MAGNIFICENT WORK BY THE BRITISH

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2833, 26 July 1916, Page 7

MAGNIFICENT WORK BY THE BRITISH

THE FIGHT FOR THIEPVAL HEIGHTS HEROIC CHARGE AT POZIERES Tho High Commissioner roportsj— London, July 21, .2.15 p.m. General Haig reports-: "Apart from mutual continuous shelling < during the night, there was a comparative calm following yesterday's severe fighting:. , "Yesterday, between High Rood and. Guillemont, repeated enemy counterattacks gained them no advantage, our artillery and machine-gun. fire inflicting very heavy oasunlties. "We gained ground near High Road, and in tho direction of Guillemont. "In the neighbourhood of I'ozieres we- secured important advantages, in spite of the stubborn enemy defence. A large portion of th 6 village is now ours. "We captured two guns and sixty more prisoners." i _ London, July 24, 11.35 p.m. "On tho British front fighting has been continued at I'ozieres, at which place tho prisoners taken by Australians number G officers and 145 men. "On other parts of tho front there is considerable artillery activity on both side's." SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPORT. (By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright). Australian-New Zealand Oable Association. (Fee. July 25, 10 p.m.) London, July 25. Sir Douglas Haig report*: "Fighting at Pozioreg continues. "Elsewhere thero is considerable artillery activity on both sides," EPIC STRUGGLE AT POZIERES .- / ' THRILLING STORY OP BRITISH GALLANTRY. ; * Paris, July 24. There is an epic strugglg at Poziei'cs. The Australasians are fighting terrifically on both sides, of the village. Tfio British attacked frontallya" Hand-to-hand fighting continues in the streets and houses, which must be captured step by step. Tho villago is u veritable fortress. The Germans have strongly reinforced the recaptured portion. London, July 21. The Paris correspondent of the "Central News" states that the British bombardment in the I'ozieres region increased in intensity nn Saturday evening, indicating that the hour of tho attack was approaohing. The British troops' ad* vanced to the assault of the whole line pn Sunday morning tho. while the nrtjl. lery lengthened the range. The artillery preparation was oxcellent, but same armoured shelters were c-nly partially destroyed, and the machine-guns were still in place when Uie attack began, especially about Poziores village. The British displayed remarkable coolness and courage, and inimitable tenacity. They reached the enemy's lines, and captured several positions, but superior numbers and ar. tillery fire forced them to fall back' at flome points, only to return when they were reinforced. The fighting in the village reached its highest at 2 o'clock in the morning, The British seized the advanced defences, penetrated the streets, and stormed the majority of the houses. The struggle 'was frightful, as the "Tommies" fought hand-to-hand, The tide of tattle swayed till 6 in the ovoning. , The British reached the northern extremity of the village, but the Germans returned in great masses, and retook portions of the lost ground, forcing their opponents out of some of the houses. ' . While the epic struggle raged, the Australian battalions were engaged in ter. rifle fights on both sides of the village. The British and Australians were still lighting with tho same ardour at 8 in tho evening, and had regained somo of the ground. Moanwhile the battle at Guillemont and Longueval was most stub, born; but at midnight it seemed to havo turned in favour of the British. MILITARY VALUE OF POZIERES AND GUILLEMONT. ("The Times.") London, July 24. "The Times," in a lender dotailing the fighting on the Somme, says: "The principal conflicts extend over a front of nearly seven miles from 'i'ozieres, essential in 1 order to facilitate tho ndvanco on the Thiopval Plateau, to Guillemont, an extremely strong position which must be taken' before Conibleß is threatened. Pozieres and Guillwnont practically constitute powerful bastions of the present Gorman line." "VICTORY IS ASSURED" STATEMENT BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE. '. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. July 25, 8.10 p.m.) ' London, July 24. In the Houso of Commons, Mr. Winston Churchill complained that Air. Asquith had not reviewed the military fiitniHion. Jlr. Lloyd George: "You cannot review the military prospect in the middle of a battle. Tho jirospents are good. Tho Generals are more than satisfied with our progress, proud of the valour of our men, and satisfied that victory is assured. Great as were the British infantry days, they were never, greater than now. Ono thrills with 'pride to belong to the same race as the.Citizen Army, which is hurling bnck the most formidable of foes. Whatever happens in this battle, I am confident that victory is assured. 1 fee] beyond-'everything confident, because numbers and all other resources aro on our side, and our soldiers provide tlie British resourcefulness and intelligence. We aTe going to snatch victory in a few months over what appeared at ono time an invincible military Power." Mr. Lloyd Geqrgo added that the steel helmets, which were being manufactured at a prodigious rate, had already saved many thousands of lives. The war arsenals were turning out in a single month moro guns than tho whole of the British Army possessed at tho beginning of tho war. Tho success with which the British manufacturer had risen to tho problem of tho big gun was a triumph in engineering, but the Army wanted still considerably more heavy guns and shells. OPERATIONS ON THE FRENCH FRONT Paris, Julv 24. A French official- communique states; "The night was calm on. the Somme Front. Tho weather continues to be bad. 5 "Our reconnaissances northward of the Aisne penetrated the trenches at Vailly. Some prisoners were taken in local actions at Chapellesteffo, and our total prisoners in the pa-st ton days number eight hundred. "A Gorman aeroplane bombed Luiteville, wounding one man. "Lieutenant Chiput brought down his eighth German aeroplane at Frosnes-en-Woevre. Our aviators dropped eight bombs on the station at Conflans, forty on the barracks at Vigneullos, and twenty-five on tho aerodrome at Dieuze." ' FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. ~ ' (Rec. July 25, 10 p.m.) ; Paris, July 25. A communiquo states: "After a. liToly action, our infantry took a redoubt in tho vicinity of the Thiaumont work."

