PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2929, 15 November 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The story of the latest British attack on the Somme front has not been fully told at time of writing, but it is clear that the success achieved is of considerable magniture. Tho enemy front has boon penetrated to a depth of a mile, over what distance is not j'et stated, but tho attack .was made on a front of several miles, north and south of tho Ancre, which runs south-west to a point a mile and a quarter north of -Thiepval and then turns south to the Somme. From these particulars.it will be seen that the attack has resulted in a considerable northward' extension of tho breach which is being broken in tho German front.. The whole of the captured ground forms part of the front on which tho enemy has been established' for the last two years, so that in meeting the attack he had every advantage that choice of ground and fortification could confer. Tho Battle of the Sommo opened on July 1 on a front extending north as far as Gommecourt, six miles north of Thiepval, but until the attack reported to-day very little headway had been made on this front of half a dozen miles, except at its southern extremity, at Thiepval and a little way north of that place. One thing favouring the British attack was that the deep eastward, penetration- of the enemy defences had given a salient formation to that section of his front in which the villages just captured are situated. The salient was not very pronounced, but tho attackers were better placed for their enterprise than if thoy had been compelled to rely solely upon a direct frontal attack. * # *

As reports stand the assault was launched on a front of nearly five miles, extending from some distance north of Serre, ■ which place is about three miles north of Thiepval. to a point, not yet definitely indicated south of the Ancre. The strongly, fortified village of Beau-mont-Hamel, which the Germans are said to nave considered impregnable, was approximately the centre of the front attacked. The western outskirts of BeaumontHamel are within a few hundred yards of the lineon which the Germans were established when the Allied offensive opened at the beginning of July. Besides BeaumonfcHamcl, the attackers captured the smaller village of St. Pierre Divion, which also was powerfully fortified, a mile further south and immediately west of the Ancre, and a range of trenches north of Serre, about two miles north of BeaumontHamel. At the moment of writingthe number of prisoners reported is 3300, but more are coming. inland fighting is still in progress.

The attack was launched before daylight, in a thick mist, which implies that a surprise was sprung upon the ' enemy. The British achievement nevertheless' is a convincing indication of the superiority of the Allies in the region of their main offensive.. It affords a sufficient answer to the assertion made the other day. by Me. Garvin 'that the Battle of the -Somnie practically ceased a few weeks back and suggests that no real respite will be granted to the enemy during the winter months. Bad weather is bound _to impose some check on operations and cause delays, but on the present occasion weeks of rain and bad weather have been followed by an attack which has cost the Germans a not inconsiderable section of their most powerfully organised defences. This may no _ doubt be accepted as an indication of the policy to which the Allies will adhere throughout the winter. The enemy may be expected to lay his plans accordingly. In any case, if he ventures to thin his Western front with a view to operations elsewhere he will be inviting a succession of such heavily damaging defeats as he has just suffered.

All the news in hand from the 'Balkan fronts is good. Meeting further powerful efforts by Yon Falkenhayn's columns, in the W-al-lachian defiles the Rumanians have maintained an unbroken defence. In the Dobrudja they_ are still advancing. Meantime, in Macedonia, the Serbians, with some assistance from the French, have effected a material advance towards Monaster, dislodging the Bulgars from a range of precipitous -and stronglyfortified heights. Though it is in Wallachia, that the enemy is putting forth his main effort, interest centres at the moment in the Serbian success and in events in the Dobrudja. ,

Thekb is no doubb that in the latter area Von Mackensen is now giving ground before the rising power; of tho Russo-Rumanians, but some reasons exist for doubting whether his army is in the desperate plight alleged in a wireless report, forwarded from Petrograd, which states, amongst other things,' that tho Russians have passed the Danube at two points south of Ccrnavoda. Some time ago a statement of this kind would have pointed significantly to big events impending, but in tho present aspect of affairs it is likely that the reported crossings fall within tho category of comparatively minor operations. Ifc is dear at all events that organised resistance is still being offered to the Russo-Rumanian advance, and tho progress of the Allies is slower than might bo expected if it were true that Von Mackensen's army, having lost a third of its effectives, was in a dis-

astrous condition, "demoralised by disease and failure." Discounting this report to some _ extent, however, tho outlook still seems be promising. The llusso-Ruinanians arc pushing steadily southward and arc now not very far north of tho Ccrnavoda-Constanza line. Unless Von Maceensen is able to arrest their advance he will loso tho important advantage ho now holds in commanding the eastern end of the Cernavoda. crossing. The apparent petering out of Von Mackensen's campaign in the Dobrudja is, after all, not very, surprising, for the enemy hopes were no doubt chiefly based upon expectations of a speedy success. by Von Falkenhayn which ho now has manifestly poor prospects of attaining. The "invasion of tho Dobrudja took a secondary place, and presumably was intended to forestall and prevent ,'a llusso-llumanian move against Bulgaria in tho event of tho Allies launching a general offensive in Macedonia. _ With Falkenhayn securely held in Wallachia, Mackensen can hardly, hope to accomplish anything of moment in tho Dobrudja and may naturally, bo .expected to contract his operations' as far as possible even if his army is in. less desperate plight than the report quoted above asserts.

Whcthek or not tho Allies aro looking to tho early capture of Monastir, tho brilliant Serbian advance is the_ biggest event witnessed for somo time past in tho Macedonian campaign. Tho capture of Monastir would giye the Allies a useful advanced hasc, and would so far develop -the threat of a movement in flank against tho Vardar line as to seriously accentuate the problems by which the Bulgarians arc confronted. It is unlikely that at this period of the year the Allies have any larger purpose, so far as tho immediate future is concerned, than to harass tho enemy as 'much as possible, and place him in an unfavourable position during the winter campaign. The Bulgars have .lost some of their strongest defences at vital. points, particularly on the approaches, to Monastir, and if it is true that they are denied reinforcements they are likely to bo in poor condition to resist the Allied onset when better weather returns.

Some uncertainty is again awakened in regard to the position in tho Dobrudja by a message from a Morning Post correspondent at. Petrograd which has just come to hand.. The correspondent ■' states that' the Germans have apparently crossed the Danube at Cernavoda, and though he discounts the importance of the event, he implies 'that they have not yet been dislodged and driven back across the river. This news must await amplification or correction. Only unofficial, messages have as yet. even mentioned the enemy crossing, while, on the other hand, the fact that tho Russo-Rumanian's aro ad- 1 yancing southward in the.Dobrudja is attested in official reports.