SOMME BATTLE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17251, 19 August 1916, Page 9

SOMME BATTLE.

Cha*ulnes is reticulated by defences. The main position is Villers-Carbonnel, on the Paris-Bethune road, protecting the trenches to be carried. THE FRENCH SUCCESSES. COMBLES A FORTRESS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. PARIS, August 17. The “ Petit Parisien ” says that the French successes ou the Somme on Wednesday were not a surprise to the Germans, who were fully aware, that an attack was imminent after the two days’ bombardment, but the German artillery was no match for the French. The French losses were not henry. The Germans still hold Guillemont and a portion of Maurepas, thanks to the proximity of Combles, which is a veritable fortress. THE GERMAN SIDE. OFFICIAL REPORTS. AMSTERDAM. August 17. A German communique says:—After Btrong English attacks be’tween Ovilliers and Pozieres, and to the west of Foureaux Wood, had been repulsed, the French attacked Guillemont, but were repulsed. Portions of the enemies’ forces penetrated our lines west of Foureaux Wood, south of Maurepas, but were driven out with heavy losses.' The French obtained a foothold in our first line over a distance of five hundred metres at Belloy. . NAVAL BRIGADE. MEN WHO FOUGHT IN JUTLAND BATTLE. * ■ (Received August 1.8, 8.45 p.m.) LONDON, August 17. The “Morning Post” says that prisoners taken in the Somme fighting include some naval men who participated in the Jutland battle. After the battle they were hurried westward as a naval brigade. GERMAN COMMANDER ON SOMME. PROBABLY VON MACKENSEN. NEW YORK, August 17. The “New York Times” Berlin correspondent who interviewed the German Commander-in-Chief on tho Somme represents him as saying:— “I hope the British offensive wiH continue. I have several hamlets which I will gladly sacrifice for tho loss of 20.000 British each.” l\e “New York Times” says there is reason to believe that this mysterious German Commander-in-Chief on the Somme is Field-Marshal von Mackensen. GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS. HURRYING TO THE SOMME. United Service. LONDON, August 17. Forty troop trains are reported to have passed Cologne for tho Somm© front. NORTHERN SECTORS. CONTINUOUS BOMBARDMENT. (Received August 18, 8.45 p.m.) Australian and N.Z. Cable Association* LONDON, August 17. ill- Philip Gibbs writes While Picardy is absorbing the attention, our

BRITISH FRONT. FURTHER PROGRESS. MORE TRENCHES TAKEN. The High Commissioner reports: — LONDON, August 17. Sir Douglas Haig repbrts that, as the result of fighting yesterday in'conjunction ivith the French in the direction of Maurepas, wo advanced our line westward and south-west of Guilleinont. Westward of High Wood w T e captured 300yds of trenches 300yds in advance of our previous lino. East of Mouquet Farm our machine guns nipped in the bud 1 a German attack. GERMAN ATTACKS. REPULSED AT POZIERES. The High Commissioner reports:— . LONDON, August 17. The British 7 official report says:— On our right there is considerable artillery activity to-day. Last night and early tins morning tho enemy in considerable force counter-attacked determinedly tho trenches north-west of Pozieres on a broad front. J . , , Six lines of lus infantry advanced, but ran back with heavy losses. Our guns and machine-guns were greatly effective. In the area northwest of Bazentin we captured a hundred yards of enemy trenches. .Reuter's Telegrams (Received August 18, 9 p.m.) LONDON, August 18. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—The enemy made most determined counterattacks with large forces and on a broad front last night. Six times tho German infantry advanced and withdrew after suffering the heaviest losses, our guns doing great execution. Lhe enemy in no case succeeded in enterin'’' our lines. The enemy s counterattack to-day from . Martinpuick was repulsed.

WITH THE FRENCH. VIOLENT ARTILLERY FIGHTING. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. PARIS, August 17. A communique states: — There is violent artillery fighting at Maurepas and Belloy-en-Santerre. We are engaged in organisms the ground gained. RECENT ADVANCE. NEARING LE FOREST. “ Tho Times" Service. .(Received August 18, 9 p.m.) LONDON, August 18. “The Times” correspondent at Paris sa y s : ._Ono object of Thursday’s French operations was to cut through the Guillemont-Maurepas road in order to enable tho British to turn Guillemont from the south and the French to encircle Maurepas from tho north. The preliminary bombardment began on Sunday, the Germans fiercely replying. The French were equally successful south of Maurepas arc steadily nearing the village of le Forest in the centre of the Maurepas Plateau. Smith of the Somme there are difficulties. South of Belloy the plateau as far aa

northern line is not having a quiet time. During the last six weeks there has been hardly a single night without raiding affairs round Ypres, Hohenzollem Redoubt, Givenchy and Neuvo Ohapelle—brief, bloody visits to the enemy’s lines. The artillery on both sides has accelerated its work at some parts, ©specially the opposing forces in the Kemmel district, which is held by the Canadians. The enemy, it seems, baa withdrawn bis heavy guns. He replaced them with quick-firing mortars, which hammered our trenches with fiery rage, but our mortars are heavier and immediately retaliated. The enemy’s long-range guns also shelled villages far behind tho lines, killing civilians. The enemy must have suffered heavily in this northern sector. Our artillery daily keeps up a steady, continuous fife, smashing entanglements and 1 laying the parapets flat. ■lt has been six weeks of bombardment, raids and poison gas attacks. The enemy has had the worst of it, though it has been pretty bad for us, too. The Australians and Canadians share in the raids with the Britishers. A BRITISH RAID. GERMAN PRISONER’S STORY. (Received. August 18, 11.5 p.m.) PARIS, August 18. A German prisoner gives details of a British aeroplane raid on Saint Quentin at the end of July. He says that while two battalions were awaiting entrainment, the aviators’ bombs fell on an ammunition shed. There was a terrible explosion, and sixty waggons lying at the station, ignited* and also exploded and destroyed the soldiers’ train. The battalion were panic-stricken, and fled. One hundred and eighty were killed or wounded.