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. ' London, July 21, 11.35 p.m. 'J lie High. Commissioner -reports: Tlio French- official -report says:— "South of thb Sommo this morning wo captured ono of tho enemy's batteries south of Estrees village. Since July 20 wo hnvo captured, on the Sommo front, over 60 German machine-guns. "On the right bank of tho House, after a lively combat, our infantry captured a redoubt immediately west- of Thiaumont work, fivo machine-guns. Riid ■10 prisoners remaining jn our hands. "In aviation, Sub-Lieutenant Do l'Orme, who lias already boon mentioned in Army Orders 6ix times, again distinguished himself by a series of bombardments on the enemy's railway stations." THE FIGHT IN DELVILLE WOOD SCOTTISH AND SOUTH AFRICAN HEROES. ' ("The Times.") (Rec. July 25, 8.15 p.m.) London, July 24. A correspondent at Headquarters, writing on July 21, says: "Already the operations at the Somme rival Yordun, and tho struggle promises to increase in intensity." Desoribing the recent German counter-attacks on Delville Wood, he says: "We already know how the Germans fear the Highlanders, and they havo a better reason now than ever they havo had. There has been nothing finer in any war than the way in which these Scotsmen, after four days of unimaginable Btrain, flung back enormously preponderating numbers in a last desperate counterattack. With a gallant handful of South Africans, they roso from thoir hastilymado line, and "beat back nine or ten battalions of fresh, troops. "Longueval forms part of Deivillo Wood, and hero 'the Germans were immensely strong, having muchine-guns and two field-guns which fired at 150 yards point-blank range. Our thin line was shelled tremendously by every kind of weapon for eight hours. It was worso than anything that had been known before. The South Afrioans, who had passed through the Scottish lines two days previously to clear Deivillo Wctid, were driven back in small bands throughout tho day. They dropped into th© trench beside' tho Scots, and waited while the hell of artillery Taged. At last the enemy's infantry appeared through tho wood on all Bides, wave after wave. Beforo these overwhelming numbers our men fell back to the resorvo trench, and here, gathering fragments and scraps of battalions, companies, and platoons, the Scotsmen and South Africans rallied. Hero that handful counter-attacked, and drovo back tho enemy's masses through Dolville Wood. Even the shell-shocked wounded, after four sleepless dajs and nights, took heroic -resolution, and somehow wont forward with their comrades." THE OFFENSIVE FROM THE GERMAN SIDE OFFICIAL' COMMUNIQUES. London, July 21. A German official communique states: "The English attacks from Thiepval to Guillemont woro carried out by detachments from olovon 'English divisions, several of which had been hastily brought from other fronts. The only advance the enemy achieved was tho penetration of a few houses in, Pozieres, at tho cost of sanguinary losses. "Tho Brandenburg Gronadiers from Douaumont mado a heavy counter-attack ! at Longueval, and drove tho enemy from a sand quarry south-east of Guillemont, where they had temporarily gained a footing. "Sma.il French undertakings south ot tho Sommo failed. "Since Julv 15 we havo captured 08 machino-gims." New York, July 24. The Berlin War Office states that the engagement at Pozieres co3t tho British heavily in dead and wounded. THE DISTRACTED KAISER. Berne, July 24. Messages from Borlin state that the Kaiser lias mado many hurried journoys eastward and westward. He mado sevcra I .speeches on tho Sommo front. Addressing the wounded at Poronne, he sai<l: "My earnest desire is to'-take my placo in the trenches and deal tho enemy such blows as my age and strength permit. The inscrutable Almighty has willed otherwise. Tho leadership of the country and of the forces on laid and sea are commil'lod by Dirino destiny to my care. The burden of thinking, deciding, and leading is laid on me. My 1 ifo must not, (be risked in tho foremost lino of battle, wlicro my feelings, if unrestrained, would swiftly carry mo. My life must lie carefully conserved for Germany's welfare in order to carry out the duties assigned (o mo by God." Some of the German comments on tho sjioech savour of leso inajeslo (contempt of tho Crown). T,HE SALIENT OF HIGH WOOD. (fioc. July 23, 0.00 p.m.) London, July 24. Mr. Philip Gibbs, writing on Friday, says: "The 'Tommies' call Delville Wood the 'Devil's Wood.' It is really u devilish place, and has proved to bo a deathtrap for both British and Germans. Fighting continues hotly at Delville, and also at High Wood (previously cabled Fouroaux Wood), which lies north-west. The Germans have the ■ advantage of the defence at Delville Wood. They have placet! machine-guns behind a barricade oT great tree-trunks, with sharp-shooters "hiding in the foliage, and tho South Africans had not time to dig in before the German guns swept the woods. Tho troops are now more secure. The situation aF High Wood is unchanged. Wo still hold the wood, Unking it with Longueval. Thus High Wood is the apex of a salient which is St'hrust like a spearhead at the German position."