THE BATTLE FRONTS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14048, 19 July 1916, Page 3

THE BATTLE FRONTS.

The High Commissioner reports. LONDON, July 17. , On the British frorjt heavy rain and mists have again interfered with opera - tions,. Nothing importaht .has occurred tti-day. " The total number of prisoners taken shice July Ist amounts to 189 officers and 10,779 men. The captured armament includes fiv<: eight inch and three six inch howitzers four six inch and .five other heavy guns, thirty-seven field guns, '• and thirty trench howitzers, sixty-six machine guns, and .many thousand rounds of gun ammunition. The above is ' exclusive of many guns not yet brought m and numbers destroyed by our bombardment and abondOned. The French front is comparatively calm. LONDON, July 18,; 3.15 p.m. Sir, Douglas Haig reports that thick mjst and incessant rain are interfering with operations m the neighbourhood of the Somme. Northwards of Oviliers the British substantially progressed at night on a front of one thousand yards. The enemy were driven out of several strongly defended points, we capturing prisoners and six machine guns. Near Wytschacte we successfully raided German trenches. Opposite Guinshy similar attempts were frustrated by our fire. LONDON, July 18, 3.35 p.m; Tlie French official report says : South of the Somme the Germans attacked yesterday evening and night m the village of Biaches and at La Maisonette. Despite repeated attempts costing him heavy losses, the enemy was unable to reaoh La Maisonette. -.Some enemy detachments proceeded nlong the canal east of Biaches, where the fighting continues. - j ' To the left of the Meuse a coup-de-main directed on our trenqhes at Hill 304 failed under fire. On the right bank the night was marked by grenade . combats m the neighborhood of Chapelle Sainte Fine «md westwards of FJeury. Everywhere the enemy -vyas repulsed. There has been lively artillery action m the region of La Laufee and Chenois. The Italian official report says :— There have been ■ artillery duels m the regions of St. , Elois and "Trovale. In Vallarsa. the enemy's attacks were defeated at Foppiano. Notwithstanding vigorous resistance by the enemy the Italian infantry resumed tho advance; on the northern slopes of the Bosina-Astico area, where the enemy attempted to check its progress by repeated fruitless counter-at-tacks.