WESTERN THEATRE

Southland Times, Issue 17785, 14 July 1916, Page 5

WESTERN THEATRE

RE-TAKING OP CONTALMAISON. GERMANS BADLY PUNISHED. TERRIBLE BRITISH BOMBARDMENT ENEMY IN A DREADFUL STATE SEVERAL STRONGHOLDS SMASHED (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) (Australian & N. 21. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 18. Received Jody 13, 6.45 p.m, Mr Philip Gibbs, the correspondent, states that prior to the capture of Con. talmaison the enemy’s shell fire was more intense and widespread than in the past. Pof a few days he has been bombarding’ oar positions from La Bolselle to Montanbon, fiercely searching the wood at La Bolselle with shrapnel. High explosives were failing into Montanlion Tillage. At 3.30 o'clock in the afternoon the enemy heavily harraged in a straight line below Contalmaison, and formed a wall of black icmoke with only a few gaps. At four o'clock our guns concentrated on Contalmaison and the little straggling wood to the right of Mamets, also this German trenches defending Contalmaison ridge. Through the muoke our men moved forward and captured the village, and the enemy at Contalmaison knew that their position was hopeless.

When our guns lifted many of those still alive and uuwounded streamed out of the village in a disorderly retreat, only to he caught by the extended barrages between Contalmaison Foizeres and Baaentin, so that. the rout became a shambles. Ocr men entered the village and thoroughly searched machine-gun emplacements and dugouts to prevent further trouble.

The enemy in Contalmaison were in a dreadful state and suffered to the very brink of human endurance. Prisoners stated that rations were soon exhausted, and it was Impossible to get fresh supplies owing to our ceaseless gun-fire. They suffered great agonies from thirst. Other prisoners state that the effect cf onr fire was terrible. At least half those bolding the village were killed or wounded. When onr soldiers entered they walked over corpses. Those who escaped lay on the ground with their faces to the earth, utterly exhausted. Mr Philip Gibbs concludes :“I have seen things to-day before which one’s soul swoons., In ten days, by the wonderful gallantry of the troops and tho great power o;f our guns, wo have smashed several German strongholds strong as any part of the western front, and defended stubbornly by masses of guns and troops. The enemy has now been forced back to his next line of defences. The cost was great, but the enemy Josses were greater, and German headquarters are pushed fox reserves.” CONTALMAISON INCIDENTS DEEDS OF BRAVERY GERMAN GUNNERS TIED DOVE (The Times.! LONDON. July 12. Received July 1:!, 7.MM p.m. The Times correspondent, describing incidents in the Contalmaison fight, says that a Northumterland Fusilier, sent hack with a message, was mortally wounded. He struggled on till he reached the advanced post, and had only enough strength left to point to his tunic and say: “It's in there,” before he died. A lieutenant in the Yorkshires was wounded twice. After twelve hours he managed to crawl back in the darkness. Eli route lie found two unwounded Germans hiding in a shell hole. He brought Hjem in as prisoners with the help of a revolver. Jt has now been proved that the Gorman machine-gunners were tied to (heir guns. One was discovered fastened by straps over his insteps to staples driven into the ground, and by a chain round his waist.

The cable news in this issue accredited to The Times has appeared in that journal, but only where expressly stated is such news title editorial opinion of The Times.

AT VERDUN AWFUI OEIIMAN ONSLAUGHT A PEW COSTLY TABUS PA IIIS, .inly 1". Iteceived .Inly 1"., p.m. Official: -Tliere is nothing to report on the Somme. Tin- Germans made an awful attack in tlie region of Staivilh- Fort. Six regiments debouched from Floury. Vmis, ami I’iiapitre Wood, and launched a violent cn masse assault, on a narrow front. They succeeded, at the price of - imr moils losses, in gaining a little ground at the intersect ion of llic Flenrv ami Vanx roads. REASON POB TEBDIJH ACTIVITY I-OX I lON, .Inly I Iteceived .Inly 1", X.L’.i p.m. Fighting continues unabated mi the Somme. Tin- recrudescence of activity at Verdun shows that the Germans intend to maintain activity there in the hope of restricting the Anglo-French offensive The hi test operations aim at driving a wedge towards Souvilh-- Fort, CARNAGE AT TBONEB "WOOD A BLOODY CONTEST PINAL BRITISH VTCTOBT ( neuter's Telegrams. , LONDON, July 13. Received July 13, 8.35 p.m. A Preach correspondent states that the battle for Troues Wood was probably the bloodiest and most obstinate of the war. British and Germans were equally tenacious. The British, by a brilliant attack, carried most of the wood, and the Germans delivered several furious counter-attacks. Then the British batteries opened, followed by another charge. There was a terrible melee, in which the Germans were reinforced. Finally, after six hours’ hand-to-hand fighting, the British neatly trapped the enemy by advancing in crescent formation like a Zulu turpi, and forced the Germans to mn in order to escape annihilation.

PERONNE DEFENCES. EVERY STREET A FORTRESS. AMSTERDAM, July 13. Received July 13, 8.25 p.m. German wounded state that the Germans have blown up the Peronne-Saint Quentin railway. Every street in Peronne lias been transformed into a fortress with barricades in all parts of the 'town, which they Intend to defend to the last. THE NEW ZEALANDERS TRENCH RAIDS IN FLANDERS CAPTAIN McCOLL’S DEATH (Special from the New Zealand Official War Correspondent, July 9.) WELLINGTON, July 13. While further south the great battle of the Somme still rages with varying intensity. the Anzacs in their own sphere are doing useful work, harrying the enemy with artillery and rifle fire by day and raiding their trenches by night. Though only minor operations, these raids are planned with great care and much thought, leaving nothing to chance. Since I last cabled, one of the most successful raids was made by four officers and 77 men of the Ist New Zealand Infantry Brigade. After a heavy bombardment, tlie raiders reached the German trencli and remained in it for eight minutes. They killed 15 Germans, and brought back 10 prisoners and considerable booty. Our casualties were slight. Captain McColl, leader of the raid, was mortally wounded while gallantly assisting his men. He had got safey back to his own trench, but returned to help the stretcher-bearers in "No Man's Land.” Another party from the 2nd Brigade were not so successful In their raid. Lieutenant K. Mnnrn was killed with shrapnel before the- bombardment lifted. The portion of the trencli entered contained no Germans. On July 10 General God ley received a letter from the commander of the Ibuki, acknowledging receipt of tile model of a Maori canoe. The Japanese commander refers to the memorable days he spent anti the kindness he received in YVelllngton and on the voyage to Egypt. He adds; "The strong feeling of comradeship then engendered will spread itself through both countries and will serve to strengthen the alliance existing between the two nations, while at the same time it will contribute, to the final find successful issue of tliis great war.”