INTENSE FIGHTING ON WHOLE BRITISH FRONT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 158, 4 July 1916, Page 6

INTENSE FIGHTING ON WHOLE BRITISH FRONT.

LA BOISELLE VILLAGE PENETRATED. ENEMY ATTEMPT AT AERIAL OFFENSIVE FAILS. MACHINES DRIVEN BACK FAR BEHIND THE LINES. (Received 2.15 p.m.) LONDON, July 3. General Sir Douglas Haig. in reporting this afternoon, says that the battle south of the Ancre continues to be hotly contested. We maintained all positions won. Fighting in La Boiselle Valley, on the north of the British section of the battlefield, and at Cuillers, was particularly severe. On Sunday evening we penetrated the village of La Boiselle, while fighting continues about Cuillers. We met with varying success. One attack early this morning secured a portion of the hostile defence, while 400 more prisoners passed the collecting stations early to-day. Large parties of German air crart made several attempts to take the offensive, but all were repulsed, and subsequently the air craft were held far behind the German lines. As a result our artillery and machines were able to do their work without interruption. Many aerial combats were fought. We brought down six hostile machines while five others were damaged. Seven of ours are missing. A correspondent witli the British headquarters states that fighting continues intense on the whole British front, but there is no change of importance above the River Ancre. We heavily bombarded Thiepval, and 6evere fighting is proceeding at La Boiselle. We pushed our positions north of Fricourt to higher ground, and the situation here is promising. The Germans continue to heavily shell Montauban. but we are well established. The prisoners exceed 4,000. The weather continues favourable.