FRENCH OPERATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, 25 September 1916, Page 5

FRENCH OPERATIONS

FORTTI<TED HOUSE CAPTURED r | (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (. PARIS, .Sept. 23. A communique says that we captured by a surprise attack a fortified house on the outskirts of Combles. Further east we carried' several portions of j wenches. I Our curtain fire frustrated enemy attacks south of Rancourt. The total number ofi prisoners taken j from the Ist to the 18th September was j 55.800 of whom 34,050 were captured by the French. Patrols passing forward to the southern outskirts of Combles found numerous enemy dead. The night was generally quiet. I There is .great aerial activity on the entire Somime front. "La Liberte" publishes a statement I made by a French staff officer to the effect that the 'Germans in the .battle on September 20th lost at least 30.000 men. VIOLENT ARTILLERY FIGHTING. 'Australian and N.Z. CaDle Association., PARIS, Sept. 24. A comanainique states that a violent artillery fire is proceeding in the Bouchavesnes, Belloy, and Berny sectors. An enemy attack southward' of Col Sainto Marie, in the Vosges, was repulsed. . Our airmen bombed military establishments at Ludwigshaven, in the Pal latinate, and a hig factory at Mannheian. A vast fire and several explosions' were observed.

ELEVEN ENEMY MACHINE BROUGHT DOWN. (Beuter's Telegram? , {Official.) PARIS, Sept. 23. la aerial battles yesterday we brought down eleven enemy machines . •GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. .Australian and N.Z. Cable Association , AMSTERDAM, Sept. 23. A Berlin communique says: "The ibattle on the ,Somme has been resumed 1 The French resultless'ly attacked on the Cbmbles-Rancourt line, and the British at Courcelette. We brought down 11 aeroplanes on the Somme. GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. LONDON, Sept. 22. A German communique reports:— There are artillery and grenade engagements on the Somme and the Meuse. Near Korytnica the Russians still occupy small'partions of our position. There is vigorous artillery activity between the Sereth and the Strypa. We again lost hte summit of Smotrec. Roumanians atacked south-west of Topraisar. The Germans, Rulgars, and Turks in encircling counter-attacks are forcing them back in disorder. Fighting has reawakened east of the Yarda-r.