DEVELOPING THE OFFENSIVE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2814, 4 July 1916, Page 5

DEVELOPING THE OFFENSIVE

SUCCESS OF THE ALLIES .THRILLING ACCOUNTS OF THE BATTLE Tho High. 1 Commissioner reporfcs: ' . London, July 2, 3.45 p.m. "North oi tji© Somme, against the Germans'/violenc counter-attacks on our now positions on tho outskirts of HardeoOurt, our infantry firo inflicted important losses on tlje enemy, wlio was compelled to-fly back in disorder, leaving 200 prisoners, Parsing our advantages on the right bank; we captured, after, lively lighting, Curlu' Village, occupying it entirely. Jbafceat figures of German uuwoundod prisoners; tauen by the Arena 11 south of the ijomme exceed 5000." s THE FIGHTING AT FJtICOURT '■ By Telegrejiv—Press Association—Copyright ' . . Australian-NewZealand Oable Association. : ■ London, July 2. Sir Douglas afternoon bulletin states: "Substantial progress was made in tho vicinity of JMcourt, whioh our troops captured by two o'clock in. the afternoon. We took 800 prisoners. • , "Up till mid-day, during the' operations between the Anoro and the Somme, the total was &500, including' prisoners taken on other parts of the front last night.'' ' 1 ■ CEouter'B Telogiam.) ' . (Eec. July 3, 8:15 p.m.) ■ ; i. London, July 3. Sir Douglas Haig. reports: "Thero was heavy .fighting on Sunday betwesn. the jincro and the Somme, especially about Fricoiirt and La Boiselle. Tue iprmcr was captured at 2 p.m., and remains in ou£ hands.., _ ' "Some progress was made to tho eastward. The enemy is stubbornly resisting in tho neighbourhood of La Boisolle, but our troops are progressing satisfactorily. Muoh war material has been, captured. ' - "The situation on either 6ide of the .Ancre Valley is unchanged. • "Tho general situation may be regarded as, favourable. Later reports of 'the losses show that our first estimates were too low. "Our aeroplanes have- been very aotive in co-operating in our attack north ' of the Sommo. They bombed numerous headquarters centres o£ the enemy, and also railway centres. Two Tokkers were brought down. Wo conducted long-dis-tance reconnaissances,'in spite of the enemy's attempts to frustrate us. Three of our planes aro missing."; CAREFULLY PLANNED AND DELIBERATE ■ STROKE - , GERMANS COMPLETELY SURPRISED BRITISH ADVANCING ON BAPAUME London, July 2. talking by the signs latterly the Garmans were fully aware of.General Joffro's and Sir Douglas Haig's preparations, and the persistent and desperate,onslaught at Verdun was intended to disorganise the British and' French ptati. Goneral Joffre was not perturbed, and declined to bud go until everything wad in* readiness and the moment arrived, promising every guarantee of success. The direction from'which the blow came was a complete surprise. "he expelling of civilians from Lille by the enemy indicated an expectation that the chiof effort would be from the British centre opposite Lens. • The intense British bombardment on a ninety-milo front for a /whole week kept the enemy in'such doubt regarding the objective, that it was unsafe for him to modify his former dispositions. Hence, of 800,000 Germans facing the British lines not a single, rogiraent was withdrawn to reinforce the other fronte. Those withdrawn.were largely from the Champagne, British Advance oh Bapaume." The British and French are now advancing towards Bapaume, an important centre or main roads radiating to Albert, Peronne, Cambrai, and Arras. The weather is fine, and the British are strongly pressing the enemy at Frieourt and Gommecourt. Tho latter is a mile northward of Hebuterne., The Anzacs, in 'a lightning raid, on Thursday night, swarmed a trench within five minutes of the first concentration, killing- and wounding eighty. Their casualties-were slight. Line of tho British Attack. Our line of attack starts, roughly, on the outskirts of Arras, while tho French battle-front on the right extends possibly to beyond Roye, in undulating, open, and wooded countryside, with only the usual roads and railways of an agricultural district, hence the German defence was loss advantageously placed than in other sectors. Military critics point out that there was nothing haphazard in the choice of moment and place, nor Wero they chosen by mere chance. Our offensive was coincident with the Russian and Italian thrusts. The Germans hitherto had not attempted serious fighting in this sector, because, unlike Ypres, which offered the lure of the Channel ports, it did not offer an objective of any value. Serious Breach in the German Front, - The eerious l broach Sn tho German front will imperil the whole position in northern France. Happily thft cutting-out .raids have familiarised us with tho intricacies of the defonces. The chief Gorman attack on the British front was made at night in the region of Montauban (six miles east of Albert). It was repulsed with serious German losses. The British are now consolidating all tli'oir gains. , VMD PICTURE OF THE BATTLE FOLLOWING THE SHELLS OF THE FIRE CURTAIN. ' - (Bee. July 3, 11.15 p.m.) London, July 3. The chief fruits of the buttle* so far are the enemy's loss in men and moralo. Nowhere was the fipht sufficiently uniform to make a general summing up of tho situation possible. South, of tho Ancre we scored our greatest successes, while to the northward our progress on the whole lias been greater than the map shows, tfnder the dreadful hurricano of shells, whok> reaches of the enemy trenches wero battered out of existence, his nearer communication trenches obliterated, and irholo yillages behind the lines rendered untenable. Woods wsre swept away as

