THE FIGHTING IN FLANDERS

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13753, 29 April 1918, Page 5

THE FIGHTING IN FLANDERS

ENEMY DETERMINED TO GET THROUGH AT ANY PRICE. ' SITUATION IN THE NORTH BECOMES SERIOUSLY WORSE. YPRES NOW THREATENED FROM TWO SIDES. (Reuter's Telegrams.) Received April 28, 5.5 p.m. Renter's correspondent at British headquarters says that yesterday's fiffhtinK was the heaviest in Flanders since the present offensive commenced The enemy developed two great thrusts, the first being a continuation of he Sr.,, jL mi-j isa r;U""r»? e Hill and the spot where his line crosses the Ypres-Comines Canal Later his second attack extended southward and linked up with the batUe proceeding around Drancourt, thus forming a continuous struggle on a front of ten miles. The enemy was determined to win at any price, t and con tZedVushing forward fresh formations from his reserves wherever the front was threatened The Germans can certainly show a considerable gain of territory but they have paid the full price for even; yard It cost them three attempts in mass to get into Locre and four attempts to carry the bre *c™meL°g onTe Z Siion, the correspondent says it is admitted that the situation in the north has become seriously worse as the resultj of th. nast two davs' fighting, as the enemy not merely holds Kemmel Hill, the best observation post on the British front, but has spread westwards, while he has creDt nearer Ypres on both sides of the canal south-east of the town, North - 3s however in the neighbourhood of La Clytte and Scherpenberg his attacks have been held and the position has not yet been established. The severity of the German losses has not yet been compensated by any strategical success. Even if a further withdrawel from Ypres is considered advisable, this wili not make any immediate difference to the Channel ports. The Ypres salient was chiefly valuable as a jumping-off ground for the recovery of the Flemish coast. As this objective is not at present realisable the value of \pres is now only secondary. It is important to remember that though the Germans apparently have reverted to attacks on limited objectives, their main effort will probably still be made between Arras and Amiens and against the British on the Somme and further south. Huge German forces are waiting in the hone that the Allied strength will be dissipated elsewhere. The object of the enemy is to use up the Allied reserves. He has still failed to separate the English and French armies, but a more formidable thrust than any hitherto has probably been planned in the direction of Amiens and the Somme estuary. , . - • , • T -, „ i GERMAN ATTACK AGAIN FAVOURED BY HEAVY. FOG. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received April 28, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, April 27. Mr Philip Gibbs, writing to-day, states that a thick, wet fog like London's ©articular at its worst, enveloped the Kemmel sector on Friday morning. Favoured by the fog and the effect of their gun-fire, the attackers caused gaps in the Anglo-French line and isolated the French on Kemmel Hill. Our counter-attack met a wicked machine-gun fire and we could not maintain our hold on the recaptured ground, though we did not lose it all. The situation in Flanders is still serious. The enemy may endeavour to exploit his advance on Kemmel by a great concentration of strength and more violent attacks, but the French army is now assisting the British to bar the way. Everyone is fully confident of the result. THE BRITISH RETAIN AND THE FRENCH RECAPTURE POSITIONS. THE ENEMY'S ADVANCE HELD EVERYWHERE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received April 28, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, April 27. The British retained Foormezelle, after bitter fighting. The French recaptured positions west of Kemmel. The enemy's advance is held everywhere. ENEMY ATTACK IN GREAT STRENGTH PRESSES ANGLO-FRENCH BACK. (Australian and New Zealand and Reuter.) Received April 28, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, April 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports at 11.45 p.m. on Monday that the battle continues fiercely on the Somme front from the neighbourhood of Dranoutre to the Ypres-Comines Canal. The enemy captured Dranoutre, Kemmel Hill and the village. The enemy's attack yesterday was made in great strength by nine divisions. Early this morning the Franco-British counter-attacked and succeeded at first in making some progress and capturing prisoners. Later in the day the enemy renewed his attacks, particularly against the positions from Locre to La Clytte and astride the Ypres-Comines Canal. We held all the attacks in the neighbourhoods of La Clytte and Schepenberg, but after severe fighting, in which we repulsed a series of determined attacks with heavy losses, the enemy succeeded in pressing back our line in the direction of Locre. He also made progress astride the Ypres-Comines Canal. (Admiralty per Wireless Press.) Received April 28, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, April 27. A German official report on Saturday morning states that we captured Mount Kemmel and threw the English out of positions of Wytschaete and Dranoutre. We advanced as far as Kemmel Brook, capturing St. Eloi, Dranoutre, and a height north-westward of Vleu<relhoek. We took over 6100 prisoners, principally French. ENEMY EVERYWHERE HELD, WITH HEAVY LOSSES. (Australian and New Zealand and Reuter.) Received April 28, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, April 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports at 2 p.m. on Saturday that there was great reciprocal artillery fire all night along the whole battle front northwards of the Lys river. The fighting in this area yesterday was very severe, the enemy repeatedly making determined attempts to develop the advantage gained the previous day. After many hours' fluctuating battle the enemy advance was held at all points and heavy casualties inflicted. The enemy's assaults from Locre to La Clytte were pressed with extreme violence. Three attacks were beaten off with great enemy losses. We succeeded in the fourth attempt in carrying Locre village. Our allies counter-attacked in the evening and drove the enemy out of possession of the village. At other points all the enemy attacks were repulsed. There was fierce fighting northward of Kemmel village and in the neighbourhood of Voormezeele, which, after a prolonged struggle, remains in our possession. The enemy heavily attacked in the afternoon our positions on the ridge of the wood south-westward of Voormezeele, but was completely repulsed. "Wp took some hundreds of prisoners in local fighting yesterday afternoon in the neighbourhood of Givenchy. Received April 28, 11.10 p.m. LONDON, April 27, 10.10 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports that the enemy captured a post in the neighbourhood of Festubert. Our lire Broke up a local attack westward of Merville. Our artillery effectively engaged infantry assembling eastward of Villers Bretonneux.