A STUPENDOUS MONTH

Nelson Evening Mail, 4 August 1916, Page 5

A STUPENDOUS MONTH

GREATEST BATTLE IN BRITISH

HISTORY

{Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. y

LONDON, August 3. S'-r Douglas Haig reports that the situation is unchanged and quiet, except for an. artillery attack against Trones Wood. Our artillery, in co-operation with aviators, destroyed seven gun emplacements and six ammunition dumps near Grandcourt, and others elsewhere. Mr Philip Gibbs, reviewing the month's fighting'., says it has been a stupendous month. The finest flower of our race have flung themselves against ; the enemy with an exaltation and courage that'is someth'ng divine and sacrificial. It is intensive fighting all the way .-■ for every bit of ground. The phase well called the Battle of the Woods, has been the greatest battle in the history of our race, the greatest in numbers, duration, and sacrifice. We have taken eleven enemy strongholds, killed and wounded an inrmense number of Germany's finest troops, at least 100,000. and also inflicted a mortal blow upon her pride. There is not a soldier among our fighting men. who has not escaped death • by a hair's 'breadth, too often for reckoning. .They faced *b : s thing not gladly ibnt withsa. marvellous devotion to s°™ething higher than themselves. They don't as a rule go to battle with a •prayer on their lips; more often they use outrageous language, which as worse when 'they come out. nor glory that has inspired the Britisher to fight, but the ideal of manhood which is not "to surrender though the earth opens 'beneath his feet and the heavens Tain fire upon" him. At any time of the day or-night he will lay down his life .for his friend. That is the spirit. LONDON, Aug. 2. The latest details of ±he fortified work we- carried between Hem Wood and Mcmacn Farm show thai-it contained a inn-dred :German corpses. Up to the

present we have collected four machine guns at this work. South of the Somme two counter-at-tacks were (repulsed by us northward of Deniecourt.

ADVANCE AT FLETJRY (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. Aug 4, 11.30 a.m.) PARIS, Aug. 3. A' communique states: —We substantially progressed southward of Fleury, reaching the outskirts of the village. THE BELGIANS. ' (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, Aug. 3. A Belgian communique states that an artillery duel continues on the Belgian front, espec'.ally north of Dixmude. SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS ON THE MEUSE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PARIS, Aug. 3. • A communique states that we made many»successful attacks on the Meuse front southward of Fleury, and also eastward of Vacherauville, and in the ' a-egions of Thiaumont and Fleury, capturing many prisoners.