ANGLO-FRENCH OFFENSIVE.

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13658, 29 August 1916, Page 3

ANGLO-FRENCH OFFENSIVE.

NEW FORM OF STRATEGY. TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENTS AND' SUDDEN ATTACK. STORM OF THUNDERBOLTS. ("The Times" Service.) - - Received August 28, at 7.5 p.m. LONDON, August 27. The Times correspondent at' Headquarters says: "The ever-increasing ferocity mid .localisation of tho bom- - bardment illustrate the new form of strategy developed by General Sir Douglas Haig. The formula comprises a sudden attack succeeding terrific artillery preparations, to which- no bombardments in the war are comparable.- The indescribable punishment inflicted on- 1 the German pdsitions by our successive advances on Thiepval and the horror of i the hurricane bombardment are ihcreas- ■ ed by their suddenness. They come without warning, as if the sky suddenly darkened, the- earth exploded and the heavens opened to give forth a hail' storm, in which every stone is a thunderbolt. The correspondent pays' a tribute to the army's spirit. The men are full ] of Resting and laughter. There are no signs of staleness- or failing confidence, The greatly increased) proportion of 1 officers captured in the recent actions, ! suggest the likelihood of a new German ' regulation that officers arc not to save ! their own lives, but are to remain and 1 hold their men. The surrender of the ' officers suggests another possibility I that the intensity of the artillery work 1 makes escape impossible. s THE DOOM OF THIEPVAL. - ] LASSOO ROUND THE STRONGHOLD } GRAPHIC PICTURE OF TERRIFIC FIGHTING. (Australian N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, August 27. Mrs Philip Gibbs,. writing to the Daily Chronicle says: The doom of Thiepval is near at hand. By a series of sharp attacks and short rushes we have forged a way across the tangled | web of trenches and redoubts'. The ! troops have bitten off the iios& of theLiepzig salient and taken Ilindenburg trench, which is almost the last defensive work barring the way to the southern entrance to the village fortress. We have advanced east and west, and'thus thrown a lassoo arounga stronghold on the hill, whence the garrison has only one way of escape, and that by a way our guils'can get them', so that they are in a death-trap. Nothing- of the village is left but heaps of rubbish, Wave after wave of Britishers swarmed the ridge in Thursday's remarkable ad- I

vauce, which not oven the very fiercest German barrage checked. Onward and upward scattered parties swept straight to the infernal fires, while all behind and all in front shells were bursting, raising enormous fantastic clouds. When the winds drifted the smoke away'some of our men were seen on the highest ground. Single figures, black against the sky, jumped into the German trenches, a ml after a terrific bomb fight there suddenly emerged a crowd of figures leaping and running. These wore the Germans trying to reach our trenches to surrender aud get some cover from their own shell lire. The assaulters meanwhile held the conquered ground, which will tighten tho iron net around Thicpval. STRUGGLE FOR THIEPVAL, GREATEST ARTILLERY DUEL EXPECTED. BRITISH MASTERY OF THE AIR. (Australian and N.Z, Cnblo Association,) Received August 28, at 7.5 p.m. LONDON, August 27. Mr Philip Gibbs says; The Wiltshires aud Worccsters deserve the honour General Sir Douglas llaig had given them, They advanced splendidly over ei great stretch of "No Man's Laud." After the great assault, they sustained a long fierce bombardment, followed by a strong attack by the Prussian Guards. It is probable that the Germans will make a big effort to check (lie advance to the ridge near Thicpval to High Wood and thus endeavour to rescue l'hiepval from its impending fate. Our mastery of the air, places the German gunners at a great disadvantage. Our positions are such that our guns are able to cause the heaviest casualties. The moral of the Germans in the shell craters and runis is badly shaken. Mr Gibbs adds: The. coming operations involving the. fate of Thicpval. will see the greatest artillery 'duel seen on the British front. GERMAN CONT-DSfjIOK. WITHDRAWAL FROM PRESENT LINES. . "MIGHT BE OBLIGED," (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PARIS, August 27. A semi-official Note .in the German newspapers attempts to. reassure the public regarding the Franco-British offensive. ' The Note says: France and Great Britain have used against 113 everything they possess in the way of men, gnus, and ammunition, and Hie only result after a fight of forty-eight days, during which our enemies endured the heaviest sacrifices, is the bending.in of our line reaching at the niost pronounced point half a centimetre on the map. The worst that could happen to us is that we might be obliged, as on the Mame, to abandon a portion of the conquered territory in order fo straighten our front and euable us to offer (in wellorganised positions two centimetres eastward) the same resistance we are maintaining on llie Somme.' The Note conveys the'first German semi-official admission of the possibility ■ of tho abandonment of the present lines,

