WESTERN CAMPAIGN

Nelson Evening Mail, 24 July 1916, Page 5

WESTERN CAMPAIGN

THE SOMWIE BATTLE DEFINITE. DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED THIS WEEK. (Austra.rsan and N.Z. Cable Association.) (R.cc. Julv 24. 9.45 a.m.) " LONDON. July ?3. The Times thinks that the com.ns; week will brin<r denite developments in the Somnne battle. NEW BRITISH ATTACK r:ERM AN CORKESPOXDENTS PUZZLED I . (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. Juiv 24. 9.5 a.m.) LONDON, July 23. The 'Central News Amsterdam correspondent says that German war correspondents are puzzled' by the ißritish attacks on Promelles and south of Annentiere.s on Wednesday evening, in whkh I two strong divisions were engaged. Some consider this introduced a new offensive and some that it preludes a serious ati tempt to advance towards Lille, -while 'others think that it is a. mere demonstration to prevent the Germans sending., troops to the menaced sectors at Hooge. OPERATIONSRESUfVIED WITH INTENSE VIOLENCE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) , (Itec. .Tulv 24. 10 a.m.) 'LONDON.. July 23. j Sir Douglas Ilaig reports that the battle was resumed with intense violence on the entire iPozieres-GuilK-mont front. Territorials and Australians attacked respectively ami south-east oi Pozieres. The latter carried the outer German works. Violent fighting continues in the village, the Germans resisting desperately with many machine guns. .No definite progress i* yet reported from Pozieres. Ekc-whore on the front the fmhtLnc ; s equally intensv. We recaptured the whole oi' Longuevnl in the morning, but the Germans re-took the northern end. The outskirts of Guilk-mont twice changed hands. ANZACS SUCCESSFUL STRONG ATT AOK AT POZIERES. TROOPS SUCCESSFULLY ESTABLISHED. BRITISH TROOPS -MEET .MAN}' OBSTACLES. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. Julv 24. 12.5 p.m.) ' LONDON. July 23. The afternoon despatch from the war correspondents at Headquarters gives fuller details of the fighting. Following the heavy bombardment last night the British and Anzacs delivered an attack towards Pozieres ands--Guillemont. Notwithstanding the enemy's desperato resistance, the Anzacs succeeded in establishing themselves in Pozieres, where they are now consolidating their line. It is reported that their casualties are comparatively light. Westward 1 of the village the 'British also successfully advanced. They found the wire entanglements upon the right of Pozieres insufficiently destroyed, and ; consequently the British progress was checked by heavy machine gun fire. Despite this we gained a footing in Gnillemo'nt, but owing to a determined counter-attack were unable to maintain the advance. Progress upon the whole front continues satisfactory', especially in the neighbourhood of Pozieres, and also along the road running front the village north-westward, whereupon our troops are reported, to be established. ARTILLERY STRUGGLE HEAVY FIGiHTI NG. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (.tec. July £4. 10 a.m.) ' PARIS. July 23. A communique states: —There is an artillery struggle on the Somme front. A German night attack southward of Seyecourt tailed under our lire. The Germans are bombarding the Fleury sector. There, is grenade fighting at Chapeiksteffe. Our machine guns repulsed, an attack against the trenches at Les Eparges. SEVERAL ENEMY" AEROPLANES DESTROYED. (Peuter's Telegrams.) LONDON, July 23. Sir Douglas Haig reports that the day has been without incident, except that our airmen destroyed six hostile machines, and brought down sever.il others. CONSOIIDATSOM SCURING NECESSARY POSITIONS IN NEW GROUND. HEAVY FIGHTING FOR THE BRITISH. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 22. Mr Philip Gibbs writes: The present stage of the advance is causing us very hard fighting for important positions on the high ground which must he gained and held before new progress is possible over open country. Tho enemy are

