WESTERN THEATRE

Southland Times, Issue 17783, 12 July 1916, Page 5

WESTERN THEATRE

GERMANS RE-ENTER TRUNKS WOOD. FURTHER BRITISH GAINS. SUCCESSFUL AERIAL RAIDS. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 10. Received July 11, 5.50 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports : After desperate attacks the Germans re-entered Trones Wood, suffering the heaviest casualties. The fighting continues. We gained a lodgement in the enemy’s defences at the Bois De Mametz, which hitherto resisted all our efforts. We also regained the ground lost at Ovillers and La Boisellc. Aviators made several successful attacks on various detraining centres, ammunition depots, and aerodromes. GERMAN PLANS FRUSTRATED. BT RUSSIAN ONSLAUGHT. BERNE, July 10, Received July 11, 6 p.m. The German Minister states that the German staff anticipated a British attack at the end of June or beginning of July. Germany planned to destroy the British initiative by attacking about 15th June, but the Russian onslaught compelled Germany to remain on the defensive in the West and divert troops eastward. GERMAN COMMENTS. -ANXIOUS NOTE APPARENT. FEELING OF UNEASINESS. LONDON, July 10; Received July 11, 5.5 p.m. The Dally Telegraph’* Rotterdam correspondent says that an anxious note In the German comments on the West front Is becoming’ daily more apparent. The belief that the offensive has failed because there was no Immediate break through has been abandoned, and uneasiness is arising from the conviction that the-Anglo-French-are engaged In a great strategic operation. The Frankfurter Seitnng, In a sombre article, says that a purely tactical French success cannot he denied. Their object is to advance along the line from Feronne to Cnrlu in a northerly direction, so rolling up the German wing which is fighting the British. The latter are acting much more carefully, but are unable to avoid the heaviest losses. The next few days will bring the heaviest fighting against the French to prevent them from carrying out their proposed tactics. “We do not share the cheap optimism of many newspapers which describe the events on the Feronne-Albert corner as not far-reaching.” KAISER DIRECTS AGAINST THE BRITISH. LONDON, July in. Received July 11, 5.5 p.m. The Morning Rost's correspondent at British headquarters says it is rumoured that the Kaiser and staff are directing the operations against the British. Our men believe the rumour, and consequently fight the harder, delighted that the Kaiser should be an eye-witness of the rout of his favourite Prussian Guards. CAPTURE OP COST ft T.MATSON. OUR GUNS PLAT THE DEVIL. XNFANTRT TASK HAST. LONDON, July 10. Received July 11, 5.5 pan. Mr Philip Gibbs, describing the attack on Contalmalson, says that the Germans were heavily shelling Mamets Tillage, but even that was a health resort compared with the German positions in the neighbourhood of ContaJzualson, our guns putting np a terrific barrage round Contalmalson. Heavy guns far behind threw shells in great numbers from half the points of the compass to fall upon this one stretch of ground, about a mile broad. Every kind of gun, howitzers, sev-enty-fives, and our own eighteenpounders played the devil over the German lines. About eleven o’clock in the morning the fire lifted and put a dense barrage further back. There was a hash for just a second as though the guns were taking breath, then the tumult began again, while the Infantry advanced through the smoke, and a little later our men were In the village. A TRENCH EPISODE. GUARDS’ TERRIBLE MISTAKE. THE INFANTRY’S DASH. LONDON, July 11. Received July 11. 8.20 p.rn. .Mr Philip Gibbs continues;— Our battalions took possession of a horseshoe trench south-west of Gontalmalson, and here a curious affair happened. The trench ran out in the form of a horseshoe towards a German redoubt to the westward. Part of this trench was held by troops on the left, and part by troops on the right. Both believed they held the whole trench. The truth was that a pap in the middle was still tie,ld by a party of Germans, Machine-guns and bombs presently ma,dc themselves unpleasant, and orders were sent to clear the trench, which was done by the troops on the left. On the right was a strong redoubt which the Germans defended tenaciously. Jt changed hands three times before we finally held it.

An extraordinary and for the enemy a terrible tiling liappenerl. Some battalions of Prussian Guards, acting as a reserve, were hurriedly brought from Valenciennes and thrown into the battlefield without maps for guidance or any local knowledge. ’They advanced to meet our men and walked, by an awful stroke of chance, straight into our terrific barrage. A whole battalion was cut to pieces, and many others suffered frightful wounds. Prisoners stated that they lost threequarters of their strength in casualties.

When the barrage lifted our troops swept without great trouble into Contalmalson, and the wood to the north-west. The Germans were surprised by the strength and deadly accuracy of our artillery, hut were more surprised by the dash of the infantry when they heard they belonged to the new army. Though they belonged to the Guards they were eja-d to be taken prisoner.

ADVANCE 017 PEBOHUX. FRENCH SHACK THE SUBURBS. GERMAN SALIENT THREATENED. HOW BIACHES WAS TAKEN. VALUABLE AXB BECONNAISANCE. PARIS, July 11. Received July 11, 6025 pan. The capture of Blaches is Important, as the village Is practically in the suburbs of Feroxtne, though on the left bank of the canal. It was strongly fortified. The Germans wore thus drives north of the Somme. The French have also taken part of Barleux, which is only two miles from the Cha nines railway. The Germans, south of Barieux, are hanging on at VUlers, but their position is Insecure. The German salient, including Chatlines, Roye, Lasslguy, and Noyon, is seriously threatened. The French hold the whole Sauterre Plateau, the sfril of which is a bard limestone, favourable to the movement of big guns. The capture of the plateau wag the result of two days artillery preparation, enabling an advance at noon on Sunday. The Infantry, crossing two entrenched ridges, reached a broad plateau 330 feet above the sea, overlooking the whole valley. By three o’clock Blaches was attacked on three sides and captured, the survivors of the garrison returning towards Feronae Just in time to escape encirclement. A French wounded officer states that the assault was so rapid that the French losses were of the lightest, though a German army order described the position of impregnable., Assisted by the mastery of the air, the French artillery has attained remarkable accuracy, and yesterday hit a bridge at fourteen miles distance four times in succession. As aeroplane observers reported by wireless the communications in the German rear were thus uncertain and dangerous. Many prisoners were hunger-stricken. The enemy resisted longer to the right of Blaches, having free ground for artillery, but they dared not risk their heavy guns on the narrow strip between the firing line and the river. ' The fight continues at Barleux, where the French during the night captured a line of trenches extending l-rom Maisonette farm, Widen cape the plateau. FRENCH GAINS. OFFICIAL STATEMENT. PARIS, July 11. Received July 11, 8.5 p.m. Communique; Wo progressed In the approaches of Barleux, and captured a small fort on the border of Biaches, taking prisoners. We captured the farm of I.a Maxlsonetto on the summit of the plateau overlooking the Somme, also a small wood north of La Maisonette.