HEAVY FIGHTING BETWEEN THE SOMME AND THE ANCRE.

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

HEAVY FIGHTING BETWEEN THE SOMME AND THE ANCRE.

PROGRESS AT THE LABYRINTH

j FORTIFIED VILLAGES OCCUPIED,

£Press Association—Copyright.]

ENEMY'S LOSSES VERY HEAVY

(United Service.)

iEeceired July % 11.30 p.m.) London, July 2

Sir Douglas Haig reports that heavy fighting proceeded all day between the Somme and the Ancre and northward of the Ancre as far as GommeiCourt, inchisive. The fight on the whole of this front continues with intensity.

We captured on the right of the Labyrinth trenches on a seven-mile front by a depth of 1000 yards.

We stormed and occupied the strongly fortified villages of Montauban and Mammetz. -

We gained in the centre in an attack on a four-mile front nany strong points.

The.enemy at others are still resisting. The struggle here is severe.

The battle northward of the Ancre Valley to Gommecourt is equally violent. Here we were unable to retain portions of the ground' gained in the first attacks, but we retain the other

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Upwards of 2000 Germans have been made prisoners, including two regimental commanders and the whole of one regimental staff.

The large number of enemy dead indicates that their casualties were very severe. Our parties penetrated, the Gerncan trenches at various points between Souchez and Ypres on Friday night, inflicting casualties.

There has been much successful air work against railways, depots, junctions, trains, batteries and trenches.