if a forest fire had rngod through them. Thiepval was converted into a veritable Devil's Cauldron. Here the bowl was seething with fumes, black, grey, and white. The Gorman lines for tho past four days must have been a hideous nightmare. Following the Curtain of Fire. , Tho French advance was magnificent. They went forward as if on parade, 1 car-" ried the first Gormau lino unchecked, and swept beyond. At the order to advance tho British rushed into tho roaring hell, and worked their way to our curtain firo ahead. The enemy's shells poured on the men, but there was no wavering; the gaps were quickly closed. Then tho curtain firo suddenly jumped, like a cinema film, onu roso and fell upon another trench further on, leaving nothing but dosolation in front of our men, Everything was flattened out. .Inn men loaped across the ruined trenches towards tho wall of smoke and nre. J. 110 drama was repeated again and again. Men approached the shell curtain, and saw it lift and fall further on. Our gunners' range was perfect. Procession of Prisoners. In this cyolono of firo it was impossible V>. give spoken commands. Everything was done by gesture. A dense body of Germans .approached. It looked like a counter-attack. Our artillery ceased fire, and we knew that.thcse wero surrender!!. Wo slit their boot luces, cutoff their braco buttons, and tho Germans, with their hands in their pockets, slouched rearward, needing few to guard them. Ihe German general must also have been surprised at his local counter-attack being turned into a procession of prisoners. Ho ordered his artillery to fire, and many of the prisoners fell. We found many of tho enemy stricken down while praying, some with prayer-books in their hands. Many of the trenches wero impassable shambles, and groans were heard coming from the wounded who were buried beneath the piles of dead, FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE Paris, July 2. ' A communique states: "The struggle north of the Somme was fierce- At ni"ht tho Germans violently attacked the new positions in tho neighbourhood of Hardeeonrt. Our curtain and infantry inflicted important losses, and the enomy fell baok in disorder. • j ''Following up our advantage on tho right bank of the feomme, we occupied the village of Curlu after a lively oombat. "We conserved tho positions south of the Somme, progressed at night between Herbecfiurt and Assovillers, and oft'ooted numerous reconnaissances m the Champagne, clearing out the enemy trenches with, grenades. CRcutei-'s Telegram.) (Rec. July 3, 8.15 p.m.) London, July .1. A French official communique states: "Heavy fighting with tho odds in our favour, has prevailed all day north of the Somme. In tho region of Hardeeonrt and Curlu we captured- a fortified quarry, "Bast of Curlu we gained a footing in tho second lines at ninny points. "South of tho Scmmo we captured the village of Prise and Mcreincourt wood. "The number of unbounded prisoners now exceed 6000, including 150 olhcers, Some guns and much material wore captured., Our losses were slight. "Tho insignificant French losses in the Somme region is due to the completeness of the artillery preparation and tho dash of the infantry. "Our air squadrons have dono effective work. They heavily bombed the railway stations at Touguyou, Thionville, Dun, Briculles, and Amagnc-Luequy. At the last-named they destroyed buildings and a train. . "Tho Germans to-day fired heavy shells into Nanoy and Belfort, whilo thenaeroplanes bombed the open town of luneville, Reprisals will be taken." FRENCH STAFF FULLY SATISFIED NO SENSATIONAL RESULTS WERE EXPECTED. Paris, July 2. Tho French military authorities are fully satisfied with the first results of tho new tactics. They -did not oxpeot sensational results, as the element of surprise was largely wanting. The last half hour's artillery preparation was unsurpassed in its intensity- Tho French and British infantry attacks were then launohed with the greatest gallantry, and captured the advanced defences in an hour and a halt'. The entire Allied front was advanced a mile and a quarter on a front of twenty-five miles before evening. , The British and French losses were small compared to those of the Germans, owing to the careful preparation. Tlie British took no chances. Where tho raiders reported wire , that had not been out and the trenohes not damaged, that sector was subjected to a further bombardment. The' new taotics. aim at steady and continuous hammering of the line without unnecessary loss of lives, until it becomes possible to launch, a general attack. The "Petit Parisian" says that tho Franco-British offensive was launched in brilliant fashion. Tho British seized the enemy's first-line defence?. The French, west of Poronne, liberated four villages. The prinqjnal battle is developing in a sector of twenty-five miles, of which the British are attacking over fifteen miles and a half. There were numerous reconnaissances. I . ■ • VIOLENT BOMBARDMENT ON THE ; YSER FRONT GERMAN LINES SHELLED FROM THE SEA. Amsterdam, Jnly 2. ; There is a violent artillery action on tho -Yser front, including heavy gunfire from warships. It is believed 'that British monitors are firing on the Germans across tho dunes 60 as to render a German infantry advance impossible. London, July 2. A Belgian communique statos: "Wo carried out a destructive fire on German works and batteries in tho Dixmude region." VIOLEN.T BOMB WARFARE. (Rec. July 3, 8.15 p.m.) London; July 3. A Belgian official .communique states:—"On the southern sector of the Belgian front a .violent bomb warfaro developed on Saturday evening." WHAT THE GERMAN COMMUNIQUES SAY '"NO ADVANTAGES WORTH MENTIONING." London, July 2, According to the German official communique (published in the "Times"), a great British and French offensive on a 25 miles front, after a strong artillery aud gas