FRENCH TACTICS

Nelson Evening Mail, 7 September 1916, Page 5

FRENCH TACTICS

STEADILY FORCING BACK OF GERMAN LINE.

'Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

(Rec. Sept. 7. 9.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 6.

The New York Times Paris correspondent visited, the Somme front. He says that in the two days' battle the French inflicted a crushing defeat on the flower of the German forces. They stormed what the Germans claimed to be impregnable fortifications with a minimum of loss to their own side, and caused 50,000 German casualties. The correspondent asserts that the Germans are trying to fight the war on the lines originally laid down, but the French have adapted their tactics to the changed conditions, with the result that since Jury, the French have advanced alom? a fifteen miles front to a depth of five to ten miles, holding and strengthening the capture ground, and not trying to break through the German line, but exerting steady, inexorable pressure before which the whole sector is eventually forced to give way. SITUATION REVIEWED BY EXPERTS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, Sept. 5. Anglo-French military experts regard the battle of Sunday and Monday as the most brilliant since July Ist. Seven thousand prisoners were captured. Evenr Hindenburg, who has just completed his inspection of the Somme front, describes the battle as being one on a great scale and of great violence. Hindenbnrg's frenzied reception on the Somme put new spirit into the defenders, but they were unable to cope with British doggedness and French dash. Unlike the First of July battle, there was no element of surprise, and owing to the forced lull due to the bad weather, Von Gallwitz was able to bring up considerable reinforcements of troops and material.

The Germans even attempted to forestall the Allied attack, but were ignominioasly defeated. ;n > The weather twice forced the AngloFrench commanders to postpone operations. The advance commenced on an eighteen end. three-quarter miles front as the crow fies, and 29£ miles as the trenches run. ' The British attacked at dawn and the French at midday. Five hours later every objective had been gained . The capture of Guillemont meant taking the great German stronghold on the Somme. it and Thiepval being the key positions of the German line. The Fifth Brandenburg Division, which made its name at Douaumont, defended the Guillemont sector foot by foot. A detachment held out in a small foit on the Combles road until its ammunition was exhausted. The British found ten of the defenders alive. The Germans made desperate efforts to recover their losses, six counter-attacks •being broken by the Allied machine sruns. The situation is still more satisfactory on the French front than on the British line. The greatest difficulties were in the Thiepval region, where the German communiques continue to record fullblooded infantry attacks. These statementsare untrue, as since the failure of the attack north of the Ancre early in

July, Sir Douelas Haig has refrained f from frontal attacks at Thiepval, grudging the loss of life. He is content with a flank advance, which will eventually force the Germans at Thiepval to surrender. ,

The recent British operations aimed at turning the position of BeaunmntHamel. Accordingly we advanced on a road running west along the edsre of Thiepval. This advance is still blocked by field works near Slouquet Farm, and until these are taken the Germans will

hold Thiepval. Sir Douglas Haig opines that nothing is to be eained by extending the bulge at High Wood until the rest of the line ihas advanced, but the capture of Guillemont was essential. It was the mart conspicuous success since the Australians' capture of Pozieres. A particularly brilliant enisode was the capture of Falfemont Farm, standing on a spur overlooking and commanding Combles. The i seizure greatly strengthens the French position, while the capture of Clery paves the way for the crossing of the Somme towards Peronne.