ALLIES FURTHER ADVANCE. GERMANS CLAIM LOCAL SUCCESSES, ' CONFLICTING EEPOETS. (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association,) . LONDON, August. 27. . Sir Douglas Haig reports: AVe diave • captured an additional ',200 yards.of " trench northward, of Bazentin-Petit. 1 German artillery was,active all night, L between the-Somme and the Ancre, • heavily shelling the neighbourhood .bl 1 Bethune, , ..We, retaliated-by shelling ! the railway stations-and barracks, ■ LONDON, August 27., . A German communique' says:.. Be-, peated British attacks southward of Thiepval and; northwards ofPozicres were • repulsed' after desperate iiancl-to-hand fighting. The enemy attacks, northward; of Bazentin-le-Petit and . High Wood were unsuccessful, as also were the French attacks with: strong forces in the Maurepas-Clery sector, The enemy penetrated our lines northward of Clery, but were ejected. Our (ire.broke - attacks -at Thiauniont . and Floury.-' We have brought down seven aeroplanes... • ' ' PARIS, August 27; Au official communique says: Bad weather continues to hamper our, operations. ,Thc Germans thrice made a night-attack on.the Vitus Wood -. and' Cliapitre, but were repulsed ..with heavy, losses.', ' We repulsed■ many: coups' Vlo main'in. .Lorraiil'e and.-ch'ecked an attack ,on an 'BOO-metre front, at Croix St. Jean. • NEW YORK, August 27, The Allies'.agents at- Pittsburg have, ordered several thousand tons of steel supports for the trenches on the West front. / BAD WEATHER REPORTED. • SUCCESS OP BOMBING OPERA- ■ ■ TIONS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received August 28, 8.45 p.m. LONDON, August 28. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: Bad weather has hampered our operations. We gained ground west' of Ginchy, There is artillery activity 'on both sides, We blew up some* bomb stores and exploded mines between Neuve Cliapelle and Anneutieres, SMASHING THE PRUSSIANS.. MARKED CONTRAST. BETWEEN., OPERATIONS, - (Australian ami Jf.Z. Cablo Association,) Receivdd August 28.- 8.5 p.m. ' ' LONDON, August 28. J .The Paris correspondent of the Daily. 1 Chronicle says: The Prussian Guards i advanced with great bravery an(l j charged six times and as often were 1 shattered, t The German attack ; was : prepared, on a significantly narrow : front, with great thoroughness, which ; leaves a more marked contrast be- .' tween the enemy's impotence and our I steady, though difficult progress, A Paris reports: Bad i weather and nothing important to announce. RUSHING FORWARD REINFORCE- . MENTS. DEFENSIVE WAR SUGGESTED. ] (Australian and Jf.Z, Cable Association,) Received August 28,8.5 p.m. ' ' AMSTERDAM, August 28, ' 1 The Echo ile Beige learns of the con- ' stant night- movements, of German 1 trains carrying AhtWerp'ga'rl'ison'' to the :I front. ' '• '• Received August 28, 8.4 a p.m. ' PARIS, August 28. According to Amsterdam news the Germans are said to be abandoning further important action on-the Westfront and continuing purely defensive actions, hoping to prolong the war until the enemy is exhausted. ]