PRACTICALLY NOTHING LEFT OF OVILLERS BUT DUST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16283, 17 July 1916, Page 5

PRACTICALLY NOTHING LEFT OF OVILLERS BUT DUST.

GERMAN REAR NOW THREATENED BY THE BRITISH.

SUCCESS WILL ENABLE FRENCH TO RESUME ATTACK.

Australian and N.Z. Cable. (Received 7 .m.) PARIS. July 15 . Practically nothing remains of the village of Ovillers except dust. The British guns swept the village flat. The Germans are still holding out in great underground cellars, made by the inhabitants. The British progress at Ovillers, and their capture of Bazentine-le-Grand and Bazentine-le-Petit-of which the latter is the larger village bring the British on to the flanks of the Germans at Pozieresthreatening the German rear.

The capture of Longueval entailed an assault on a hill 500 ft high The next difficulty after Longueval is the village of Guillemont, which is powerfully organised and armoured, and where another 500 ft hill has to be negotiated. The capture of Guillemont will be appreciablv easier, since Trones Wood, which covers the village, has been cleared of the enemy.

Sir Douglas Haig is still not master of the important plateau of Thiepval, which is a strong sector on the German first line. The British approach to Combles, however, permits the French to resume their attack, which has been delayed pending the British advance The French at Hardecourt are in a position to threaten Combles from the south, while the British are attacking on the north-west