THE WESTERN THEATRE.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15707, 28 September 1916, Page 7

THE WESTERN THEATRE.

FALL OF THIEPVAL AND COMBLES. IMPORTANT (JAINS MADB, CAPTURES OF BOOTY AND MEN. (By Cable.—Pie* Cop7ri»hW (Australian and NJZ. CW>l« Association.) (Received September 27th, 6.50 pjn.) LONDON, September 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports "We have captured Thiepval and the high ridge to the eastward, including the Zollern rftdoubt. "Our successes in the last two days have been of very considerable importance." entering combles. The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, September 26 (2.55 p.m.). The British official report states:— "Wo have entered Combles and are overcoming tho enemy's resistance there. The enemy's losses were severe. "Of yesterday's capture we have counted 1500 prisoners. Much" war material and moro prisoners are amvcaptured a strong redoubt between Lesboeufs and Gueudecourt, and took the garrison prisoner." EXCELLENT CO-OPERATION. LONDON. September 26. Sir Douglas Haig. report® "The preparation and execution of Monday's .attack by artillery and infantry, and their co-operation in all respects was admirable. "Wo captured much war material. The amount cannot yet be estimated. "Further progress was jnado during last night and this morning. • "Wo captured a strong redoubt, which held out between Lesboaufs and Gueiidecourt, taking its garrison prisoner. "Our troops entered Combles from the west, overcoming tho enemy resistance there. The. German losses wore severe."

THE LATEST. GUEUDECOUBT STORMED. COUNTER-ATTACKS BROKEN. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received September 27th, 10.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports: — "As a result of the capture of Fregicourt and Morval, Anglo-French forces have occupied Combles. "We have beaten off heavy counterattacks in the neighbourhood of Morval and Lesbceufs, with severe enemy loss. . "We stormed the fortified village of Gueudeoourt, and drove the Germans back in disorder. "The Zollern Redoubt was very i strongly fortified with an elaborate 6ystem of heavily-wired trenches, and "*as defended with desperation." FALL OF COMBLES. 1200 PRISONERS TAKEN. TOWN WHOLLY CAPTURED. (Bcuter'a Telegrams.) (Received September 27th. 3.25 p.m.) LONDON, September 27. A French official report states that/ Combles has been wholly captured, together with 1200 prisoners, thirty ma-chine-guns, and an enormous amount of booty. AN EARLIER. MESSAGE.

Tho High Commissioner reports:— ->oJsDON7September 26th (3.30 p.m.). A French official communique states:— "We reached the borders of Fregipourt, and took tho village during last night. "We penetrated C-ombles Cemetery, reaching the borders of the village, one detachment establishing itself in a south-west trench and fe»kin 2 a German company prisoner. ~ "German counter-attacks on our new trenches detween the Bethune road and wieSommc were repulsed. TTo took 800 prisoners."

MUCH BOOTY. SYSTEMATIZED ADVANCE. Uwtralian ani N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received September 27th, 9.40 p.m.) PARIS. September 27. A communique says: "Tho battle was removed north, of the Somme, and the Allies largely increased their gains and reached tho objectives fixed for tho second day's fighting in tho arranged timo. "Tho French in the morning captured that part of Combles cast and south of tho railway. Their patrols then cooperated "with the British, who were cleaning up tho north and west part of Combles. Shortly afterwards tho whole village was captured. "Tho booty taken is large, as the Germans had a,scuniulated enormous munition supplies in subterranean galleries. "One hundred abandoned. German wounded were collected. "Combles is full of German corpses." FUBTHEB ADVANCES. (Received September 27th, 10.5 p.m.} PARIS, September 27. A communique says:— "The French, pushing forward in the afternoon, seized a small wood northward of Frogicourt, and the bulk of tho strongly-organised ground between the wood and the western point of the Saint Vaast Wood, eastward of tho Bethtme road."