INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE

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

INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE

VIVID DESCRIPTIONS BY CORRESPONDENTS GLORIOUS VALOUR OF OUR SOLDIERS Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (liec. July 1-, 8.15 p.m.) London, July 3. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: "It is possible to give a clear idea of the battle. Fricourt was partly surrounded on Saturday, and taken by assault on Sunday. The Germans in the counter-attack wero taken prisoners, and tramped back in batches, weary and worn. The attack on Montauban was our l>est success on Saturday. The troops were mainly Lancashire lads, and supported by men from the Home counties, they advanced in splendid order, straight to their objective, and swept over the German trenches, taking many prisoners without great loss. "Their officers wero anxious about a brickfield, which tho Germans filled with machine guns and mine sweepers (minethrowers). . The original intention was to pass this without attempting a capture, but we found that it had been utterly destroyed by tho bombardment, and it was seized with comparative ease. Tho men then swept on to the mined village of Montauban, despite a spasmodici ma-chine-gun fire from broken houses. of the Germans wero hiding in duft-outs and cellars, and theso caine out into the open and surrendered. Others wore so cowed that they fell on their knees and piteously begged for morcy. . "The counter-attack came on m close order, rank after rank, advancing over their own dead and wounded comrades. Only a few entered our trenches, and theso were killed. Gallant Gordons. "Tho Gordons suffered heavily in tho taking of Mameta. Advancing across tho open, they sloped arms because there was not a rifle-shot from tho broken trenches. Suddenly a machine-gun fired at pointblank range, and caught tho Gordons in the face. The mon at the double dashed forward under a hail of bullets. Many of them dropped, but Manictz was taken at the bayonet point, and held. Despuc the enormous bombnrdment by the British guns, some of tho machine-gun emplacements wero so strongly built, with steel girders and concrete covers, that they defied tho high explosives. Inside these the Germans, still defiant, worked tho machine guns until bombed to death, refusing to surrender or esoapo. "Tho haTdost fighting was at Gommocourt where tho German salient was most' difficult to assault, owing to tho formidable defences. Our progress in tho small uttaetos was more fortunate. At Anthuilo, Ovillers, and La Boisollo we gained ground, with great loss to tho enemy and many casualties jo ourselves. •Tyncslders at l.a Boisella. "Tho advanco from La Boisollo to Contalmaison was a memorablo business. Tho

British 'troops engaged wero a hard, tough lot of dare-devils, and they went forward cheering, tho Tyneside Pipers playing them in.

"Tho pressed on with fixed bayonets at tho parade step, and took the first lino of trenches, which had been blown into a dust heap. Then they rushed tho second line, whore some of the defenders wore still alive, bombed tho Germans out, and dashed on to the third line, which ia still held, "Tho machine guns and the German bombardment then became intease. High explosives, shrapnel, and trench mortars ploughed the ground. Tho Royal Scots charged with tho bayonet into a body of Germans, while other battalions captured batches of Huns, who had no stomach for fight. The Dorsets, Manchesters, Borderers, and Highland Light Infantry had fiomo hard fighting in the neighbourhood of Anthuilo. They easily captured tho front -line, but wero then engaged in a battle of bombs with a largo body of Germane, whose resistance was finally broken by the bayonet. "Tho struggle at Thiepval was particularly fierce. First the British went through the village without clearing tho dug-outs, and the enemy came oat and turned a machine-gun fire on tho dugouts, which wero thirty feet below the i ground, and having trap-doors leading to still lower chambers, elaborately furnished, and well stocked with wine and beer. The Capture of Fricourt. "Meanwhile there was big fighting at Fricourt, where the North Countrymen had a great ordeal under fire. Tho German garrison maintained the stoutest resistanco, and held out until . Sunday morning, although practically surrounded. Finally one body of troops fought its way to tho north of Fricourt, another went to the south side, getting tho village up in a pair of tongs. Tho Germans then came up, hands up. "Countless incidents demonstrate that the fever of victorious fighting has brought enthusiasm of all. ranks to a white heat." NEW ZEALANDER'S IMPRESSION OF THE BATTLE THE GREAT BOMBARDMENT The following special message has been received from tho New Zealand Official War Corres{>ondent (Mr. Malcolm Ross); July 2. "Tho bombardment in the great battle commenced yestorday morning, along an extended section of the British and Frcnoh front. It readied its highest intensity shortly beforo tho launching of tho infantry attack. Tho bombardments at Gallipoli, especially when the warships chimed in with their heavy guns and secondary armament, were occasionally more spectacular, but this ono far excolled them in intensity and extent. For hours the air trembled with the throbbing sound of many hundred? of guns of varied calibre, and trench mortars. The explosions per second wero so quick that tliey wore'absolutely uncountable at any point of tho lino. "At first, owing to tho morning hazo, and tho smoko from tho preliminary bombardments throughout the week, there was low visibility, but the registration had been so excellent that this did not interfere with the accuracy and dcstnictiveness of tho fire. As tho day wore on visibility gradually improved, and our shells could be clearly seen playing havoc with tho enemy's trenches. J

Wounded Germans, whom I subsequently interviewed, spoke of the terrible defitruotivouess of our bombardment, and Gorman prisoners continued their statements. Many of the latter, though uofc wounded, were haggard, and greatly shaken.

"Soon after tho launching- of the infantry attack the whole German front trcnenos wero in our hands, and as the day advanced the seco u'l lines wero piorccd in several places. As our men went over ike parapet an ominous crackle of machine-gun and riflo lire was clearly distinguishable. Many of our wounded boro testimony to the fact tliat a considerable number of our casualties were due to niacin nc-gan fire. This was ospeoially the e«iso where the guns had been conccaled in tlio villages through which we had to fight. These guns liacl

been saved from destruction through beins kept, during tho shelling, in deep dug-outs. "While a large British force was making this attack the I'ronch wore successful along a less extensive _ front liortn and south of the Kommc. So far as one could see, w® had throughout 'tho djiv almost a complete mastery of the air. Fow German planes camo over, while their captive balloons had been largely destroyed l>y our now method. We, on tho other hand, had many bidloons up along tho wliolo line. Near tho Sommo there was a constellation of twenty, calmly observing for our batton'es. "Tills is only the beginning of what will probably be known as tho Battle of tho Somnie.' There may he weeks of heavy fighting before our main purpose has been gained."