preparation, has developed. There wero no advantages worth .mentioning between Gommecourt and La Boiselle. They penetrated our firstlino .region, abutting on the ffiomme, compelling tho withdrawal of our division into prearranged positions. Wo lost front-line material which was immovable. Other attacks were unsuccessful. •\ . ' A .GERMAN CRITIC FACES THE FACTS. • ' London, July 2. In the "Berliner Tageblatt," Major Moraht writes:—"The general situation of all the belligerents is critical. Our antagonists, like the Germans,. have reached the culminating point of their exertions. It must be admitted that their warfare is being energetically organised. The Allies have learnt a lesson from us. Their largo numbers, the possession of the sea, together "with their great strength, enable them to render our ultimate victory difficult. Tho British are going forward very systematically. and cautiously, and it may be supposed thoy have colossal quantities of ammunition, because for months past they have been able to transport across the Channel. We will not get a step nearer peace without a settlement of accounts with tho British." DISPATCHES FROM THE WAR CORRESPONDENTS THE FIRST RUSH OF THE INFANTRY (Rec. July 3, 7.20 p.m.) . London, July 3. Mr. Phillip Gibbs writes: "For a fortnight the plans were discussed secretly in the mess-rooms. The Tommies watched the arrival of scores of guns, and smiled grimly. Everybody was . aware that the bombardment was to bo preparatory to the great assault. The secret was well kept, and the offensive was begun satisfactorily. It is not yet a victory. We are, only beginning to advance, not easily, but doggedly, capturing the enemy's strongholds. The German dead are lying thickly in the track of our regiments. "Our attack was preceded by an outburst from the trench mortars. Clouds of 6moko were liberated, 'hiding the whole line, and screening the infantry, only the reserves being visible. One minute after 7.30 a.in. ,came the rushing, sound of rifles and machine-guns, while the German artillery was barraging our linos. Little difficulty was experienced in the earliest attacks, as one bombardment had flattened tho enemy's parapets and smashed his entanglements. The British swept forward, cheering. They oncountered no resistance; the surviving Germans were hiding in dug-outs, many of which wero filled with dead. Some crept out, dazed and deafened, held up their hands and bowed their heads." Awe-Inspiring Tempest of Artillery. Tho "Morning Post's" correspondent says:— 1 "No longer may tho Kaiser sarcastically refer to 'Britain's contemptiblo little army.'' The people have every reason to bo buoyed by the brightest- hopes, but' it would be premature to assume that the offensive will soon end. Sir Douglas Haig and his staff have left no ; tiling undone to pave the way to success. Encouraged by the valuable information which, has been obtained by the trenoh raids and the air service, we probably now possess tho advantage, with (in artillery concentration .of every typo of gun, and a medical and Red Cross service probably the best ever created, together with every arrangement to alleviate the inevitable toll of suffering." Describing the battle front from a viewpoint near Albert, he says:—"The whole sky was in a blaze. Peasants twenty miles to the rear stood in awestricken groups and watched tho display, which resembled brilliant summer lightning. A French officer who experienced tho worst phases of the battle at Verdun declares that he has seen nothing 'to surpass it. All day and all night the British artillery was vomiting millions of shells, and when the great day of the battle broke in sunsliino the guns gathered for a final effort before the British lions were loosed on their prey. Soldiers who were watching tho pandemonium said: 'Pity tho poor devils who are catching this lot!' Great clouds of thick black smoke,"carried on a light south-westerly breeze, drifted over the German trenches. The accuracy of our firo could not bo surpassed. I also had an opportunity to noto the extreme usefulness of the new British trench mortars, which fire twenty-five rounds per minute, and a re trustworthy for the destruction of entanglements and obstacles. Enemy Lying Low, ■ "Tho quiescence of the Germans is becoming remarkable. It is surmised that they are lying low. They have occasionally scattered shrapnel in our lines, but did not resent tho immense flights of our aeroplanes. Non-combatants were not permitted to witness tho British charge, but I am reliably informed that the men leapt from the trenches with a vigour and earnestness worthy of tho best traditions of the Army. They wore 'fed up' vj&h" tho trenches, and welcomed a fight at close quarters. Tho Germans realised that they wero up. against it, and fought grimly inch by inch. "The capture of the hrst line was a walk-over, but we eneonntered difficulties in the deeper trenches, aud only indomitable pluck and perseverance enabled us to triumph over superhuman obstacles. Counter-attacks raged everywhere, except at gorrc, where the enomy suddenly delivered a desperate offensive, and we fell baok a little. Street Figliti tig at Thiepval. "We pushed through Thiepval early on Saturday. The Germans, who were liiddeu in deep dug-outs, suddenly emerged from tho streets, and furious fighting ensued, with all sorts of weapons, the Germans meanwhile raining down an inferno of shells, and the British artillery replying, resulting in a big 'strafe.' Watch in" the inccssant bursting of proj 'ectiles, it was difficult to understand how anything" human could survive. Tho toll of blood is' fairly heavy, but not excessive, considering tho magnitude of tho operations. Happily, a largo proportion aro only slightly wounded."

