THE WESTERN OFFENSIVE.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14129, 4 July 1916, Page 5

THE WESTERN OFFENSIVE.

BRITISH CAINS EXTENDED.

CAPTURE OF FRICOURT,

[Press Association —Copyright.]

LARGE NUMBER OF PRISONERS

SECURED

SCENE OF THE OFFENSIVE.

BRITISH AND FRENCH SECTORS

BELGIAN ARMY ACTIVE

RECEPTION OF THE NEWS IN

LONDON.

GENERAL ENTHUSIASM

(United Service.)

London, July 2. General Sir Douglas Haig's afternoon bulletin reports substantial progress in the vicinity of Fricourt, which our troops had captured by 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

We took 800 prisoners up to mid-day during the operations between the Ancre and the Somme.

The total is 3500, including prisoners taken on other parts of the front last night.

The German attack on the British front during the night was in the region of Montauban. This was repulsed with serious German losses.

* The British are consolidating all

gains.

A Belgian comnr. unique states that the Belgians carried out a destructive fire on German works and batteries in the Dixmude region.

Our line of attack starts roughly on the outskirts of Arras, while the French battle front on the right extends possibly beyond Roye.

It is an undulating, open, wooded countryside with only .the roads and railways usual in an .agricultural district. Hence the German defence is less advantageously placed than in the other sectors.

Military critics point out that there is nothing haphazard in the choice of the moment or the place; nor is it mere chance that our offensive is coincident with the- Russian and Italian thrusts. The Germans have hitherto not attempted serious fighting in this sector, because, unlike Ypres, which offered the Channel ports, it did not offer an objective of any value. The serious break in the German front will imperil their whole position in Northern France. Happily our cutting-out raids have tamiliarised us with the intricacies of the defences.

The news of the Anglo-French offensive spread with astonishing rapidity in London. The people repeated the magical word to each other, knowing the hopes of many mouths were nearing fulfilment. Such mighty forces had accumulated that the enemy had been put on the defensive.

A passer-by told the good news to convalescent and wounded men on the balconies of the hospitals and the soldiers and sailors cheered.

The news was also promptly screened at the theatres and picture shows, and there was the utmost enthusiasm

everywhere,

Judging by the signs latterly, the Germans were fully aware of Generals Joffre's and Haig's preparations. The persistent and desperate onslaught at Verdun was intended to disorganise the Anglo-French plan, but General Joffre was not perturbed, and declined to budge until everything was in readiness and the moment arrived promising every guarantee of success.

The direction the blow came from was a complete surprise. The enemy's expelling of tho civilians from Lille indicated their expectation that the chief effort 'would come from the British opposite Lens.

The intense British bombardrr. ent on tlie 90-mile front during the whole •week kept tho enemy in sxich doubt regarding the objective that it was not ■safe for them to "modify former dispositions. Hence of the 800,000 Germans facing the British not a single

regiment was withdrawn; to reinforce other fronts. Those' withdrawn we largely from Chaapagne. The British are now advancing towards Bapaume, an important centre on the main roads radiating to Albert, Peronne, Cambrai and Arras. The weather is now fine/ and the British are strongly pressing the enemy at Fricourt and Gommecourt. The latter is a mile northward of Hebuterne. The Anzacs made a lightning raid on Thursday night, and swarmed into a trench within five minutes of the first concentration, killing and wounding 80. Their casualties were slight.-