THE WESTERN FRONT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 788, 19 August 1916, Page 9

THE WESTERN FRONT.

BATTLE OF THE SOMME. !i:,,h CammixmoiK-r'* Cahle. LONDON, August 17 (11.40 p.m.) Sir Douglas Haig reports: —On our right there was considerable artillery activity to-day. i Last night and early this morning the enemy in considerable force made determined counter-attacks on our trenches north-west of Pozicres on a broad front. Six lines of his infantry advanced, but ran back with heavy losses. Our guns and machine guns were greatly effective. North-west of Bazentin-lc-Pclil we captured 100 yards of enemy trenches A (ierinan counter-attack to-day from Marlinpuich was repulsed. THE NORTHERN SECTOR. ACTIVITY ROUND VPRES. Australian ami X.7.. CahU Asxorialion. LONDON, August 18. Mr Philip Gibbs. writing in the "Daily Chronicle,'' says:—"While I'icaniy is absorbing our attention our northern line is not having a quiet lime. During the last six weeks there has been hardly a single night without raiding affairs round Ypres, the Kohenzollern redoubt, (iivenchy, and Neuvc-Chapelle. These have been brief but bloody visits to the enemy. The artillery on both sides has been accelerated at some parts, especially in Ihe Kenimel district (south, of Ypres), which is held by the Canadians. The enemy seems to have withdrawn his heavy guns. and replaced Ihem by quickfiring mortars, which hammer our trenches with liery rage, but our mortars are heavier and immediately retaliate. " '- "The enemy's long-range guns have also shelled villages far behind our lines, killing civilians. The enemy must have suffered heavily in this northern sector. Our artillery daily keeps up a steady and continuous lire, smashing the enemy entanglements, and laying the parapets of their trenches Hat. It lias been six weeks of bombardment, raids and poison gas attacks, of which Ihe enemy has had the worst, though it has been pretty bad for us too. "The Australians and Canadians share the raids with the British troops." GERMAN NAVAL MEN. HURRIED TO THE FRONT. LONDON. August 18. The "Morning Post" states that Ihe prisoners captured in the lighti )g on the Somme include some naval men who participated in the battle off Jutland. After the' battle, they were hurried to the western front as a naval brigade. FIGHT AT MAUREPAS. STEADY FRENCH PROGRESS. Reuttr's Ttlrnram: LONDON, August 18. "The Times" correspondent at Paris says one object of Thursday's operations by the French was to cut through the Guillemont-Maurepas Ptoad, in order to enable the British to turn Guillemont from the south. The French encircle Maurepas from the north. The preliminary bombardment was begun on Sunday, the Germans fiercely replying to it. The French have been equally successful south of Maurepas, and are steadily nearing the village and forest in the centre of the Maurepas plateau. South of the Somme there are difficulties. South of Belloy the plateau as far as Chaulnes has been reticulated with defences based on the main position of Yillers-Carbon-nel, on the Paris-Bcthune Road. Some protecting trenches have, however, been carried.