GENERAL WAR NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 17792, 22 July 1916, Page 7

GENERAL WAR NEWS

EARLIER CABLES FRENCH SUCCESSES. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) PARIS. July "0. A communique states: North of the Somme wo have captured the enemy trendies from Hardecourt Knoll to the river. Wc carried the line oast of Hardecourt for an appreciable distance along a narrow-gauge railway from Combles to Clery. Our infantry south of the Somme captured the whole of the enemy’s first line. In the Champagne we penetrated a German trench north-east of Auberives, and brought back some prisoners. In the Verdun area the Germans continually bombarded Avocourt and Chattancourt. A grenade struggle la progressing on the north-eastern slopes of Hill 304. East of the Meuse we made some progress to the right and west of the Thiaumont work, and assaulted and captured a fortified work strongly held by the enemy south of Fleury. The High Commissioner adds: South of the Somme a small French operation south of Estrees captured some trenches, and 60 Germans were made prisoner. BRITISH HEROISM. PARIS, July 20. The Germans, in attacking Longucval and Dclville Wood, launched several regiments in mass formation on a narrow front. The British, who were organising their new positions, were surprised, but fought heroically against fourfold odds, and gradually assumed the mastery. THE LONOT7ETAL SURPRISE. GERMANY’S SOMME SACRIFICES. LONDON', July 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports; We have regained a little ground at Delville Wood and Longueval, where the struggle still continues. We also pushed forward pur line north of Longueval and Bazentin and east of the Leipsic redoubt." Our bombing parties made a substantial advance last night east of - the Leipsic redoubt. Elsewhere the. main battle is chiefly artillery fire, with no alteration of positions. The diary of a German commanding officer shows that un to July 1 the Sixth Bavarian Regiments, fighting at Montauban, lost 3000 men out of 3600; a, battalion of the 190 th Regiment lost 980 men out of-1200; two other battalions of the 190 th Regiment lost over half their effective strength. We carried out yesterday evening, south of Armentieres, some important raids along a front of two , miles, ra which the Australians took part. THE CAUCASUS ARMIES. .f! PETROGRAD, July 20. A communique states: We have occupied the town of Kugi, an' important) junction of roads from Erzeroutn, Lhaputi, and Khzlndjtha. The Turks, in great force, commenced to .advance on July 17 In the direction of Mosul. Our detachment therefore retreated to a new position. We dispersed considerable bodies' of Persian nomades near Ispahan. ROME, July 20. I A Constantinople communique states; The KusjJlans were repulsed .east , of Sineh, leaving a great number of dead. We carried out a successful attack in the Caucasus, RUSSIAN DEPFICTTETTBS. LONDON', July 20. Stanley Washburn, now on the Kovel front, describes the Russians’ difficulties. The Austro-Germans have scientifically strengthened the natural defensive lines of the Stokhod, intending either to give them time for the completion of the Kovel fortifications or to check the Russian advance while Kovel is smoothly evacuated., .He points.'out t)iat the Germans are in' a dilemma —they' do not know where to expect the next Russian blow, because..the Russians, ace hitting here, there, and everywhere; . h.ut tne Germans arc clever fencers, and have never fought more desperately. It Is a mistake to imagine that the Germans are on the verge of collapse, although the shortage of food at home is causing the troops uneasiness and anxiety, and is affecting their morale. The AustroGerman losses in ten days were from 75,000 to 100,000. GALICIAN OPERATIONS RETARDED. PETROGRAD, .July 20. . A communique states; The overflow of the. Dniester continues. The valleys are flooded, and the slopes of the heights are so slippery that it Is almost impossible to climb them. The bridges have been washed away. RUSSIAN HOSPITAL BOMBED. PETROGRAD, July 20. - A communique states: An enemy aeroplane bombed the hospital at Hizaret Zamiren. north-east of Baranovitchl, killing tliree doctors and ten patients, and wounding twenty-eight. We checked an advance by the enemy south-east of Gorckhov. DARDANELLES AND MESOPOTAMIA. GOVERNMENT GRANT INQUIRY. TWO SEPARATE COMMISSIONS. LONDON’, July 20. The House of Commons was crowded during the . debate on Sir E. Carson’s motion to set up a Select Committee to inquire into the Dardanelles and Mesopotamia campaigns. Mr Asquith unexpectedly announced, the flovernment’s intention to appoint two Commissions, with power to sit in secret, to inquire into both matters, Australia being represented on the Dardanelles Commission. Mr Asquith said lie recognised that the widespread and legitimate anxiety in .regard to the Dardanelles and . Mesopotamia could not be allayed by general assurances of an after-tbe-war inquiry; but, owing to the present critical phase of military operations, the Government deprecated a debate which would give the world the impression that we were divided amongst ourselves. He had no desire to conceal past shortcomings or to screen those responsible. There were manifest objections to a Select .Committee. It would lay a great burden on departmental officers; moreover, the generals, admirals, aqd other officers.required to give evidence wore already dispersed over a wide, field, and it would be impossible to recall them to London. The Government, therefore, proposed to, set no two Commissions consisting of members of the Houses of Commons and Lords, and, if necessary, an outside member. Mr Asquith said he would shortly introduce a bill naming the commissioners, and giving them compulsory powers. Sir 10. Carson withdrew his motion. It is understood from the Prime Minister’s statement that General Sir William Robertson will be the outside member. ,\lr Austen Chamberlain, Secretary for India, said he was satisfied tlint everything was being done to remedy the disastrous state of affairs in Mesopotamia, and lie was confident that Sir William Robertson was a man who would not be influenced by politicians. Mr Asquith moved the adjournment on tiie understanding that the. debate would lie confined to his statement. Colonel Churchill said he hoped the. inquiry would he held as much in public as possible, Mr Asquith, in reply to Colonel Churchill's suggestion, said the commission would sit in secret if necessary. MESOPOTAMIA QUIET LONDON, July 20. The War Office announces that there j.s nothing to report from Mesopotamia. The heat there is excessive, being over 120deg. in the shade. ITALY AND GERMANY ROME, July 29. A decree forbids the passage of German goods into Italy, and authorises measures against German subjects. GERMAN DEJECTION NEW YORK, July 20. The United Press Hague correspondent states that a ghastly crime and suicide wave is sweeping over Germany. It jc; ,in,. pi mental depression, caused by