"THIIICE THE MAGNITUDE OF LOOS." flteutfir's Telegram.) fßec. July 3, 8.5 p.m.) London, July 3. Editor's special correspondent at thft front says:—"The offensive, roughly, is thrice the magnitude of tho Battle of Loos. The shell-bursts reached five hundred a minute on a short front, guns of all calibres being in action." Tho correspondent pays a tribute to tho splendid work of the British aviators, "sailing abous undisturbed by the storm of shell's, and marking down the onemy." THE GREAT NEWS IN BRITAIN TREMENDOUS PUBLIC ENTHUSIASM. London, July 2. Tlie news of tlie British and French offensive spread with 'astonishing rapadity. The peoplo TOpeatcd the magical -word to each other, knowing that the ; hopes of many momfchs wero nearing fulfilment. Such mighty forces had been accumulated that Hie enemy had been put on the defensive. • Passers-by told tho good news to tho convalescent wounded soldiers on tho balconies of tho hospitals. Tho solditsrs and sailors cheered. The news was also promptly screen-, pd in the theatres and kinemas. There-was the utmost enthusiasm everywhere. WOfJNDED ARRIVING IN LONDON. (Eec. July 3, 5.13 p.m.) London, July 3. Special trains conveying the wounded arrived at Charing Cross last evening, and blocked tho traffiso. There was much cheering. WHA'T OF THE OVERSEA TROOPS ? ~~~~ I (Rec. July 3, 11.15 p.m.) I London, Julv 3. It is believed thatfcno overseas troops were engaged in the big offensive. | . GBiEAT DELIGHT IN ITALY. Rome, July 2. The Italian Press applauds the British success. Union .Tacta wero generally hoisted on public arid private buildings, and largS crowds cheered in front Of tho British Embassy and elsewhere. THE GsERMAN ATTACK ON VERDUN FRENCH \fcOUP-DE-MAIN AT MORT HOMME: Paris, July 2. A French official communique states: "The Germans launched an attack in the evening north-east of the Avooourt Wood, and penetrated onr advanced elemSJrts, Onr counter-attack completely repulsed them. "We effected a cou»-de-main on the eastern slopes of Mort Homme. The enemy made several attacks on the Tliiautnont work, in which vre are established, -which ive' easily repulsed." GERMANS LYING: ABOUT THE CAPTURE OF THIAUMONT. " (B«c. July S. 6 p.m.) . , London, July 2. All the ■ reports which! have been received prove that the Germans are lying about Thiaumont. It is tplie same falsehood as they circulated about Fort Douaumont. The French captovred Thiaumont at 10 o'clock on Friday morning. The Germans re-entered it at 3 o'clock in tho afternoon, remaining there for ninety minutes. The Gtirmans, in the evening, delivered a series of furious attacks and retook the work. The French, on {Saturday morning, again captured it, and the Germans all d&y long bombajiled the position without result. NO? INFANTRY FIGHTING. (Beuter's Telegram.) (Kfic. July 3, 8.15 p.m.) London, July 3. A French official communique states: "There has been no infantry action north of Verdun, but a lively bombardment." HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The High Commissioner reports:— London, July 3, 2.15 a.m-. "There has been lively artillery fighting at Hill 301, and in the Fleury and Damloup sectors. , "Oar aviators set fire io three captive balloons in tho region of Verdun. On Saturday night one of #r squadrons thre\\' 48 shells on Longuyon, eight on Thionville, I 6 011 Dun, and on Buculles." I .