ENEMY RETIREMENT IN DOBRUDJA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CV, Issue 16076, 25 September 1916, Page 7

ENEMY RETIREMENT IN DOBRUDJA.

(Australian .and .N.Z... Cable. Assn.) Received 5.5 p.m., Sept. 24th. LONDON, Sept. 23. General Sir Douglas Haig reports that there has been heavy mutual | artillery lighting, a,nd isolated actions i wherein we improved our positions anu | pushed forward detachments in seve- | ral directions. - ....... t FRENCH ADVANCES. PARIS, Sept. 23. ! Communique.—We captured by surprise a fortified house on the outskirts of Combles. Further" east ' we carried several portions of trenches. Our curtain of fire frustrated an enemy attack south of Rancourt. 1 PRISONERS TO DATE. * The total prisoners from July Ist to September 18th totalled 55,800, of which 34,050 wore taken by the French. A BERLIN REPORT. BERLIN, Sept. 23. Communique.—The battle of the Somme was resumed. The French without result attacked. the ComblesRanconrt line, and the British Gour.celette. Wo downed eleven aeroplanes on the Somme. i FURTHER BRITISH PROGRESS. 1 STRONG- POSITION CAPTURED. LONDON, Sept. 23. ' General Sir Douglas Haig reports:— Wo further advanced south of the Ancre, and captured a strongly fortified system of trenches east of Courcclette. Our line was advanced on a front of about half a mile. A great counter attack, west of Mouqet Farm, of great violence, was repulsed with heavy enemy losses. I Our artillery exploded an ammuni--1 tion dump east of Bethune. BAD WEATHER ON FRENCH FRONT. PARIS, Sept. 23. Communique—Patrols passing forward on the southern outskirts of Combles found numerous enemy dead. The nicrht: v,-;is generally quiet, ai.d bad weather hindered operations.

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GERMANS' HEAVY LOSSES. j i The "Liberie" publishes a state- j ] ment of a French Staif officer that the Germans in the battlo of Septem- c her 10th lost at least 30,000. 6 ELEVEN ENEMY MACHINES J DOWNED. . (Renter's Telegrams.) ' PARIS, Sept. 23. \] Official.—ln aerial battles yesterday ] wo downed eleven enemy machines. , j .: ■ 1 BEmSH IMPROVING POSITION. ' SUCCESSFUL AIR RAIDS. Received 11 p.m., Sept. 24th. I LONDON, Sept. 24. General Sir Douglas Haig reports We have continued to improve our posi- ' tion southward of the Ancre by pushing j detachments into the enemy's advanced trenches. During Friday's bombard-j ment ten enemy gun pits were destroy- ■ ' ed and fourteen were severely damaged. Five ammunition pits ivere ex- i pioded ' 10-day our artillery caused a big firo in a village largely used for transport /supplies. Fifty aeroplanes successfully . raided an important railway junction i and did much damage, including the destruction of two ammunition trains. Other successful raids were made on . railway works and aerodromes. VIOLENT ARTILLERY FIGHTING. DAMAGE BY AIRMEN. PARIS, Sept. 24. Communique.—There has been violent artillery fighting in the Bouchavesnes, 1 Belloy and Berny sectors. An enemy attack southward of Col-Sainte-Marie in the Vosges was repulsed. | Our airmen bombed military establishments at Ludwigshaven. in the Palatinate, and a big factory at Mannheim. 1 A vase lire and several explosions were observed. NEW ZEALANDERS' FIGHT. A VIVID DESCRIPTION. THE "TANKS" IN ACTION. LONDON, Sept. 23. Wounded New Zealanders on arrival from the Sommo front, whither thoy were transferred from the Annentieres sector a month ago, all tell stories which confirm tho splendid courage \ shown on tho morning of tho loth in tho | face of the greatest trial yet cxperi- j -nccci; I

