BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2862, 29 August 1916, Page 6

BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

THE DOOM OF THIEPVAL

TIGHTENING THE NET

Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. August 28, 7 p.m.) London, August 27. MrJ Philip Gibb's, writing from Brit, ish Headquarters, says:— "The doom of Thiepval is near at 'hand. By a series of sharp attacks . and short rushes we have wormed our t way across the tangled web of trenches 'and redoubts; tho troops, have bitten off the nose of the Leipzig salient and'taken the Hindenburg; trench, which is: almost the last defensive /work barring the way ,t-o the southern entrance of tho village _ fortress. AVo 'have advanced .from both east and . west, and thrown a lasso around the stronghold :on 'the' hill, whence tho garrison has only one way of escape, and where our guns will get them. They "■■■ are in a death-trap. Nothing of the village is left but heaps'of rubbish. "Wave after wave of British sol- ; fliers swarmed up the ridge in Thurs- / day's remarkable advance, which not even the fiercest German barrage could ;.2 check. Onward and, upward scattered ' ~ parties swept straight into the infernal ■ - lira, and all behind and all in front of ■ them shells were bursting and raising ■' enormous fantastic clouds. When the Wind drifted the. smoke away some of ' ■ our men were seen on the highest ground. ' Single figures, black against tho sky, jumped into the _ German' ; trenches,- and after.a terrific bomb i fight there suddenly emerged a crowd .. . of figures, leaping and running. They v- were Germans, ,trying to reach our . trenches to surrender and get some cover from their own shell fire. Tha assaulting troops meanwhile held the conquered ground, tightening tho iron : net around Thiepval. "Tho. Wiltshires. and Worcesters deserve .the honour Sir Douglas Haig has ' given them. They advanced splendidly over -a great stretch of No-Man's-; • ■ Land, and after a great assault, sus--1 tainod a long and fierco bombardment, followed by a strong attack by the Prussian Guards. It is probable, that the Germans' big effort was to check our advance on the ridge from.Thiepval to High Wood in an endeavour to rescue Thiepval from its impending • ■fate. Our mastery of tho air places : 'tho German gunners at a great disadvantage. Our positions are such that . bur guns are able to cause the heaviest . casualties, and the morale of the Germans in the shell craters and. ruins . has . been badyl shaken; In coming operations, involving the fate of Thiepr, val, will'be seen the greatest artil- •• ■ .Icry duel yet seen on the British V front." . ■

: THE SLAUGHTER OF PRUSSIA'S . ELITEjCORPS (Rec. August 28, 8.5 p.m.) London, August 28. The "Daily Chronicle's" Paris correspondent writes: "The Prussian Guards, at Maurepas, advanced with great bravery, and charged sis times, hut as often as they charged they were shattered. The German attack' was prepared on a significantly! narrow front, with great thoroughness,' which leaves a more marked contrast between"the enemy's impotence and our steady, though difficult progress."

SOLDIERS AS CIVILIAN WORKERS

QUESTION OF STATUS \ . Australian-New Zealand Oabls. Association, London, August 25. Mr. Lloyd George (Minister, for War), receiving a Labour deputation headed by Mr. C. W. Bowerman, M.P., stated that soldiers employed in civi- . lian _ occupations received the usual civilian, pay. Mr. S. Wateh, M.P., replied that Buoh men should be withdrawn from military, discipline. Mr. Lloyd George said that nothing would please tho War Offico better ; " than to stop such transfers. • The Ad-jutant-General wanted men for' the Army. Ho quoted a case. When the big offensive was approaching, he knew it would bo' dependent almost entirely on the' quantity of tig shells produoed. He was unable to get the ■ men to do the work, and was* obliged • to ask assistance from the AdjutantGeneral, who spared a thousand soldiers as an emeigency measure. If he had beon told they would be regarded as civilians, Mr. LJoyd George was certain that the Adjutant-General ■would have refused, because the men i were wanted in the Army. . It was K merely sparing soldiers to fill.shells for their comrades- in France until other labour could be found. "We have in no instance supplied soldiers in case of labour disputes,- nor any except in cases of overwhelming military necessity."

Mr. J. O'Grady, M.P., thongbt that these military working parties could . be avoided by the. better organisation of Labour. " Mr. Forster, 31.P., said the question was primarily one for tho Ministry of Munitions and the Board of Trade. Mr. G: J. Wardle, M.P., said that .all were willing to help for the better organisation of Labour, if it would en. •• able them to dispense with military < working parties.. ' _ Mr. Lloyd George promised a, special ; inquiry regarding men discharged from the Army before being ht to Undertake normal industrial work.