WESTERN CAMPAIGN

Nelson Evening Mail, 22 July 1916, Page 5

WESTERN CAMPAIGN

HEAVY FIGHTING AT LONGUEVAL BRITISH ADVANCE 1000 YARDS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 21Sir Douglas Haig reports that north of the Bazentin-Longueval line we advanced about 1000 yards, despite stubborn, opposition. Heavy fighting continues on the northern outskirts of Loneueval village and Deville Wood. " . _ On the remainder of the main battlefront the situation is unchanged. Our aeroplanes* yesterday dropped many tons of explosives most successfully on railway centres, aerodromes, and other important points. Further British advance STRUGGLE CONTINUES IN " PEVTLLE WOOD. (Australian, and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. Julv 22. 11.25 a.m.') " LONDON. July 21Sir Douglas Haig reports that the British advance north of the BazentinLongueval line, pushed on to Bois ces Foureaux, whence we drove the enemy During the night the; enemy counterattacked? after an intense bombardment ■with gas shells and succeeded in effect - 1 fng an entry in the north of Deville Wood but failed to dislodge v our troops from' the southern half. Elsewhere the situation is unchangedENEMY COUNTER-ATTACK CUT UP ■HEAVY LOSSES SUSTAINED. (Australian and 2C.Z. Cable Association.) fßec. Julv 22. 12.20 p.m.) .PARIS, July 21. A communique says the enemy late on Wednesday counter-attacked south of Soyecourt." The battalions which led the ; assault caught our curtain fire and mit- I railleuses and fell back in disorder with | very heavy losses. The night was calm on "both sides of the Somme. We repulsed with the bayonet a strong party of enemy raiders in Chaulnes region during the 24 hours. An air squadron bombarded the stations at Conflans. Marslatour, ißrienlles, and Bam Junction with large projectiles. The Germans bombarded the open towns of-Baccarat. Luneville. These have been noted for reprisals. PRUSSIAN OFFICER'S TREACHERY HOW A BRITISH OFFICER. WAS • KILLED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. Julv 22. 11.25 a.m.) COPENHAGEN,' July 21. A soldier's letter states that a Prussian officer and a number of Germans approached the British holding up theiv hands. The officer threw his helmet, ■containing a bomb, at the British officer's feet killing the latter and wound- . ing three others. The Prussian officer ■was shot. FRENCH OPERATIONS GAINS SOUTH OF THE SOMME. IMPORTANT GERMAN POSITIONS' CAPTURED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PARIS.. July 21. A communique states that north of the Somme we consolidated the positions won in the morning. South of the Somaie we extended our front by an attack in the afternoon which captured the whole of the first German position from Estrees to Verman Ov-iHers HilL During the fighting to-day we captured 2900 three guns, 30 machine guns and much m-terial. We continued our progress by bombing in the rest of the'Thiaumor.t work. Our a : r squadrons bombed the station afc Thionville, Montaiedy, Brieulios andJtoisel, and military establishments at Lonach, north-east- of Basic. offensivTrevieweb OPERATIONS ENTIRELY SUCCESSFUL. (Australian and N\Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 201 The British and French public are delighted at the news <-f General Foch's capture of five miles oi the Somme iroiit. The British advances having brought their line approximately level w.th the French, General Foch "recommended an offensive at daybreak and it resulWS in most gratifying success. t It broke line and capture". five amies of trenches on both banks of the Somme, threatening Combk-s. and also relieving the pressure on the .British angle at Longueval and Deville Wood, where the British were m?-kiug a grand fight, though outnumbered by four to one. <- The positions which the Anglo-French * armies seized on the Somme were at least as difficult and twice as extensive as those the Germans seized at "Verdun. The Anglo-French troops have •accomplished in sixteen days what the Germans accomplished in five months -with fivefold the expenditure of lrves - The Germans fully recognise and realise the- dangers of the Anglo-French advance upon -the confines of the plains or Cambresis, but they are endeavouring to .confine -the fighting to the Somme sectors, as there .Is air. even greater danger in the likelihood of further •breaches in the German line, which is rolled iup in sections.

The Allies' great advantage, lies in the fact- that, the Germans are tied up in their positions and are forced to rely upon heavy guns, which are excellent for the offensive, but difficult to utilise hi defence, where mobility is all important. Tho newspapers give prominence to the excellent- results of the Australian raids, which were, on a more extensive front- than any Sir Douglas Hag has yet reported. A GERMAN REPORT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) AMSTERDAM, July 21. A German communique states : The English attacked in considerable foive our position wes tand north of F-ro-melles. Counter-attacks threw them back from points which they had penetrated. The Englsh again penetrated Longueval and Deville Farm, but counter attacks compelled them to retire, though they still hold iportions of the village and farm. Anglo-French attacks on the whole front from Foureaux Wood to the Sommc began this -morning. The first attack was broken. The French in the afternoon made, two unfruitful attacks in the region of Belloy en Sauteire. They were three times repulsed this morning in the Eatress—Hoyecourt sector. GERMAN ATTAGK SHREWDLY CONCEIVED ': BUT BRITISH TOO GOOD FOR ATTACKERS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. July 22. 9.30 a.m.l LONDON, July 21. The Daily Mail's correspondent in France writes :—The German attack on Longueval is shrewdly conceived, and if success would endanger the front where the Franco-British forces nnvv The enemv pretends that only a bri;i.'le is engaged, but French experts estimate, there were six divisions on a 2J. ut 'ie front. Despite tremendous odds and exceptional German fury, the Bnti-U magnificently withstood the attack.' TERRITORIALS~PROVE TO BE GREAT SOLDIERS STORY OF BRITISH HEROISM. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. Julv 22. 8.50 a.m.) i ' LONDON. July 21.. Mr Gibbs. correspondent of the Daily Chronicle, writes:—ln the offensive the Territorials proved to be great soldiers, both in attack and resistance. The Queen's Westminsters, Queen VictoriaRifles, the London Rifle Brigade, the Rangers, and the London Scottish, advancing at Gummecourt. reached £he German lines and captured a network of trenches with amazing speed. The enemy put a- barrage of high explosives through which no living thing could pass. The Londoners were caught in a death trap, with escape cut off. The ban-age smashed our communication trenches, preventing supports reaching the men in the captured salient. Their comrades desperately attempted to send ammunition. One party of sixty with hand grenades set out. and only three returned. The enemy organised a series of counter attacks. Some enemy parties approached the Londoners from the northern position whence the enemy v,'a.<enfiladed bv the London Scottish on -lie right, holding a redoubt and building barricades. Ammunition grew scarce and bombs were almost exhausted. The Londoners gathered German bombs, out tho position became uglier. The mm never lost heart, and an officer raliiecl six good men and ordered the others to retreat with the wounded and take their chance across No Man's Land, while nut up the last fight. He stuck to tUe barricade until all but two wc-e ki led. He was the last to leave. Gradually the Londoners withdrew under great shell fire. Many wounded remained in the field suffering great anguish for days. One officer. wounded in the leg. crawled about the field for twelve ro.\? before he was rescued.