THE GREAT BATTLE OF THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2815, 5 July 1916, Page 5

THE GREAT BATTLE OF THE SOMME

CLEARING THE HUNS FROM THE VILLAGES OVER 12,000 PRISONERS CAPTURED TO DATE " (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright). ° Australian-New Zealand Cable Association.' London, July 3. Sir Douglas Saig's afternoon report "The battle south of the Ancre continues to be'hotly contested. We have maintained all tho positions won. "Fighting in La Boiselle Valley and Cuillers is particularly severe. On Sun-, day evening we penetrated the village of La Boiselle. "Fighting continues about Cuillers, where we met with varying success. One attaok early this morning secured a portion of a hostile defence. "Four hundred more prisoners were passed to the collecting stations early. '°"*"£arge parties of German aircraft made several attempts at an offensive, but all were repulsed. Subsequently the airo raft were held far behind the German lilies, and as the result our artillery and observation machines were able to do their ivork without interruption. ■ , "There were many aerial combats. We brought down six hostile machines ana five others were damaged. Seven of ours are missing."• LATEST BRITISH COMMUNIQUE. ' , - (Bee. July ,4, 9 p.m.) London, July 4. ■ Sir Douglas'Hiiig reports: "The fight'fluctuated in the afternoon about La Boiselle ana iouth of 'Ihiepval, tho advantage on tho whole remaining with us. "South ' of Thiepval counter-attacks drove some of our troops from a portion of tho position which was captured in the morning. ' "Elsewhere there have been many attacks by .the onoiny, which, were repulsed with heavy loss. , , , , , . . , "We have continued to make substantial progress in some places. ''The number of prisoners taken is now over 4300. "There me a marked increase of activity by hostile aeroplanes on Sunday on one of'the southern sectors. Since the beginning of the battle we have lost fifteen machines along our whole front. V SEVERE FIGHTING AT LA BOISELLE / ' London, July 3. V correspondent at British Headquarters says that the.fighting continues to be intense on the whole British front. "There has been no change of importance above the River Ancre. . . . "We heavily bombarded Thiepval, and severe fighting is proceeding at La Boiselle, "We pushed our positions north of Fricourt to higher ground. The situation here is promising. "The Germans continue to heavily Bh ell Montatiban, but we are well Cstablished. The prisoners exceed four thousand. "The weather. continues favourable." THE HUNS' "MOST DEVILISH WEAPON." (Rcc. July 4, 'J p.m.) London, July 4. The "Morning Post's" correspondent says: "The great advance continues to progress wholly in our favour. 'It is.undeniable that the Germans are fighting witE desperate tenacity and valour. The number of prisoners is growing in proportion to our penetration of the enemy's territory, but the majority of the Germans fight to the' last. Teutonic resourcefulness is displayed in the oare of their machine guns, which are their most dov ilish weapons against our advance. The Germans hid their machine §uns in their deepest dug-outs and dragged thorn out the moment our men leapt from the par apets. The German maohine-gunner dies, but does not surrender. Ho is content to remain at his post after all his oom'rades have left, pouring in his"deadly bullets. He neved throws up his hands."

FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE Paris, July 3. A communique says: "The enemy on the north of the Somine did not attempt a. night attack on the newly-won positions. The fight was continued eolith of the Sommo, with coinplctc success. . . "The northern and western outskirts of Assonllers are in our hands. Ihe troops mado considerable progress north of the village of Estres and Asse"Most of tlio prisoners are very young. They state that our artillery was extremely .effective. It not only annihilated the defensive organisations, but obliterated all the lateral communications to the rear, and rendered the control of the ■ troops and the .feeding of theni impossi bio. The had■ defensively organised Herhecourt, which was seized aftor a Brilliant fight. . . "Wo set fire to fifteen Gorman capti vo balloons during the offensive. Ou.r aeroplanes were masters throughout. Only nino enemy machines were scon, and none crossed our lines." LATEST NEWS FROM THE FRENCH FRONT. (Roc. July i, 9 p.m.) . i Pans, July 4. A French official coinmuniquo statos -."North of tho Somrne tlio position is j- 0 j] oTre{ j up our OTCW ;BS east of Mercaucourt Wood, and captured tho Chanitre Wood and tho village of Feuillere. "Our infantry, aftor a brilliant assault, captured Assov. lore, tho centre of a noverful German defonco organisation. Southward of Assovillers wo took tho seennd German position as far as tEo approaches to Estrecs. During tho afternoon wo "Ot beyond tho second position, and captured Busoourt, oast ot I'cmllere and Trwilrourt; to a dentil of live kilomotres (3 miles). . "Wo disporsod tho enemy's detachments in tho region of Bolloy-on-Sau-material captured includes sovon batteries, threo of large calibre, machine guns, trench guns. Tho number of unwounded pawners excecds eight thousand.'- ,

