ANGLO-FEENCH OFFENSIVE.

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13666, 7 September 1916, Page 3

ANGLO-FEENCH OFFENSIVE.

CHALLENGE TO VON HINDENBURG. SUNDAY'S BRILLIANT BATTLES. GERMAN EFFORTS UNAVAILING.

FURTHER GAINS ON WIDE FRONT. STRONG POSITIONS CAPTURED, ENEMY'S SECOND LINE OCCUPIED The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, September 5. (3.30 p,m,)

The British official report says: Our gains at Guttlcmont were increased during the night, despite despcrato resistance. For 1500 yards in an eastern direction we have obtained a footing in Lcuze Wood, Southwards tlio whole of tho enemy's strong system of defence on a front ,of • 1000 yards at Fallemont is ours. The whole of the enemy's remaining second line of defence from Mouquet Farm to the point of our junction witli tho French is ours,

ALLIED STRATEGY DEVELOPING,

(Australian and N.VS. Cablo Association.)

Received Septembor G, 0.30 p.m. f

LONDON, September 7.

Anglo-French military experts regard the battle of Sunday and Monday, as the most brilliant ■ since- the Ist of July.. Sovon thousand prisoners were captured. Even Marshal von Hin'deriburg, who had just completed an inspection of tho Sonime front, describes ihe battles as "on a great scale and of great violence!" Marshal .von Ilindcnbiirg. had i a 'frenzied reception on the'Somnie and put new • spirit .into the defenders, but thoy were unable to cope with British doggedneso and French dash,

CONTINUE ADVANCING. BIG BAG OF PRISONERS. . MASSED ATTACKS REPULSED. (Australian and S.Z, Cable Association), Received September 6, G,58 p.m. LONDON, September G. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: We continued advancing and arc in full posseession of all the ground between .Falfcroiit Farm and Lcuzo Wood, and between tho latter and the outskirts of Giiichy. Tuesday's fighting further strengthened our position at Lcuze Wood, of which we hold tho greater part. A French conimuulmio says:—

Unlike the Ist of July thero was no element of surprise, Owing to the enforced lull, due to bad weather, General von Gallwitz was able to bring up considerable reinforcements in troops and. material, The Germans even attempted to forestall the Allied attack, but were ignominiously defeated. The weather twice forced the Anglo-French commanders to

postpone operations. The advance commenced on an eighteen and thrcc-quartcr miles front, as tho crow flics, but twentynine and a half miles as the trenches run, The British attacked at dawn asd tho French at midday, Five hours later every objective had been gained,

Wc made important progress castward of Lc Forest, north-eastward of tllory. Wo also captured the village of Onmiecourt, thus picking up lite positions north and south of tho Somnie.

Wo repulsed repealed massed attacks on Barlcux and Bclloy sectors, inflicting sanguinary losses. We captured Jifty-iivc olficcrcs and 3992 men southward of the Soinmc since Tuesday. The total prisoners since tlio 3rd, north and south of the Somme, total GGOO men, thirty-six guns, of. which twenty-eight are heavy calibre. BRILLIANT COMBATS. 'BATTLES WAGED WITH EXTREME VIOLENCE. ALL POSITIONS MAINTAINED. (Australian and N.Z. G'alilu Association,; llecciovcd September 6,9.10 p.m. PARIS, Septcmbor 0. An official communionc says:— By a series of brilliant combats, northward of the Somme on Tuesday, " our troops by showing irresistible dash seized, north-eastward of Clcry, the extremity of a hill, traversed by Eouchavesnes-Clcry road. Wc have captured since the 3rd in the northern sector, twenty-four heavy and eight light guns, a largo depot of shelcls, a captive balloon, and many machine guns. The battle southward of the Soinmc is being waged with extreme violence, Despite the enemy's repeated onslaught we maintained all our positions, Wc carried a lincof trenches eastward of Soyccourf and reached tlio outskirts of Denicourt Park. There is a strong canonadc in the Henry and Chcnois sectors,

