WESTERN THEATRE

Southland Times, Issue 17787, 17 July 1916, Page 5

WESTERN THEATRE

GENERAL HAIG’S REPORT. ENEMY DRIVEN BACK. STEP BY STEP. COUNTER ATTACKS COMPLETELY CRUSHED. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 15. Received July JO, 5.5 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig supplies details of the action, which was begun at daybreak. Having driven back the, enemy step by step to their second system of defence, the lltli and-12th were spent in the necessary preparations for a further advance. After an intense bombardment this morning the assault was launched, and the enemy was driven from his trenches along the whole front attacked. As the result of an all day battle we are in possession of the enemy’s second position at Bazentin le Petit to Longuevai (east of Contalmaiscn). In capturing Tronc AVood we relieved a party of AA’est Kents w'ho were separated from our troops during tlie recent fighting. The Germans had sunounded them, but they gallantly held out in tlie northern end of tlie wood for forty-eight hours. Our fire completely crushed two determined counter-attacks on the new position. . Later in tlie day the Germans made a fierce counter-attack and recaptured Bazentin 1c Petit, but were immediately driven out. ALL GOES WELL. ON THE BRITISH FRONT. GERMANS FORCED BACK. LONDON, July 15. Received July 16, 5.5 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: “All goes well. We forced back the Germans at one point to their third system of defences, oyer four miles lit the rear of .his original front trenches at Frlconrt and Mametz. The total prisoner? taken by us since the beginning of the offensive exceeds 10,000. We have also secured large quantities of war material.” GERMAN GRENADE ATTACK REPULSED. ATTEMPTS TO ADVANCE FAIL. PARIS, July 15. Received July 16, 5.5 p.m. Communique: AVe repulsed a Gorman grenade attack north-cast of Avocourt redoubt. Several German attempts to advance at Aprcmont failed under our curtain of fire. FURTHER IMPORTANT SUCCESSES GERMAN THIRD LINE PENETRATED CAVALRY IN ACTION IMPORTANT CAPTURES. LONDON, July IG. Received .luly 16, 11.5 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports heavy fighting all day long on the FozieresOuillemont sector of the second line of defence, and farther important successes. We captured eastward of liogueval, in spite of a desperate resistance in the whole of BelhUle Wood. We repulsed a strong counter-attack. The enemy’s losses were severe. Our troops, northward of of Bezen-tin-le-Orand, penetrated the third lino at Fanrenx Wood, wherein we obtained a lodgement. detachment of the enemy in this neighbourhood was successfully Accounted for by a squadron of Dragoon Guards. This is the first opportunity for mounted action afforded our cavalry since 1914. We captured the whole of the Wood westward cf Bazenthx-le-Fotit, and repulsed two counter-attacks. The prisoners here include a commander of a Bavarian regiment and his whole staff. We made a farther advance eastward of Ovlllers and fought our way to the outskirts of Poziers. Aerial results during the last 24 hours wore that four Pofckers, three bi-planes, and double-winged aeroplane wero downed. An enemy train was derailed. WITH THE FRENCH. COMPARATIVE QUIETNESS. PARIS, July 15. Communique; The day was comparatively quiet on the whole front. French aeroplanes last night by way of reprisal for the bombardment of the open town of Luneville, dropped several heavy shells on the town of Mulheim. A VIOLENT BOMBARDMENT PARIS, July IG. Received July 16, 11.5 p.m. Communique: There is a violent bombardment on both sides of the Fleory sector, but nothing important elsewhere. high commissioners reports. The High Commissioner reports, London, 11th July, 11.15 p.m.:—On the British front it is now possible to give further details of tlie uelion which began at daybreak this morning, having driven back tlie enemy to bis second system of defence. Tuesday and Wednesday were ■mainly spent in the bombardment of these formidable positions, and preparations were made for a further advance this morning. After an intense bombardment an assault was launched at .".25 a.m. Tiie enemy was driven from the trenches on tlie whole front, taking many prisoners. There has been fierce fighting al! day, and we have steadily increased our gains. We aro now pressing the enemy’s second positions from Bazentin le Petit A'iilage to Longuevai Village, both inclusive, and tlie whole of Trones Wood. At Trones Wood we relieved a party of the Royal West Kents, who were separated in the recent fighting and surrounded by Germans. They had gallantly held out in tlie northern end of the wood for IS hours to determined counter-attacks on our new positions. The enemy's fire whs completely crushed by our fire. Later in the day, after a fierce counter-attack, the Germans recaptured Bazentln-le-Petlt, but were immediately driven out by our infantry, and jho wiiols villasci is onco moro ourt.

