THE SOMME FRONT

Nelson Evening Mail, 2 August 1916, Page 5

THE SOMME FRONT

FIERCEST FIGHTING CONTINUES GERMAN MAN-POWER CONCENTRATED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 31. Dutch reports show that there is a cessation of big movements of German reir forcements westward, proving that her man power is now on the West frcnt; but she is still rushing in guns, hoping to counteract the British superiority in men. It is estimated /that there are 700 German batteries on the Somme front. Tli j fiercest fighting continues. Ti-t spell -of hot, clear weather is far ilßating air work, in which the A'i-glo-French aviators maintain their superiority. The immediate Anglo-French objectives are Ginchy, Guillemont and Maurepas, screening the township of C'ombles, which the Germans have transformed into a fortress. Any French progress east of the Clery-Combles line will threa/ten the German position at Peronne, which is still the main object of the French attack. Fierce fighting is proceeding in the woods north of the main foad : from Ginchy to Combles. The woods are strongly organised, and the Brandenburgers took a 'position in the wood after their defeat at iLongueval and Delville Wood. The British have sworn to ! complete the rout of the Brandenburgers from their new position. A continuous supply of heavy shells is the governing factor of the fighting. Mr Philip Gibbs, describing Sunday's fighting in the vicinty of Waterlot Farm, says our artllery ..maintained a heavy bomljardment .to support the infantry's advance over difficult ground, Many Germans surrendered) in the early stages.

The Ciorrn iti's "work of digging new trenches oast of the I/ongueval-Gxiille-mont road "was upset, 'by the British. The Scots initiated a forward' movement from Waterlot Farm, which is only a collection of rained buildings. Leaving at dawn, they .reached the first German, ■lines with few casualties, but found 1 the enemy holding a. 'trench across the railway lino strongly, with the next trenches east of the road, whence they enfiladed the attackers. The Scots hid in a series of shell craters, where they were attacked by a large force of German machine guns and forced to .retire to the trenches, onr machine gunners covering the treafc and mowing down many of the enemy. Later the Scots wore reinforced, and •practically %vi-ped out a strong force of enemy bombers and men carrying munition boxes. This time some of the gunners were sick of the business, and a party emerged with their hands up. Scots went out to bring them in. when the enemy in the trenches beyond opened fire and killed a number of their own men and some of the Scots. During the night- stretcher-bearers found a wounded Scot whom a German patrol had' left behind because he gave them, a drink. The Germans wished him good luck nnd a safe retum to his own lines.

Corresjjondents state that the Germans have dug many new trenches -behind Giiillemont.

Among the new gains brought up is a naval 11-incher. It is believed that eleven battalions garrison the vital stretch of trench of about 2000 yards near Guillemont. The British artillery's toll is therefore correspondingly heavy. Some of the German entanglements are 50 Yards deep. LONDON, July 31. Sir Douglas Haig reports that there has been no infantry fighting to-day. Our aviators made several raids and dropped seven tons of bombs on German positions. They blew up a train and ammunition depot.