THE SOMME BATTLES.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 273, 3 November 1916, Page 5

THE SOMME BATTLES.

Sir Dougas Haig’s Summary. Progress Made in Fourteen Days. [PRESS ASSOCIATION COPYRIGHT.] [AUBTBALIaN AND NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.] London, November 2. Sir Douglas Haig, summarising recent operations, states that heavy rain has fallen almost daily, and the chalk soil of the upland between the Ancre and the Somme is a wilderness of mud. Nevertheless we have progressed. Our front has advanced towards Butte de Warlencourt (2 J miles south-westward of Bapaume) and the vicinity of Gueudecourt and Les Boeufs from the Schwaben redoubt, whither on the highest point of the ridge northward of Thiepval the Stuff and Regina trenches run due east 5000 yards to a point 1200 yards north-eastward of Courcelette. | The enemy defended both with great tenacity. A German regiment’s order, dated October 20th, urged the recapture of the Schwaben redoubt as the pivot of the situation. This attack was not merely a matter of retaining trenches because they were formerly in German possession, but the recapture of an extremely important point was involved. Since losing the main portion of the Schwaben redoubt the enemy made eleven counter-attacks with heavy losses. That on the redoubt on the 21st was opportune. We replied and took the whole of the Regina and Stuff redoubts and pushed our advance posts well northward and north-eastward of the Schwaben redoubt, taking nearly 1100 prisoners. The Canadians and troops of the New Army conducting these operations deserve great credit for a signal and most economical victory. The enemy’s latterly increased aerial activity has been satisfactorily dealt with by us. The total of our prisoners on the Somme battlefield is 31,132. LATEST DESPATCHES. London, Novemfoer 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports: —Conjointly with a French local attack eastward of Les Boeufs, we gained some ground. Our front between Le Sars and Gueudecourt and the neighbouring Schwaben redoubt was heavily shelled. We bombarded trenches southward of Hulluch (north of Lens) with good results. (Received 3, 11.20 a.m.) London, November 2. • Sir Douglas Haig says there has been heavy rain and there is nothing to report. FRENCH COMMUNIQUES. STRONG POSITIONS CAPTURED ON THE SOMME. [bevter’s telegram.] Paris, November 2. A communique states:—North of the Somme we made important gains during the dayFollowing up our night successes north-east of Les Boeufs, we captured two new enemy trenches. In another attack south-east of Sailly Saillisel we captured a strong trench system on the western fringe of St. Pierre Vaast Wood. It is confirmed that the German attack on Sailly Saillisel in the morning was a great effort to eject us from the village. The enemy’s defeat was complete and most sanguinary, judging from the number of bodies left on the battlefield. The day was quiet on the rest of the front. Two German aeroplanes fell in fights in the air on the Somme yesterday. FURTHER ADVANTAGE GAINED AT SAILLY SAILLISEL. (Received 3, 11.20 a.m.) London, November 2. A Paris communique says:—Despite persistent bad weather, we have followed up last night’s advantage and gained ground between Les Boeufs and Sailly SailliselWe have also consolidated the ground won last night. ARTILLERY DUEL ON THE VERDUN FRONT. PRISONERS AND SPOILS SINCE 24th OCTOBER. Paris, November 2. A communique states: —On the Verlun front, the artillery duel is most violent on the Douaumont sector. We have taken at Verdun since October 24th a total of, 6011 unwounded prisoners. The material captured since the 24th alone so far counted includes fifteen guns, including five heavy, 51 trench guns, 144 machine-guns, and two wireless installations. (Received 3, 11.20 a.m.) London, November 2. A Paris communique says: —There was relatively a calm night on the Meuse, and there is nothing to report elsewhere. GERMAN SHORTAGE OF MUNITIONS. A TELL-TALE ARMY ORDER. [REUTER’S telegram.] (Received 3, 12.30 p.m.) Paris, November 2. Reuter’s correspondent at French Headquqarters says evidence has reached the Intelligence Department that the enemy commanders on the Somme, protesting against the orders to economise munitions, disobeyed the secret instructions issued at the end of September, making it appear that the guns are rationed, and that to each is assigned a certain number of rounds daily. The order says:—“When, despite these instructions, the guns fire double and treble the fixed quantum on days when the enemy does not attack, it is evident that the commanders fail to realise the absolute necessity of economising. With the present high wastage of material, . and the provision that has to be made for renewals and repairs, there is no longer sufficient.’’ The order also restricts barrage fire, and forbids reprisal fire and the shelling of harmless villages. A BELATED GERMAN ADMISSION. (Received 3, 9 a.m.) t New York, November 2. Berlin has admitted that Fort Vaux has been evacuated.

ITALIAN FRONT. OFFENSIVE RESUMED ON THE CARSO. SWEEP TOWARDS TRIESTE EXPECTED. [AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSN. I London, Nov. a. The ‘‘Daily Tidegraph’s” Milan correspondent says that except on the Carso winter conditions have set in on the entire Italian front. Toe troops in the lofty regions are already snowed in. . and both sides have settled down in their winter trenches. (Received 3, 10.50 a.m.) London. Nov. 2. Better weather on the Italian Alpine front has enable the Italians to resume tile offensive on the Gorizia Carso front. The entire Austrian second line east of Wallone for the past two da vs has been subjected to a tempest of explosives. A further sweep towards Trieste is expected. ! POSITIONS STORMED. ' PRISONERS AND BATTERIES | CAPTURED. [AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSN.] (Received 3, 1.48 p.m.) London, Nov. 2, 6 p.m. , An Italian official report say: • We attacked in the Gorizia th 1 ; and occupied trenches on the east ! slopes of Tivoli and Sanmarco and : the heights east of Sober. On the Carso front we stormed ' hills above Mount Pecinua. j We advanced one kilometre east 1 of Segeti. j We occupied several points south 1 of the Oppacchiasetta- Laeastagne--1 vizza road. We took prisoner 4731 ! and took six guns and many machine ' guns.