. The Australians recaptured Villers Bretonneux, taking six hundred prisoners.