HEAVY FIGHTING AT FRICOURT AND LA BOISELLE.

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

HEAVY FIGHTING AT FRICOURT AND LA BOISELLE.

SATISFACTORY PROGRESS

GENERAL SITUATION FAVOUR-

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ABLE.

ESTIMATES OF ENEMY LOSSES

TOO LOW

(Reuters Telegrams.)

(Received July 3, 8.15 p.m.)

London, July 3. General Sir Douglas Haig reports heavy fighting on Sunday between the Ancre and the Somme, especially about Fricourt and La Boiselle.

The former, which was captured at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, remains in our hands.

Sorte progress was made eastward, the enemy stubbornly resisting in the neighbourhood of La Boiselle, but our troops are progressing satisfactorily.

Much war material has been captured.

The situation on either side of the Ancre Valley is unchanged. The general situation may be regarded as favourable.

Later reports on the enemy's losses show that our first estimates were too low.

Our aeroplanes are very active, and are co-operating in the attack north of the Somme. They bombed numerous enemy headquarters and railway cntres. Two Fokkcrs were brought

down

We conducted long-distance reconnaissances in spite of attempts to frustrate them. Three of our planes are

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