WESTERN THEATRE

Southland Times, Issue 17793, 24 July 1916, Page 5

WESTERN THEATRE

ftruMAK THIRD LINE THREATENED FRENCH ATTACKS EXTRAORDINARILY SUCCESSFUL. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) (Australian & N.L. Cable Association.) IXLNDON. July 21. Deceived July 23. 8 p.m. ,Sir Dougfas Haig’s report shows that the British in their now position seriously threaten the German third line at Fouraux Wood. The highest ground on the second ridge commands the German position beyond where the country is less broken and less wooded. Latest accounts show that the French attacks yesterday were extraordinarily successful. Picked troops were chosen for the attacks on the German positions on Hardecourt. Height to the river opposite Beaches. The attackers left the trenches at dawn, and by nine o’clock had completed a task, which the staff expected would occupy the entire day. The Germans counter-attacked, but left the French masters of all the captured positions. WITH THE rBEHOH. AH IMPETUOUS ATTACK. PARIS, July 22. P.cceived July 23, 8.40 p.m. The positions captured on the Vcrroandevillers line were of great strength. The French Colonial battalions attacked some points so impetuously that they over-ran three lines of trenches without a loss. Elsewhere they were less fortunate. In the Soyecourt labyrinth Star Wood was carried by assault, and the village surrounded on three sides. Two whole enemy companies were defending u redoubt near VernmndoviUcrs farm and were captured, also a company belonging to a regiment brought from Verdun. Among the prisoners was an extraordinary jumble of Wurtemburgers. Saxons, Cadcners, Bavarians, and Prussians, mostly between the ages of seventeen and twenty. i GENERAL HAIG'S REPORT. A COMPARATIVE DUX.I.. AERIAL ACTIVITY. LONDON, July 22. Deceived July 28, 8.15 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: There is a comparative lull in the main battle area. The enemy in a bombarding, attack on the north edge of the Leipzig salient succeeded in entering our front trenches, but were Immediately driven out. Our aeroplanes continues the bombing of important military points. The enemy aircraft were inactive until evening, and there was then much fighting behind the German lines on our offensive. Patrols encountered eleven German machines. Three were downed, and one burst into llames. There was another encounter lasting forty-five minutes between four of our machines and six German machines, one of which was downed and another was damaged. it is now established that the enemy's assault at Delville Wood over a front of two thousand yards on the eighteenth was made by at least thirteen battalions from four different divisions. The enemy’s losses werp correspondingly great. TSE PBESEHT POSITION. DIFFICULT TASK OP THE PREHCK. PA IMS, July 21. Deceived July 23 t 5.5 p.m. French operations south of Eskies arenecessary to protect the right flank previous to attacking along a front which Is constantly under strong Gorman artillery fire, the special object of the Germans’ defence being to protect the bridge heads at Eterpigny and Brue. The Germans between Estrees and Chatlines and Chaulnes aqd Ttoye are on most formidable ground, which has been transformed into veritable labyrinths. GERMAN REZHPOBCEMEHTS. GERMANY'S FIRST CONSIDERATION. LONDON, July 22. Deceived July 23, 5.5 p.m. The Daily Telegraph's Rotterdam correspondent states that within three weeks 340,000 Germans have been sent to the Western front, of which 100,000 are fresh reserves, and the balance arc soldiers who have recovered from slight wounds. The German General Staff hold every other consideration subsidiary to holding France on the Flanders line, and are prepared to sacrifice not a little territory at certain points on the Eastern front, if it is necessary to withdraw troops for the Western front. THE SUPREME DECISION TO BE OAXHED ZH THE WEST. PARIS, July 24. Deceived July 23, 5.5 p.m. A representative of the Matin interviewed Sir Douglas Haig, who said that the supreme decision of the war was to lie gained on the West front. "We must impose there,’’ the British Commander-In-Chief said, “a peace worth having, because we shall have paid for it." THE FRENCH PROGRESS. PARIS, July 23. Deceived July 23, 1 1.35 p.m. • .'omrminique ; We progressed in the Fleury region. WITHOUT INCIDENT. LONDON, July 23, Deceived July 23, 11.35 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports : The day passed without incident except that our airmen destroyed six hostile machines and downed several others. VERT HARD FIGHTING. GERMANS GREAT EXPORTS. BRAVE SCOTTISH SOLDIERS. DISPLAY GREAT HEROISM. LONDON, July 22. Deceived July 23, 5.5 p.m. Mr Philip Gibbs states:—The present stage of the advance is causing us very hard lighting for important positions on the high ground which must be gained and held before new progress can be made over open country. The enemy is gathering his reserves and Hinging them against us to check the onward move-

