A LULL ON THE SOMME

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 167, 14 July 1916, Page 5

A LULL ON THE SOMME

HEAVY FIGHTING ROUND VERDUN RUSSIA'S LONG BATTLE-LINES PROGRESS ON THE STOKHOD

General Haig reports less activity along the British front. No further attacks have been delivered to the north of the Somme, while at other points of the line the only noteworthy actions were a couple of raids by the enemy, which the British easily repulsed. On the French front operations were limited to an intermittent cannonade along the Somme, an attack on a German salient in the Champagne, and heavy bombardments on the Verdun front. Here the Germans developed a particularly fierce attack on Souville fort on Wednesday, 18,000 men advancing on the French line after artillery preparation. They marched through the French curtain of fire, but were brought to a standstill by a storm of bullets from hundreds of machine guns on the slopes of the hill. They gained as much as 500 yards at some points, but the French are quite content that suet gains should be made at the price paid. The Germans are preparing to offer a most obstinate defence at Peronne. The town has been converted into a chain of fortresses, and each is to be defended to the last. The battles on the eastern front are of a gigantic nature. That on the Stokhod has a front of a hundred miles, along the greater part of which the Russians are making progress. They are across the Stokhod River at many points, and are steadily pursuing the attack, despite the fact that the enemy has been reinforced by five army corps. North of the Pripet marshes a front of 30 miles is being contested in the Baranovtchi area, but here little progress is being made by the Russians owing to the strength of the position and the obstinacy of the defence.