FRANCO-BRITISH OFFENSIVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16752, 21 July 1916, Page 5

FRANCO-BRITISH OFFENSIVE

THE BRITISH FRONT. GERMAN MASSED ATTACK. A TEMPORARY SUCCESS. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. LONDON, July 19. General Haig reports: An enemy attack, the beginning of which has already been reported, was directed during the night against our new positions' east of Bazentui -village. Very large Gennan reinforcements collected for tho attack. After intense artillery fire their first assault was delivered in dense masses at 5.30 pm. The fighting continued particu larly violent at Belville Wood throughout tho night. After suffering very heavy losses the enemy succeeded in recapturing a portion of Belville Wood, and also obtained a footing in the northern outskirts of Longueval. Elsewhere the attack, including three separate nssaults on Waterlot Farm, completely broke down under our fire. From the rest of the front the news is unimportant. /

THROWN OUT AGAIN. Reuter's Telegrams. LONDON, July 19. General Sir D. Haig reports that most of the ground retaken by the enemy at Longueval and Belville has been recovered. DOMINION TROOPS. SPECIAL PLACE IN FRANCE'S HEART. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. PARIS, July 19. M. Gustavo Herve, writing in L'Aviatoire, says: " Onr popular instinct from the first taught us to reserve a special place in our hearts for these Australasians, South Africans, and Canadians who came from the other end of the world to fight at our side." GERMAN CONCENTRATION BROKEN UP. LONDON, July 20. (Received July 20, at 7.30 p.m,) Sir Douglas Haig reports: We dispersed a large enemy massing for attack on Waterloi Farm from the direction of Guillemont. TWO MORE SCAPEGOATS. BERNE, July 20. (Received July 20, at 7.30 p m.) Two more German commanding officers (Generals Brockhaus and von Zitzewitz) holding commands on the west front have been suspended. SLIGHTLY WOUNDED. SYDNEY, July 20. The Australian casualty list includes the name of Lieutenant J. T. Lang, formerly of Palmerston North, who has been slightly wounded. THE FRENCH FRONT. A CALM NIGHT. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. PARIS, July 19. A communique states: The night was calm on all the fronts. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. GERMAN ATTACKS FAIL.

LONDON, July 19,

The TTigh Commissioner reports: — The French ofiic.al icport says: The right was calm on the sweater part of the front.. Two coups de mam bv the c:ic.ny on our small potts in the of Pa«pechendiele, in ]selgium. and north of tho Aisno at Pasry, failed under our fire On the east bank of thp Mouse tbeie has been lively ailillery \u»k in the rector around Fleury. Wo made some pi ogress with grenades at Cliapc'le St. Fine. CAPTURE OF FORT BIACHES. A CLEVER RUSE. PARIS, Julv 19. A hicky French ruse captured Biaches Fort on July 9. It was ro well concealed and protected that the French bombardment failed to destroy the works. A German company held out for 24 hour'. Then a French rub l'eutenant with e'ght men found a vulnerable rpot, and thev entered the fort unseen. The officer and a man rushed fonwurl, throv.inc,' grenades and shouting: " Chargp v, ith bayonet-.." On this 123 fiermnns came out of their fheltcr without resisting Six other Frenchmen at cmoo sprang; furvv.rd with p;r?at fury and utteih decc'\n! the enemy, who filing down thoir arms. Thus Binchos Fort v. is cTptured without tho loss , of a Frenchman.

NOTHING SACRED TO THE HUNS. DESECRATION OF A CEMETERY. LONDON, July 19. Mr H. Warner Allen, with the'lYench headquaiters on the Somme, describes the sacrilege of the Germans in making fortresses of the Ctii-lu graveyards, emptying graves and vaults and using them as dugouts. They destroyed and flung out coffins and corpteo, uprooting headstones and railings for barricades, and linking up the ■whole with subterranean passages, forming elaborate defence works full of concealed shelters and machine guns. When the Germans were driven from the village tliey finally took refuge in these dugouts, compelling the French to concentrate their artillery, and lay the church in ruins before the position was conquered.

GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT.

NO BRITISH SUCCESS ANYWHERE

AMSTERDAM, July 19.

A Berlin communique states: We tp captured the village of Longueval and Belville Wood during the night, after fierce lighting by the Magdeburg 26th Infantry Regiment. In addition to other sanguinary losses, the British lost eight officers aixl 280 men taken prironer. They left a considerable number of machine guns. Our curtain fire dispersed enemy attacks north of Ovillers and the southern border of Pozieres. The British have not had the slightest success anywhere. French local attacks north of Barleux near Belloy, failed. The enemy continue to make fruitless efforts againrt the German lines at Terrefroide, on the right bank of the Meuse. A SMALL OPERATION. ENEMY TRENCHES CAPTURED. PARIS, July 20. (Recened July 20, at 730 p.in ) A communique states : A small operation enab.ed us to capture some trenches south of Estrees. There is intense artillery activity in the Fleury sector.