ARTILLERY PRELUDE TO NEXT DASH ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2860, 26 August 1916, Page 9

ARTILLERY PRELUDE TO NEXT DASH ON THE SOMME

GERMAN DEFENCES PULVERISED BUL6ARS checked REPORTED PEACE MOVE GREECE VOLUNTEER ARMY ■ v FOR THE ALLIES

The prelude to the next great dash' otkthe British front is booniirig, forth in a terrific concert by the massed guns before Thiepval. As fast as the Germans, feverishly working, build up their defences against our next infantry assault, they are pulverised by the British guns. On the French front a smart score against the Germans has been registered by the French, whoso official communique, in the fewest possible words, casually mentions that tho Thiaumont work has been recaptured. There seems to.be a comparative lull. on. the Eussian fronton-Europe, but the Germans seem, to bo expecting a ■contest for a decision on tho Kovel front; very strong reinforce- •■ nients.of guns and troops have been brought up. On the Russian front-in Asia Minor matters are going badly, with the Turks, who • have lost the important centre at Mush,- and a 'considerable number .. of their forces. In the Balkans, the Siilgar offensive lias been definitely checked, we are told; whatever force was behind it has spent itself .in. an apparently futile effort, and the counter-stroke is now to . fall. There is a story that.the Bulgars are now seriously considering the question of suing for a (separate peace, if they have, not already . done so. The splendid example of the heroic-Greek garrisons which resisted to the death the Bulgar invasion has- evidently fired the spirits of their countrymen, for G reek volunteer corps are enrolling •at Salonika, and the Greek commander at Seres expects to.raise a volunteer army of 25,000. Rumania also is daily ■ manifesting stronger indications of pending intervention on the side- of the Allies, a few diplomatic formalities still remaining to. be settled. 'Meanwhile a Eussian concentration is reported-to be in .progress-on "■'the Bessarabian-Rumanian frontier. - -