OFFENSIVE PRECEDED BY TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14128, 3 July 1916, Page 5

OFFENSIVE PRECEDED BY TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT.

EXCITEMENT IN LONDON AND PARIS.

BRITISH CASUALTIES NOT

HEAVY

MARKED ADVANCE IN ARTOIS

FRENCH FIGHTING WITH GREAT GALLANTRY.

GERMAN WIRELESS MESSAGE

(United Service.)

(Received July 2, 5.5 p.m.) London, July 1,

The "Daily Chronicle's" correspondent at headquarters says that the British launched a vigorous attack after a terrific bombardment ' lasting ninety minutes. Our casualties were not,« heavy. '" The news of the British offensive '> created unprecedented excitement in, London and Paris. Yesterday's bombardment was rt.ore violent than previously. In soire piirts j the British poured in shells at the | rate of sixteen per second. Houses in j towns 25 miles distant trembled, aud j the ground shook.

The spectacle at night time was most impressive. As far as the eye could see there -was nothing Vut a horizon of-fire. The German positionswere enveloped in fire and smoke, and \ an immense red reflection filled the! heavens. | The correspondent of "Lloyd's Weekly" says that we captured Serre Montauhan, an important strategicall position between Hebuterne and Bray. We hold positions in the villages of Contal Maison and Mametz, and are attacking Beaumont Han. el, six miles north of Albert. We captured La Boisselle,. two miles north-east of Albert, taking many prisoners. The front lines of the Anglo-French armies are fighting with great gallantry. They covered 1J miles beyond the German front line, and ai*e rapidly occupying the village of CurTu. on the Somme, and Faviere Wood.

A German wireless message states:! "Repealed English and French recon- \ noitring. attacks were made at many' points, but were everywhere repulsed. ! The attacks were preceded by an intense fire, gas attacks and nine explosions. The fighting has appreciably increased on both sides of the Somme. French attacks at T^aumont failed, and the enemy sustained severe losses. Enemy aerial attacks at Lille resulted in no military damage. Many civilians were killed, especially in the Church of St. Saviour, where the killed and wounded exceed fifty. Numerous French inhabitants -were killed and wounded at Douai, Bapaume, Peronne, and Neslo by French and English gunfire and aircraft bombs.