WESTERN CAMPAIGN

Timaru Herald, Volume CV, Issue 16080, 29 September 1916, Page 8

WESTERN CAMPAIGN

MANY PRISONERS TAKEN

FURTHER BRITISH REPORT. ' (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) LONDON, Sept. 27Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"We have taken prisoner between 3000 and 4000 of the enemy during the past fortyeight hours. Our new positions have been' consolidated. "We' progressed in the direction of •Ear.conrt l'Abbaye (just south of the Bapaume road). Patrols and detachments have gone forward and "are in close touch with the enemy. "We successfully raided Beaumont Hamel (north of Thiepval) and Loos and downed nine aeroplanes. FRENCH PUSHING ON. 'A French communique states": —We captured a strongly fortified wood east of "Verniandovillers. We are consolidating the conquered positions and there has-been no coun-ter-attack. After numerous air combats we bombed the enemy's railways.

THE GERMAN REPORT. . DISGUISING LOSSES. 'A. German communique states:—We have lost tho projecting angle of ThiepvaJ. The enemy gained ground ,on both s:des of Courcelette. Except for the occupation of Gueudecourt, the enemy was unablo to profit by his Monday success. We repulsed attacks at Les Boeufs and from. Morval- to Bouchavesnes. The French attacks at Vermandovillers and Chaulnes failed. SMALL ALLIED CASUALTIES. COLLAPSE" OF DEFENCE. BRITISH CAVALRY IN ACTION.

I Correspondents at British Headquarters say that the very small cost of the advance in the Somme lighting and iihe great-success were due to tho excellence of the artillery and the real collapse of the defence. The fighting of the German infantry on Tuesday was markedly weaker than on Monday 'and their artillery fire was spasmodic. The Anglo-French attack failed nowhere. Several important points were taken without opposition. The whining tone of the German communique emphasises the impression of failure. In addition to the capture of Thiepval and Combles the French on the south side reached tho canal running north-east from the Somme along tho Tortille Valley. They have come into direct touch with the defence works of Mont Saint Quentin. Thus Mont Saint Quentin is receiving the trcat-

ment that proved so successful at ConibJoSj and the break across the Bapaume-Peronne road has been considerably enlarged. The British cavalry, have' been in action beyond Guencourt.

SLAUGHTER AT COMBLES. PARIS, Sept. 27. ■ Fifteon hundred enemy dead were counted in tho streets of Combl'es. Hundreds of wounded were extricated from cellars and houses. The Germans loft two battalions in fortified houses with' orders to hold out to tho~last. Tho British, in order to-avoid .losses, carried out a big fresh bombardment and the enemy could not continue tho struggle.

-GREAT BOOTY .-AT COMBLES., ■ GERMANS SICK OF FIGHT. * . (Renter's. Telegrams.) LONDON, Sept..27. . Renter's correspondent at Headquarters states: —Wo learned from prisoners that the Germans proposed to evacuate Combles at night, so our artillery kept up an intense barrage fire all night across the line of retreat to prevent .the German withdrawal. Hence the enormous booty. We took prisoner, .a ■'German officer, who said the officers could not get tho men to fight. The men retort that the officers were shirking, going into hospital on the smallest pretest. ' Tho correspondent adds that the enemy is showing less and less stomach for the fight, while the spirit of our men beggars description.