f effect m beegiuk GERMANS CONSTRUCTING DEFENCE WORKS AMSTERDAM, July 13. Received July 1 1>, 5.5 p.m. The effect of the Allies advance is already felt in Belgium, where the Germans are constructing fresh defence works. GERMAN CLAIMS. BERLIN, July 15. Received July J6, 5.5 p.m. German communique: The British, in spite of heavy losses between Pozieres and Longuevai, penetrated our lines and occupied Trones AVood. The attack was stemmed. A MAGNIFICENT EFFORT BATTLE STILL RAGING ALONG AN EXTENDED FRONT GENERAL SAXO'S OBJECTIVE GERMANS OUT-GENERALLED COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE POSITION CONFIDENCE OF BRITISH TROOPS PARIS, July 15. Received July IG, 5.5 p.m. Tlie British oftensive against the German second line is regarded as a magnificent effort to glorify national fete day. The battle is still raging along an extended front, but the successes achieved already make the 14th of July one of the most brilliant days of the war. Owing to the rapidity of their advance the British quickly penetrated the front for nearly four miles, carrying a network of formidable defence that had taken months to construct. They also cleared Trones Wood, which was the locale of the present attacks, the pivot of tlie German battle front. Tlie enemy threw' in strong reinforcements, but Sir Douglas Haig outgeneralied thorn. Jlk; new troops failed to arrest tlie advance, and the ever-in-creasing bulge in the German front, between llardefcourt and Thienval makes the whole line highly vulnerable. Tlie capture of Longuevai brings the British advance in a line with tlie French at liardecourt, and it is becoming increasingly probable ttiat the enemy will be forced to retire to new positions. The weather was cool and favourable for Britisli operations at Bazetin-le-Granct, a mile west of Longuevai, and mid-way between Longuevai and Contalrnaison, and Bazetin-le-Petit, a mile northwest of Bazetin-le-Grand. There have been comparatively few German prisoners taken since July 1. It is inferred that the officers organising plans of resistance instruct the men what to do, and then retire to rear positions.

The importance of Pozicres is due to its position athwart the main road from Albert to Bapaume, which is Sir Douglas Haig’s objective. As far as the fighting at Ovillers is concerned, of the village practically nothing remains except dust. The British guns swept the village flat. The Germans are still holding out In great underground cellars made by the inhabitants. The progress at Ovillers and the capture of the two Bazetln position, of which le Petit is the larger village, bring the British on the flanks of the Germans at Pozieres and threatening the German rear.

The capture of Longueval entailed an assault on a lull 500 feet high. The next difficulty to Dongueval is the village of Guillemont, whicli is powerfully organised and armoured, with another 500 feet hill. The capture of Guillemont will be appreciably easier, since Trones Wood, which covers the village, has been cleared.

Sir Douglas Haig is still not master of the important plateau at Thiepval, which is a strong sector on tin; German first line. The British approach at f’ombles. however, permits the Wench to resume the attack, which was delayed, pending the British advance. The French, from the Hardecourt position, threaten Tumbles from the south, whilst tiie British are attacking to the northwest.

An outstanding feature of the now offensive Is tlie extensive transference of British Rims, which is carried out with the utmost rapidity in order to enable German positions in the rear to be captured before tlie Germans have time to fully fortify them. Sir Uouglus Hutu’s object is to Keep the Germans on the move, knowing that successive positions afford increasingly less protection. As an advance continues no longer feasible, the Germans carry on a rearguard struggle with detachments of machine gunners, while the infantry are massed at convenient stations for eouu-tei-stroke.s. Subterranean machine-gun emplacements will soon he rare. Trenches can hi' dug <pi iekly, hut underground shelters take weeks and months to link up into a systematic defence. 'file splendid supplies of ammunition available have put heart into tlie British infantry. There is no chance of a repetition of the l.oos-Neuve Chapelle mischance.

'file War office announces Unit since ■ Inly 1. owing to tin- success of the bombardment, tlie proportion of slight wounds, as compared with serious wounds! is very high, moving that the enemy’s artillery is being successfully dealt with.. Tlie troops at last are convinced that they hold tlie mastery of th<- German advance, and at each assault they show greater dash and courage.