SUMMARY OF RECENT OPERATIONS ON SOMME FRONT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16377, 3 November 1916, Page 7

SUMMARY OF RECENT OPERATIONS ON SOMME FRONT.

CAPTURE OF SCHWABEN REDOUBT AND TRENCHES.

ELEVEN COUNTER-ATTACKS SEVERELY REPULSED.

TOTAL OF GERMAN PRISONERS NOW 31,132. Australian and N.Z. Cable. (Receiver! 3 5 p.m.) LONDON. Nor. 1. Sir Douglas Haig gives the following summary of recent operations on the Somrnc front: "There has been heavy rain almost daily, and the chalk soil of the upland between the Ancre and the Somme Rivers has been a wilderness of mud. Nevertheless we have made progress, and our front has been advanced towards Warlencourt Hill, and in the vicinity of Gueudecourt and Lesbceufs. " From Schwaben Redoubt, one of the highest points of the ridge northward of Thiepval, the Stuff and Regina trenches run due east for 5000 yds to a point 1200 yds north-east of Courcelette. The enemy defended both with great tenacity. A German regimental order dated October 20 urged the recapture of Schwaben Redoubt because it was a pivot position. This attack was not merely a matter of regaining the trenches because they were formerly in German possession, but the recapture of an extremely important point was involved. " Since losing the main portion of Schwaben Redoubt the enemy has made 11 counter-attacks in the neighbourhood. They have all been repulsed with heavy losses. That on the redoubt on October 21 was opportune. We replied, and took the whole of Regina and Stuff Redoubts, and pushed our advance posts well north of north-east of Schwaben Redoubt, capturing nearly 1100 prisoners. The Canadians and troops of the new army, who conducted this operation, deserve great credit for a signal and most economical victory. " The enemy has latterly increased his aerial activity, but this has been satisfactorily dealt with by us. ' The total of prisoners taken on the Somme battlefield is now 31,132."