PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 247, 6 July 1918, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

A Bjtmsu success reported to-day takes a somewhat important place amongst those which the Allies have gained of late in local attacks on various parts of the Western front. Snt Douglas Haig states that in an attack south of the Somme and between that river arid Yillers Bretonneux—a position of great tactical value which was recaptured by tlio Australians in a celebrated night attack—the village of Hamel was captured, and the British line ad-' vanced an average depth of two thousand yards. The bare details supplied by the Commander-in-Chief in what is evidently a preliminary and incomplete report are very interestingly amplified in later j unofficial messages. From these it appears that the action was fought on a front of live miles, sonic ground being gained north of the Somme as well as on a, longer front south of that river. Australian troops, supported by numerous tanks, made the attack, and besides very greatly improving the British line cast of Amiens captured, according to the latest message in hand, 1500 prisoners. The cjetail features of the, operation are clearly outlined by correspondents. The ground slope's down over the few miles from Villcrs Bretonneux northward towards Hamel, and beyond the latter village falls steeply to the bed of the Somme. Generallv speaking, the British line, particularly south of the Somme, has. been straightened on advantageous ground. The enemy still holds some high positions on the wedge-shaped area of rising ground, with its apex towards Amiens, upon winch both Hamel and Villcrs Bretonneux arc situated, but the British success tends in an appreciable degree to safeguard Amiens and to bring pressure to bear on the northern face of the enemy salient facing that junction.

A rew miles south of Villers Urel.onneu.v the German line turns to the west and approaches within eight miles of Amiens on the toufheiisf. This distance remains unaltered, but in order to resume his advance on Amiens the enemy must clear his Hanks on north and south. His last offensive, on the, Mont-didier-Noyon front, was in one aspect an attempt to clear

the southern flank of the front on which he is facing towards Amiens, but it fell far .hurt 0l achieving this result. The British local attack which, has :;o well served 't.s purpose- possibly implies that an enemy onslaught is anticipated in n!, Kl ! lonil o{ t!l - Somme valley. Thanks to the success attained the defending troops are better placed than Uiey were to resist, an attempt of this kind. They have placed new difficulties in the way of a direct thrust against Amiens from the east, and-farther north they-hold strong positions along , the "An era upon which the enemy made comparatively little impression in a scries of desperate attacks delivered at an earlier stage of his offensive. 1 » « »

...GmtMASv is no lunger capable of surprising the world by new efforts in frightfulness. She has reached the point at which any crime's, however terrible, are accepted as in keeping with her record. But in. other respects she is still capable of amazing the watching world. The latest example in point is the German Government's denial that the hospital ship Llandovery Castle was sunk by a submarine, and the staggering assertion that a British mine was responsible for the catastrophe. The German Government is,'' of course, aware that the survivors from the Llandovery Castle were, interrogated by the commander of the submarine which sank the ship, and why it- should issue a denial which' all tin; world knows to be, false it is difficult to imagine. The only explanation in sitrht, and it cannot be called plausible, is that the German Government feels it necessary to a.? far as possible hide the. truth from its own population and the peopk of vassal States. It is certain in any case that except in enemy countries the nature of theGerman denial will he everywhere as fully evident as that of the deed it' seeks- to disown.