THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2818, 8 July 1916, Page 9

THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME

INCIDENTS OF THE GREAT ADVANCE THROUGH THE HOTTEST OF THE FIRING THRILLING SCENES AT LA' BOISELLE. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association.-. (l!ec. July 7, 9.45 p.m.) London, July 7. Mr. Philip Cribbs, after visiting the battlefield north of La Boiselle, says:— "Over this stretch, a -few miles -wide, was fought one of the greatest battles of history. Many thousands of our men advanced, and, with marvellous • selfsacrifice, bayond the ordinary courage of men, faced the' hellish fire unfalteringly. When the bravest might have quailed, something supernatural animated them. Their losses were heavy, beeauso tlicy counted not the cost of assaulting these terribly strong positions. "The enemy's losses were frightful, too. His courage was great, because there aro brave men on both sides. His. ma-chine-gunners displayed amazing coiirago and audacity. . 'They' climbed the parapets of No-Man's-Land, and "swept our ranks with a scytho of bullets. We went on, charging tho machine-guns with the bayonet. Wave after wave swept oyer the'enemy's first, second, and third lines, and even to tho fourth. Some of the men went as 1 far as Serre, but - they never came back. Human courage could not reach greater heights than these North Countrymen showed. There were Midlanders, West of Ehglanders, ahd.Eastern Counties men,, with the. battalions' of Irish and Scots, and they approached the trenchcs at the" parade step, in the face of a storm of . shell. Fierce trench fighting followed, till most of the enemy were killed. " "From the men who I'ad.gone' on tho Serre came tho'urgent message: 'Help! For God's sake send us bombs!' But the enemy's artillery barrage' was so violent ■ ■ and deep that it was impossible to send relief. Even the terrific sound of the bombardment was obliterated by the more terrible spund of a myriad of Geirman. machineguns, sweeping No-Man's-Land with a blast of flame. The men marched unfalteringly into the very heart of this storm, quite calm. As gaps were made, the ranks were filled, 'l'hoy cleared the dug-outs, and as they passed, the enemy came out and bombed them in (lie rear, but they coukl uot resist the attack. "Our men collected their -strength in Thiepval Woodi among trees slashed to pieces by German shrapnel, and withstood the German counter-attacks. Tho slight-ly-wounded had a two-mile walk to the' dressing stations, a long two miles for men weak and dizzy from loss of blood, yet one called <.-ut; 'We got .'em on tho. run.'" GLORIOUS DEEDS OF THE ULSTERS (Rec. July 7, 8.5 p.m.) London, July 7. The "Morning Post's" correspondent writes: "The Ulster Division had a glorious but' deadly position ill the great advance. To gain' their main objectives they had to pass an obstacle, for every yard of which the Germans knew the exact gun and rifle range. The Ulsters, with a heavy hail of shrapnel from the front, and enfiladed by machine-guns on either flank, pressed forward with shouts of: 'No surrender! Remember the Boyne!' "They withstood the shock of successive counter-attacks with invincible courage,, and only retired when it was impossible to send reinforcements or ammunition. They inflicted heavy damage on the enemy, and captured many prisoners."

A FEARFUL ORDEAL FOR SOME (Reuter's Telegram.) ißec. July 7, 8.50 p.m.) London, July 7. Reuter's correspondent at Headquarters writes:— > "It is now possible to write with some fullness the story- of the northern attack. One almost shrinks from .recordinp; it, so terrible was tho toll. Tho East Lancashires and York Lancastera advanced as if on parade. Their losses were the heaviest. The concentrated fire of the enemy's machine-guns raked them, and of one battalion only one officer and six orderlies wore not ivounded. Tho Warwicks, tho Rifle Brigade, Somersets, and "the Hants Regiments also suffered fearfully."