•gathering 1 reserves and flinging them against- us to check our onward movement at all costs. They have apparently brought up new batteries of the heaviest artillery, because their fire is illcreasing. German prisoners reveal the gra\"o anxiety reigning behind the German lines, where they do not minimise the greatness of our menace, and are straining every nerve to formidably resist. On Thursday they lost many men and valuable ground against both the French and the English. Early on Thursday morning, after a long bombardment, we attacked between Delville and High Woods, and westward of those positions. The enemy were in great .strength, and maintained a strong defence. They suffered severely, being forced to retreat in disorder upon some parts of the line. Some Scottish soldiers .had a, ba 1 time as they lay under a cross fire of great British and German shells from • field batteries. Wc were firing twel-v. ! and frfteen-inch shells, which went roaring through the' air and exploded wi'.h vast earth-salting crashes. The attack was .made before dawn on rising ground towards the high rod'l which used to qo aeros from High Wood to DelviUe Wood. Now there are no roads. Our bombardment- has t r -i"n earth into a series of deep craters. The Germans had to live in the dugouts here, built in great haste since July lst. Our troops working round High "Wood and in the centre met, advancing on the wood itself over fallen trees and the bodies of German dead, determined to get a hold oil it during the day. Thay organised at strong points and captured the western side and' all the southern part o> the position in which are situated Lofigueva] and Delvillc. The woods on the north-east of that village have been very full of trouble for lis eyesince our Highland regiments took them on July 14th. Nevertheless, the Highlanders held on with dogged endurance, for nearly a week, and frustrated tl-o enemy's efforts to recover the old ground. The gallantry of the Highlanders was wonderful. Their first dash at Lnngueval was one of the finest exploits of tfie war. They were Jed by the pipers into the thick of the "battle. One re<r<nient advanced to the tune oi "Th.v Campbell's are coming." Then awful music to those, who have thj tlighlanders against, them. With fixed bayonets they stormed the German trenches, where there were many machine gun emplacements. Tile dug-outs were so strong that no shell could smash them, but the Highlanders. Hinging' themselves in two's and threes, vaulted in where the enemy were t>laced, scornful of all danger. The Germans defended the position, with most stubborn courage. The Highlanders dug trenches across the village. The enemy fcarraged the village with progressive lines of heavy shfTFls yard' oy yard, but stopped short where some ranks of the Highlanders were lying down in fours. The casualties were heavy among officers and men. but the Highlanders held on. The Daily Telegraph's Rotterdam correspondent reports that within thr->o weeks 340,000 Germans have been sens to the West front, of whom 100,000 are fresh reserves, and the balance soldiers recovered from slight wounds. The German General Staff hold every other consideration subsidiary to holding the France and Flanders line, and are prepared to sacrifice not a. little territory at certain points on the Eastern front if necessary and withdraw troops for'the West front. VERMANIMILLERS LINE POSITIONS OF' GREAT STRENGTH, o CAPTURED. (.Router's Telegrams.) PARIS, July 21. i The positions captured on the Ver- i mand-Villers line are of great strength. The French colonial battalions attacked at some points so impetuously that they overran three lines of trenches witho.it loss. Elsewhere they were less fortunate. Soyecourt, the Labyrinth, and Stai Wood, were carried bv assault. The village was surrounded' on three sides. Two whole enemy companies defending the redoubt near Vermarid-Yillers farm were captured, as' was also a. cOmpany belonging to a regiment brought from Verdun. Among the prisoners there is an extraordinary jumble of Wurtemburgers, Saxons, Badeners, Bavarians, and Prussians. They are mostly between the; ages of seventeen and twenty, ' MINOR GERMAN RAIDS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PARIS, July 22. A communique states that several minor German raids were repulsed at various points. Our air squadron three times bombarded Metz Sa.blons station, great damage being observed. » FRENCH PROGRESS ON THE MEUSE. (Renter's Telegrams.) PA R! S, Jij I y 23. A communique states that we made progress in the Floury region. SIR DOUGLAS HA TO INTERVIEWED. PARIS. July 22. Ls Ma tin interviewed Sir Douglas Haig, who said : "The supreme decision of the war is to be gained on the West front. We must impose there a peace worth having, because we shall have paid for it." EMPTY GERMAN BOAST. 'Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) AMSTERDAM, July 22. The Lokalanzieger says: "The situation should fill Germany with the greatest confidence. As the pressure at Verdun , has lured the British from the trenches w'e can weaken them appreciab-

Iv. Britain bleeds from thousands 01 wounds as never before during the Umpire's existence. "When her small results and enormous losses become known the British cries of victory will soon be silenced, and a bad awakening will follow." ANOTHER. GEE,MAN, ASSERTION. (Renter's Telegrams.) AMSTERDAM, July 22. A -German communique asserts that the Allies have abandoned their grei' uniform attacks on the previous day. It claims that the Germans captured many prisoners when they cleared the Hritisli out near Foureaux Wood . THE KAISER AND THE PRUSSIAN GUARD. (Australian and N.Z." Cable Association.) AMSTERDAM, July 21. The "-Kaiser, addressing the I'russ'an Guards in April on their transfer from the Eastern. front to the Champagne sector, said : "The foe here is tougher and more resisting, adroit and versatile. He is defending his- naiive soil with the resistance of despair, but it must be broken. Hp has prepared his soup and now he must sup it. I look to you to i see to it." It is a notable fact- that. all regiments suffered heavily in the recent fighting. EVACUATION OF BELGIUM HUGE INDEMNITY WANTED. A REPORT FROM GHENT. (Australian and N.Z. Cablp Association.) (R-ec. Julv 24. 9.45 a.m.) " LONDON, JuJy 33. The Echo -de Beige states that- posters are placarded in the barracks of Ghent stating that negotiations Have been opened between United States and' Germany, who may evacuate Belgium on the payment to Germany of ail indemnity of two thousand millions! sterling. CONTINUOUS PRESSURE PEACE MAY COME SOONER. THAN EXPECTED. RUSSIAN GENERAL'S VIEWS. (Renter's Telegrams.) (Rec. July 24. 9.45 a.m.) ' LOMDO'N, July ?3. , General Russki, interviewed at Petrograd rn route to Finland., he bc.ng now convalescent, said that the Allies aro aiming at continuous pressure at a number of different points. If we avoid the tmustak© of advancing too quickly the end ■will come sooner than is expected.