WITH THE FRENCH

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15751, 18 November 1916, Page 9

WITH THE FRENCH

TRENCHES REGAINED. (Australian and N.Z. Cailo Asscciation.) R?utor'a Telegrams.; (Received November 17th. 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, November 17. A Eroncli oomnvunujue says:— "The enemy parties which gained a footing north-east of Saillisel were ejected. "Artillery fire is vigorous in the Ablaincourt legion." AN EARLIER MESSAGE. PARIS. November 16. The French communique states: — "After an obstinate light- we drove out the enemy from St, Pierre Yaast Wood. Our gain' was entirelv held. The enemy ststained the Heaviest losses. "In ycst<rda\ atiaeks the enemy empioyed troop.-: belonging i u three divisions."

SOUTH OF THE SOMMii

The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, November 16 (3.15 p.m.). Al' rench official communique states : "South of the Somme during the night we attacked east- of Pressoir, ■which had been iu part occupied by the enemy, where the French resisted energetically, finally ejecting the Germans aitor stubborn fighting."

A GERMAN REPORT. (Australian a£d X.Z. Cablo Association.) (Router's TcJogrums.) (Received November 17th, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON. November 17. A German communique claims that they repulsed the British in partial attacks east and south-east of BeanmontHamel, and stormed part of the St. Pierre Vaas t Wood. PRAISE FOR THE BRITISH. Router's Telegrams.) (Received November 17th, D.40 p.m.) LONDON, November 16. The "Berliner Tageblatt," in commenting on the Ancre battle, admits that, the British shrewdly economised their men. and showed that they wfte using them to the best advantage now.

BATTLE OF BEAUMONT. COMMENT BY GERMAN PRESS, SOME CANDID ADMISSIONS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received November 17th, .'5.5 p.m.) ROTTERDAM, November 16. Hie ''Berliner Tageblatt," commenting upon the British advance on the Ancre, sav.s that it followed upon a bombardment of twelve days' duration, ■with continually increasing intensity. The guns were fed with as much ammunition as they wanted. The paper admits that the attacks in the southern sector were stronger than the. defence, and says. "The English arc fresh and strong." The "Frankfurter Zcitung" says that tho English gaincjl me.-ely a tactical success, which was unavoidable in such a long defensive battle. The "Ivolnische Zeitung" statc. s that the English employed with their whole fury, heaped up piles of materials and projectiles of tho heaviest calibre. With such a tremendous expenditure of ammunition, an offensive could always be carried out after the levelling of the trenches. A GREAT VICTORY. MANY DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME. GERMANS .SURRENDERED EASILY. LONDON, November 16. It *s only now that tho public is beginning to" fully realise the magnitude of the British victory. Tho latest correspondent's accounts emphasise the completeness of tho triumphs achieved, and the extreme difficulties of the attack, though the conquered sector is described as one of the strongest on the "Western front. First-hand accounts show that the mazy intricacy of tho trenches baffles description. In places over a mile in breadth their pattern is compared to a tangle of quickset hedge in "winter. The barbed-wire defences consisted of four .pystonie, each two hundred yards' wide., The weather added enormously "to the difficulties. Extraordinary stories are related of tho .ittackcrs' difficulty in keeping in j touch in the darkness and fog. It was I impossible to tell whether the next trench was full or deserted, or how | much harbed-wire remained standing, and accurate reporting was scarcely j possible, especially in the absence of aerial observation. These difficulties often accounted for attackers missing ba-ches of Germans, necessitating a methodical rounding-up all day. The mud was not so bad south of the Ancre, but it was serious on the lower ground, especially north of tho Somme. The trenches were full of «'ater, and there were several -escapes from drowning in the darkness. The conditions wore unsuitable to utilising the tanks. The services of the two units engaged were, therefore, ail the more meritorious. All the correspondents dwell on tho nonchalanco and cheeriness of the British troops on the Somme. They sat carelessly on the parapets, others strolled in search of relics. Their serenity passed all precedent, but the same quality alone enabled them .to reach their goal in the face of unprecedented difficulties. Tho absence of German artillery retaliation has not been explained, 6ir.ee it is known that they recently had about a thousand gun* on the Ancre sector. Though there is no disposition to depreciate the German troops generally, the victory again proves the waning German moral. Never :>eforo have ■such a number of men not offered resistance. Thirteen hundred men and twenty-nine officers who were rounded up in a series of underground refuges on the south bank of the Ancre, made no attempt- to fight. It is remarkable that there were few bayonet wounds during the first two days among tho British casualties, the vast hulk "being due to 6hrapnel and machine-guns. One correspondent- sums up the victory as "one of the most brilliant successes jn tho Somme offensive, if not in the whole war." THE KING'S CONGRATULATIONS.

LONDON, November 10. His Majesty the King, in .a message to Sir Douglas Haig, says:—"l heartily congratulate you on the groat success of your gallant troops during the past three days on tlio Ancre. This further capture of first-line trenches, in spite of the special difficulties of the recent wet weather, redounds to the credit of all ranks." THE ANZAfS' AWARDS. LONDON. November 1(1. Two hundred and forty-five Australians and thirteen New Zealanders have been awarded the Military Medal. AYARNIXG FOR THE FUTURE. . Tteu t-ei's Tek-~T3 rr.s.J (Received November 18th. 12.30 a-m.) AGISTER DAM. November 17. Major Moraht, i n the "'Berliner Tageblatt." states that recent events on the "Western front must be regarded as a serious warning for the future. Germany is in nowise blind to England's great technical achievements. THE FRENCH WAR LOAN. (United Service.) (Received November LSth. 12.30 a.m.) COPENHAGEN, NovemWr 17. Denmark subscribed (J.OOil.O!/) kroner to the French war loan.