The capture of Guillomout meant taking the greatest German (stronghold on the Soinnio, with Thiopval as the key positions on tlio German line. The Fifth Brandenburg Division, which mado its name a.t D.ouaumont (Verdun); dofendod Guilloniont sector foot by foot. One detachment held out in a small fort on the Confute) road, until ita ammunition was exhausted. The British found ■ten defenders alive, The Germans made desperate efforts to recovor their losses, and six counter-attacks were broken by Allied machine guns. The situation was still more satisfactory on the French front than the British. fP' On the British front the greatest difficulties are in the Tliicpval region, where the German communiques continno to record full-Wooded infantry attacks, Thoso arc untrue, Since the failure of the attack north of the Ancrc, early in July, General Sir Douglas Haig has refrained from frontal attacks on Thiopval, grudging the loss of life, being content with a flank advance, which will eventually forco the Germans at Thiopval to

surrender. The recent British operations aimed at turning tlio position at Beau-mont-Havel, They accordingly advanced along the road running west along the edge of Thicpval. This advance is still blocked by the field works near Mouquct Farm, Until these have been taken the Germans can hold Thicpval, ■> General Hajg is of opinion thai nothing will be gained by extending the bulgo at High Wood, until the rest of the line has advanced, but the capture of Guillcimml; was essential aud constitutes tiio most conspicuous success since the Australians captured Poziorca. One particularly brilliant cpisodo was the capture of Palfciiionl Farm, standing on a, spur, overlooking and commanding Cqmbles. The seizure of the'ponlion greatly strengthens the French position, while the capture oi Olcry paves the way to the crossing of the Sonime towards Pennine.

TRIBUTE TO THE ANZAOH. BBILLTAXT CAPTUJtE OF MOFQUET FARM. (Australian and N.Z. Ual In Association.) LONDON, Sepl ember <l, Mr Philip Gibbs, writing In Ik Daily Cluonii'le, slates Hint one of I lie most valuable faetnrs in Hie British advance "ii Sunday was I lie Anzac attack on Mnmpiel Farm, The men knew (lie ground intimately, as I hey hail, already explored I he ruins nf the farm by » strong patrol sonic days and they were conlidenl I hey could dn the same thing again, I hough Hie site might be difficult In hold against hostile lire. Xowhere was there level ground, shellholes being everywhere, some full of water and mud. The men plunged up to the armpits, and many were bogged. There were really no trenches to be taken, as the Germans were merely

holding lines of shell craters, in which machine' guns had been placed. The enemy were scattered in isolated groups with stores of bombs, and it was extraordinarily difficult to attack such a position, because there \yas no delimit: line. The Australians encountered horrible spasms of machine-gun lire from unknown 'quarters on both sides, and even behind. By the time the farm was reached the battle had broken, but there were many separate encounters between small parties of Australians and Prussians. Despite the "huggermugger" lighting the Australians pushed forward and advanced parties entered the farm and got two 'hundred yards beyond, Though nothing remains of the farm higher than a man, the enemy had strengthened the position with the usual dug-outs and tunnels strongly projected with timber and cement,

OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUES.

MARKED SUCCESS ANNOUNCED,

FIEECE COUNTER-ATTACKS SMASHED.

(Australian and N.Z. C'tihlo Association.) LONDON, September-5. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We are now 1500 yards eastward of Guillemout, and have obtained a footing in Leuze Wood. We have captured the whole defence over a .1000 yards front at Vallomout since Sunday, and have captured the whole remaining onemy second .line from Mouquet Farm to the jiinction with tlieJ'Yench. Our prisoners exceed 1000. fighting continues at Guiiichy. The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, September 5. A French official report states that tlio bad weather is increasing on the Sonimc, A Herman counter-attack on Anderlu Wood failed with heavy eneinv losses. South of the Somme the Germans' attempt to regain a point on the front eastwards of Eelloy-en-Santerrc was repelled, We captured 100 prisoners.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, Septembecr 5. A French communique says: The weather continues unfavourable. We are organising the ground gained, A strong counter-attack between Coiubles and Le Forest broke down, and attacks elsewhere were repulsed. A German comnmiii(|iio says: There lias been hot lighting between Le Forest and the Sotmue. South or' the Somnie we are resisting attacks of the enemy on a 20-kilometre front from Barleux to Chilly. Wc have lost Chilly, PARIS, September o. A French communique reports: We added another hundred yards to Sunday's gain eastward of Floury. The enemy's powerful attack on our positions at "(Jhingis Wood carried a small fort on the Vaux road and the trenches to the westward. A brilliant counterattack enabled us to re-occupy the whole of the ground. Upwards of 500 •unwounded were taken prisoner in the Flenry district on Sunday and Monthly. LONDON, September y. ' A German communique says: 'Wc repulsed the French at Souvillc, east of Floury.