The father of a young family, who was gravely wounded, said: "When our boys went over it was a magnificent sight. Tho first, wave consisted of Otagoites and Aucklandcrs. They stepped out fearlessly, despito a hurricane bombardment and the incessant whizzing of machino gun bullets. An onlooker might have thought by their carelessness of danger that they wero only sham fighting. Those whoso sons and brothel's wero killed hero can well bo proud of them. It was a glorious death. "Tho men wero heavily loaded and were unablo to run, carrying shovels and equipment. Unlike the raiders who go to return it was a moving day for these men and things did move. Tlicy found a now,, place to sleep that night, although there wero many gaps as a result of those first two hours open walk in extended order across "No Man's Land,' dodging shell holes. ''The German dead were lying everywhere, as a result of the enemy's earlier fruitless attacks. English regiments were co-operating on our right and several tanks were allotted to our front. "Wo wero vastly impressed with these new engines and delighted to notice the Germans funic wlion they realised their deadly powers. When the first lank sallied out fourteen German bombers rushed out, thinking it an ordinary armoured car and hoping to stop it before it reached tho trench. They threw scores of bombs, which exploded harmlessly, and the tank's machine guns wiped out tho wholo party. The Germans quickly learned to respect tlio monsters, which, when they develop greater speed, will he an even more terrible menace. ANOTHER, DESCRIPTION. "The defenders of trenches felt that wo were right into it this time," said another man. "Although we lost several, notably a number of Maoris, during tho previous three weeks <by gas attacks and bombardments, this was. our first proper action on the Somme Front, and whon wo learned the magnitude of the operations' and our important part, a thrill went through us all. Everyone was cheerful, although we knew that certainly many would not survive.

"Our bombardment was beyond de- I scription. The Germans declare that wo do/not know what shell fire is un- I til we have been in their trenches. A j German bombardment is severe enough and caught many of our chaps before the advance. The assault on the trenches was quick, rough work. There were few moments for rest, and there was no time to watch or compass'our fate. The single thought in every mind was to got ahead. As a result the New Zealanders entered JJlers before the Coldstreams, Irish, Canadians', Scottish and other English units. "Wo were all..mixed,up in tho finish, r The Otagoite3 and Aucklanders took tho first line and waited till the Rifle Brigade came up and pushed out, .making a second lino. An overwhelming dash was then made. All tho New Zealand forces combined in the final push. The 'Dinkums,' as tho Rifles are called, .proved themselves among the best. Some of our men got beyond tho village and suffered from tho machine guns." GERMANS' SURRENDER. A pioneer says that iti was laughable to watch the Germans surrender. They came into our trenches ranning, rolling, limping and crawling. HUNS AS STRETCHER BEARERS. A Hawkes Bay man with a broken arm, while helping to drag a Duneclin comrade, more seriously wounded, became indignant on seeing a huge German carried on a stretcher. He determined that his comrade should be relieved of his painful crawl. "He saw two Germans, scared , to death, running from a shell hole and shouting 'Kamerad.' . The Hawkes Bay man shouted, 'Stop!' They did not comprehend, but he picked up a rifle and they quickly understood and approached and- dropped- on their knees. , A burly Hun then carried a Dunedinito a mile and a half to the rear. The Pioneer battalion suffered while digging communication trenches under a barrage, intended to prevent supports approaching before tho battle."

GALLANT GENERALS. I THE CINEMA BUSY. General Birdwood again appeared unescorted in almost every trench, renewing his acquaintance with the Gallipoli veterans. Tho men speak in the highest terms of General Russell and express surprise at seeing cinema oporators in a front trench on Friday morning coolly filming the advance. The men say it will do our people good to see tho magnificent steadiness of that great attack. A Kaitangata boy, who was badly hit in the jaw, speaking from behind his bandages, said: "According to General Sir Douglas Haig's latest report our chaps are still there holding the line and you can bet your lifo tlioy will stick to it as long as they aro needed." THE WOUNDED. Tlie wounded are concentrated atr Brockenhurst and Walton and as soon as they are convalescent they will be sent to Hornchurch and Codford. Some, owing to the pressure, were sent to isolated hospitals, but they were quickly discovered and transferred to the New Zealand hospitals, all of which are working smoothly, with no complaints. Tho men especially appreciate tho New Zealand mutton and butter. CANADIANS GREAT GAINS. "TANKS" AND BARRAGES. . "LONDON, Sept. 23. The Canadians had a brilliant share in tho battle of the loth. They forced back tho Germans over a mile and captured Mouquet Farm. After a desperate I resistance they carried tho sugar refini ery, and then advanced and captured the whole villago of Courceletfce. Alto- ! gether they took 1200 prisoners, includ--1 ing thirty-two officers. I An artillery barrage advanced before the Canadians sfouie by stage with

remarkable precision. The infantry moved forward in successive waves. Directly the first lines of Gorman trenches wero .secured the assaulting waves pressed on. In their midst were several armoured. cars. The Germans wero powerless to stop the cars, which assisted materially in silencing tlio machine guns and enfilading tho enemy trenches. The attack was so successful that it was decided to press on to G'ourcelotte and Mouquet Farm. AVithin twelve hours the Canadians captured the wholo of tlio defensive works on a wide front and to a depth of from ono thousand to two thousand yards, although the Germans wero fighting with tho courage of despair.