BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

Wanganui Herald, Volume L, Issue 15026, 25 September 1916, Page 3

BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

FURTHER BRITISH GAINS. (By Telegraph—Association—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, September 24. Sir Douglas Haig says:—During the night we further advanced south of the Ancre and captured a strongly fortified system of trenches east of Courcelette. Our line advanced on a front of about half a mile. A counter-attack west of Mouquet .Farm, made with great violence, yas repulsed with heavy losses. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—There have been artillery fire and isolated actions, in which we improved our positions and pushed forward detachments in several directions. FRENCH ENTERING COMBLES TOTAL PRISONERS 55,800. PARIS, September 24. A communique says: We captured by surprise a fortified house on the outskirts of Combles, and further east carried several portions of trenches. Our curtain of fire frustrated an enemy attack south of Rancourt. The total prisoners from the Ist July to the 18th September is 55,800, whereof 34,050 were taken by the French. A communique Patrols passing ■ .forward of the southern outskirts of Combles found numerous epemy dead. ARTILLERY AND AEROPLANE DAMAGE. LONDON. September 24. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Wo continued to improve our positions southward of the Aere, pushing detachments into the, enemy’s advanced trenches. During Friday’s bombardment ten enemy gun pits were destroyed and fourteen severely damaged. Five ammunition pits were exploded To-day our artillery caused a nig fire in a yillage largely used for the transport of supplies. Fifty aeroplanes successfully raided an important railway junction, doing much damage, which included the flestruction of two ammunition trains. Other successful raids were made on railway works and aerodromesFRENCH OPERATIONS. PARIS, September 24. A communique says:—There is tiolent artillery fire in the Bouchavesnes, Belloy, and Beruy sectors. An enemy attack southward of Col St. Marie, in the Vosges, was repulsed. ' Airmen bombed military establishments at Ludwigshaveu and Palatinate, and a big factory at Mannheim. A vast fire and several explosions were observed. CANADIANS’ BRILLIANT work: CAPTURE OF COURCELETTE. LONDON, September 24. The Canadians took a brilliant share in the battle on the 15th. They forced back the Germans over a mile and captured Mouquet Farm after a desperate resistance. They carried a sugar refinery and theiadvanced and captured the whole village of Courcelette. Altogether they prisonered 1200, including 32 officers. The artillery barrage advanced before the Canadians stage by stage with remarkable precision. The infantry moved forward in successive waves. Directly the first lines of German trenches were secured the assaulting waves pressed on. In their midst were several armoured cars. The .Germans were powerless to stop the cars, which assisted materially, in silencing ma-chine-guns and enfilading the enemy trenches. The attack was so successful that it was decided to pyess on to Courcelette and Mouquet Farm. Within 12-hours the Canadians had captured the whole defensive works on a wide front to a depth of from 1000. to 2000 yards, despite the Germans fighting with the courage of despair. GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. LONDON, September 24. , A Berlin communique says: The battle on the Somme has been resumed. The French, without result, attacked the Combles-Rancourt line, and the British attacked Courcelette. We downed 11 aeroplanes on the Somme. Two Roumanian divisions attack ed on both sides of Hermannstadt. We repulsed the Roumanians southwest of Topraisar. GERMAN LOSSES. PARIS, September 24. Liberte publishes a statement by a French staff officer that the Germans, in the battle on September 20th lost at least 30,000. KILLED IN ACTION. LONDON, September 24. Lieutenant Thomas Cecil Higginson, of the Grenadiers (a New Zealander) was killed in action. THE KAISER’S APPEAL. * » Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) . AMSTERDAM, September 23. The Kaiser has appealed to German’s abroad to report to their Consuls with a view to military employment.