lack of proper food and their losses in the- war. A sensational suicide or murder has occurred in Berlin every other day for the past two weeks. Two girls killed another in a manicure parlour. They beheaded her with a razor, and packed the body in a trunk and soni. it to another city. Many similar gruesome crimes have been commuted, hut practically nothing is published in Germany about the suicides, so as to avoid a depressing psychological effect, CLIMBING DOWN ZURICH. July 20. A majority of the leading German newspapers now support Von Bethmann Hollweg’s anti-annexation policy. The Munclmer Post declares that the lives of the Fatherland’s defenders must not be sacrificed for annexation schemes which cannot be carried out; RIOT IN PRISONERS’ CAM 7 AMSTERDAM, July 20. The Frankfurter Zeitung states that British prisoners participated in a riot in an unnamed camp. The guards fired, killing two prisoners. HUNGARY AND AUSTRIA. AMSTERDAM, July 20. Karolyt’s now party demands Hungary's economic independence and an independent army and bank. ITALIAN FRONT. .ROME, July 20. A communique states : Persistent bad weather is interfering with activity, particularly in the mountains. Our infantry progressed at Borcola. and made a brilliant raid east of Mcttahskofel. We shelled Morler, In the Brenta Valley. ANOTHER ZEPPELIN GONE. THE HAGUE, July 20. It is reported from Cologne . that the Russian guns wrecked a Zeppelin near Riga. MORE RUSSIANS BEACH PRANCE. (Reuter’s ’ Telegrams.) PARIS, July .20. A fresh contingent of Russians has landed at Brest, and the men will go into an instruction camp and thence to the front. ARMENIAN MASSACRES. (United Service.) PARIS, July 20. M. Balof, Red Cross Commissioner in Armenia, reports that he visited 45 villages around Trebizond, and out of 8343. inhabitants,before tho war the Russians found only 307, the rest had been massacred. Out of 10,000 Armenians in Trebizond itself the Russians found only 92. ( M. Balof reports that the German officers 'again directed the systematic extermination of the Armenians.