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT The High Commissioner reports:— • . . T , „ „ 6 London, July 3, 3.25 p.m. "Northwards of tho .Soinmo tho cnomy aiado no attempt during the night, the positions conquered being organised. ■ , "South of tho river fighting continued succcwl ully yesterday evening and durin" tho night. The French occupied, on a front over five kilometres (about :l miles)"; two lilies of tho enemy's second line trendies, from the borders ol Mereaucourt Wood to Assevillers, taking Hoi'beeouvt by a brilliant assault. "New prisoners anad heavy artillery were captured, but have not been countcd information which has been obtained show* that 39 German battalions wero on'the front which the French, with 31 battalions, attacked on Saturday. Heavy io«es wero inflicted on the Germans, who became disorganised.. "South of tho Avre, in tho region of Dan con rt-Loges Wood, our reconnais. oalices penetrated the'Gorman trenches and damaged them with grenades. "At Lassigny a. coup-de-maiu was successful on the enemy's trenches at Vei\ lot Wood, uoar Canuy-Sur-Matz. i „ "Another patrol was captured between the Somme and Moulin fcoustousen. THE OFFENSIVE ACCORDING TO GERMANY WITHDRAWAL TO SECOND POSITION ADMITTED. Australian-New Zealand Cablo Association. London, July 3. A German official communique states: "The continuation of tho British and French attacks did not secure any advantage. North of tho Somrno they suffered extraordinarily sanguinary losses. . "AVc havo withdrawn to our sccoml position south of tho river. • A STATEMENT FOR AMERICAN CONSUMPTION. (Eec. July 1, 5.5 p.m.) London, July 3. A German wireless message for American consumption slate.?: "We were uncertain until Sunday whether the Anglo-French operations wore intended as feelers, or as a serious offensive, or whether it was intended to bluff tho wholo of the German forces. Wo now believe that it is the real thing.". REPORTED PANIC IN BERLIN. London, July 3. "The Daily Telegraph" states that there is a, panic in Berlin. "Troop.trains and all available new artillery have gone to the west. "The Kaiser will also go to the Western front. "Special newspapers havo been issuad to reassure tho people. - " SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S OPPONENT. Zurich, July 3. The Crown Prince ef Bavaria comm amis the enemy troops opposing the British offensive. HUNS OBJECT TO THEIR OWN MEDICINE. Zurich, July 3. The German newspapers protest that tho British aro using a gas more deadly than tho German vnrioty. INTERESTING OPINIONS ON THE OFFENSIVE NECESSITY FOR CAUTION STRESSED. Paris, July 3. Correspondents eulogise the brilliant dash of tho Scottish regiments, which Sir Douglas Haig mentions as having traversed three lines of trenches, and then entered Afontauban and slain hundreds with the bayonet. The "Petit Journal'' says that tho general result of the present offonsivo was the capture of the first and second lines and a vast area between Montauban and Assevillers. Tho success was moro important because the British captured ifametz and Fricourt. . . Military critics emphasise the need for continued caution, and for being sparing in lives until a general break-through is possible; meauwhilo forcing tho action only where a decisive superiority is assured, inflicting the maximum loss on the enemy with tho minimum loss to ourselves. It. Marcel Hutin, writing in tlio "Eo ho do Paris,' 1 says that the British progress was slower thaii that of the French, owing to the difficulty of the ground. The Allies wero engaged in a lengthy operation in which there was plenty or work for the atfillery ,beforo tho attack. It is gratifying that a hau.l of prisoners besides a strategic result was oh tnined, and not paid for too dearly. The Germans facing the British multiplied their counter-attacks all day long and all night long, but they were sanguinarily repulsed. Altogether the situation is favourable.

HUGE TRAINS OF GERMAN WOUNDED. (Ree. July 4, 9 p.m.) , Amsterdam, July .4. ' The Dutch newspaper "De Tijd" states that lingo muitber.s ; of German wounded are passing through Liege. "There have never been so many," soys that newspaper. NEWS OF THE ANZACS _ T , „ London, July 3. A train load of British wounded has reached Charing Cross. It includes a number of Anzacs, who were, not engaged in the great "push,' but in the preliminary raids. -All the men arc in high spirits. The Anzacs are now holding a section where the British are advancing. A party of New Zealand officers, who arrived at Chelsea Hospital, have been visited by Sir Thomas Mackenzie and B rigndier-General Eicbardson. . (United Services.) Correspondents referring to the Anzac raid on Thursday, say a storm of artillery iire seemed to concentrate or. one spot. For two long minutes it paused, and then flashed forth again, less fiercely. Here the Anzaca rushed a raid, and within five minutes readied the first concentration of the enemy, earned out their work with wonderful rapidity, and returned successful. A GOOD OMEN-AMERICAN WAR ORDERS CANCELLED ' Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. New York, July 3. Several orders for munitions liavo been cancelled. Quotations for munitions stocks on Wall Street dropped on an average three points. This is due largely to the strength of tho Allies' offensive, and the consequent belief that orders for munitions will show a further decline. •