ment at all costs. Apparently he lias brought new batteries of the heaviest calibre, because his fire is increasing. German prisoners reveal the grave anxiety that is reigning behind the German lines where the enemy does not minimise the greatness of our menace, and is straining every nerve to offer a formidable resistance. On Thursday he lost many men and valuable ground against both the French and the British. , Early on Thursday morning, after a long bombardment, wo attacked between Delvillo and High Woods, and westward of those positions. The enemy in great strength maintained a strong defence, suffered severely, and was forced to retreat in disorder, upon the Somme. In parts of the lino some of the Scottish soldiers had a bad time. They lay under a cross Arc of great British and German shells from the field batteries. We were firing twelve flfteen-inchers which, roaring through the air, exploded with vast earth-shaking crashes. An attack was made before dawn on the rising ground towards tho high road which used to go across from the Higli Wood to Delville Wood. Now there arc no roads. Our bombardment tore the earth Into a series of deep craters. The Germans had a line of dugouts here, which had been built in great haste.-since July 1. Our troops, working round High Wood and in the centre, met, and advancing through tho Wood itself over fallen trees and the bodies of German dead, determined to get a hold of it. During tho day they organised at strong points and captured the western side and all the southern part of the position situated between Longuevai and Delville Wood on the north-east. That village had been very full of■ trouble for us ever since our Highland regiments took them on July 14. Nevertheless, the Highlanders held on with dogged eh. durance, and for nearly a week frustrated the enemy's efforts to recover tho old ground. The gallantry of the Highlanders was wonderful. Their first, dash for Longuevai was one of tlie finest exploits of the war. They were led by their pipers into the thick of the battle. One regiment advanced to the tune of "Tho Campbells are Comin.’’ Then the pipes screafrted the charge, that most awful of all music to those ■ who have the Highlanders against them. With fixed bayonets the Kilties stormed the German trenches where there were many concealed ma-chine-gun emplacements. - - The dug-outs were so strong that no shell could smash them, but the Highlanders flung themselves in twos and three against the vaults where the enemy were packed, scornful of ali danger. The Germans defended with the most stubborn courage. The Highlanders dug trenches across the village. The enemy bnrraged the village along progressive lines with heavy shells, yard by yard, but stopped short where some of the ranks of the Highlanders were lying down in fours. Casualties were heavy among both officers and men, but tho Highlanders held on. SPEECH BY THE KAISER. TO THE PRUSSIAN GUARDS. WHAT HE EXPECTED OP THEM. AMSTERDAM, July 21. Deceived July 23, 5,5 p.m. The Kaiser, addressing the Prussian Guards In April on transfer from the Eastern front to the Champagne sector, said; "The foe here is tougher, more resisting, adroit and versatile. He is defending his native soil with the resistance of despair, but it must be broken. He has prepared his soup, and now he must sup it. I look to you to see to it." It. is notable that all these regiments suffered heavily during the recant fighting. A GERMAN REPORT. AMSTERDAM, July 22. Deceived July 23, 8.40 p.m. German communique: Yesterday an English attack from the Elies region by two strong divisions was repulsed. We counted two thousand bodies in front of our lines. The enemy made a. strong attack with over two hundred thousand men on both banks of the Somme but failed. Tlie enemy captured only three Kilometres of our front lines southwards of Hardecourt. A GERMAN ADMISSION. AMSTERDAM, July 22. Deceived July 23, 7.50 p.m. A German war correspondent on the Western front admits a strong enemy pressure along tlie whole front. The Allies are. harassing the Germans everywhere. Both the British and the French are employing numerous mine-throwers with mines of a new kind. GERMAN RAIDS REPULSED. PARIS, July 22. Deceived July 23, 5.5 p.m. Communique ; Several minor German raids wore repulsed along the various fronts. An air squadron thrice bombarded Metz and Sablons station, inflicting great damage. A GERMAN ASSERTION. (Reuter’s Telegrams.) AMSTERDAM, July 22. Received July 23, 5.5 p.m. A German communique asserts that the Allies have abandoned their attacks along tlie Somme after their defeat during the previous days, and claims that the Germans captured many prisoners when they cleared ihe British out near Fotircaux Wood. A GERMAN VIEW. AMSTERDAM, July 22. Received July 23. 5.5 p.m, ' The I/okal Anzieger states that, the situation should fill Germany with the greatest confidence as the pressure at Verdun lured the British front the trenches and weakened them appreciably. Britain bleeds from thousands of wounds as she never did before during the British Empire’s existence. When the small results and the enormous losses heroine known British cries of victory will soon lie silenced and a bad awakening will follow. SIGH COMMISSIONER’S REPORTS. The High Commissioner reports, London, 22nd July, 9.35 a.m.:—Sir Douglas Haig reports that for tlie. past twelve hours there has been great artillery activity on botli sides along the British front, ami the support trendies at several places were heavily bombarded with gas and tear shells.

' The French official report states that between tlie Oise and the Aisnc a strong enemy reconnaissance was dispersed in the region of Moulin HoustOuvene at Bolante, in the Argonne. AVc a mine successfully at La Fillc Morte. A coup do main by the enemy on our smalt posts was easily repulsed. On the right bank of the Meuse, in tile Fleury and Fumin Wood sectors, there was a violent J bombardment. An enemy attack south of Uamlour failed under our Curtain of fire. Jn the Vosges, after a lively bombardment, the German attacked at 1.1 o clock yesterday evening our ’ positions northwest of Saine Die, but were repulsed with heavy losses. Yesterday our aeroplanes thrice bombarded, the stations of Metz and Ablons, dropping 115 shells ot heavy calibre and doing considerable damage. A German aeroplane which pursued one of ours was compelled to descend. The High Commissioner reports, London, 2 2nd, 1.10 a.ni.:—British headquarters reports that, except local encounters, there was a lull in the main battle area on Friday, and there has been no change in the situation since the last report. The enemy attacked with bombs on the north edge of our position and the Leipzig salient was entered at one point of our front trenches, but wore driven out. The Royal Flying corps successfully bombed several points of military importance. Hostile aircraft were inactive until the evening, when there was much fighting behind the German lines. One of our offensive patrols encountered eleven German machines, three of which were brought down, and one was in llames. An encounter between four of our machines and six of the enemy lasted forty-live minutes. One Fokker was brought down and another badly damaged, and the remainder relinquished the fight. A fifth German aeroplane was brought down. It is now established that the enemy’s assault in Delville Wood area on a front of two thousand yards on July IS was made by quite thirteen battalions, drawn froni four efficient divisions. The enemy’s losses were correspondingly great.