Progress of the War.
""lion Sir Douglas Haig states that the losses sustained in tho capture of Beoumont-Hamel wore not heavy compared with the gains made, lie must be held to be stressing the importance of the gains rather than minimising the losses. A brief message from Paris today shows that the losses sustained here must have been very heavy, but apparently the prize lias been well worth tno price paid. The village was regarded by the Germans as stronger even than Combles or Thiepval—and its fortifications mus| inueed have been notable if, after taking five lines of trenches, the assailing troojys were neul up by the fire of hidden machineguns. Hand-to-hand fighting raged m the streets of the village for ten hours, and it is estimated that the enemy at this spot alone must have lost oight thousand men. The gains mado have been improved upon, and all positions won consolidated. It" is interesting to not© that, contrary to her usual ctasEom, Germany has frankly admittod her defeat and losses, and the reason advanced by M. "areel Hutin is probably correct. He states that this -s being done to justify the general Ftvtlian mobilisation for war work which is to .take place in December, according to an Amsterdam journal. The Serbians on the Balkan front havo improved upon their gains in the Cerna loop, and in conjunction with the French have taken sinco tho 10th. inst. three thousand two hundred prisoners, of whom six hundred were Germans. An interesting announcement was mado by Mr W. Runciman in tho House of Commons, to tho effect that a iVood Controller with wide powers was to oo appointed in Britain. Almost in so many words he said tSat the position in 1917 might bo "tragic," but howover bad it might be with Britain, it would be worse for Austria ana Germany. This preparation on the part of Britain may be taken as a sound corrective to those optimists who are lootTTlig for a specify peace.
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Press, Volume LII, Issue 15750, 17 November 1916, Page 6
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333Progress of the War. Press, Volume LII, Issue 15750, 17 November 1916, Page 6
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