BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME
THE FIGHT FOR CONTALMAISON GERMANS WITHERED BY OUR FIRE Australian-New Zealand Go,bio Association. (Rec. July 13, 6.45 p.m.) London, July 13. Mr. Philip Gibbs, writes: "Prior to the capture of Contalmaison the enemy's uhell-firo became more intense and widespread than it had been for tho past few days. He was bombarding our positions from La Boiselle to Montauban, fiercely searching tho wood at La Boiselle with shrapnel, while high explosives were falling into Monitauban village. At 3.30 p.m. the enemy directed a heavy barrage In a straight line below CoDtalmaison, and fonmed a wall of block Bmoke, with only a few gaps. The British Guns in Action. "At i p.m. our guns were concentrated on Contalmaison, the littlo straggling wood 'to the right of Mametz, and also the German trenches defending tho Contalmaison ridge. Through the smoke our men moved forward and captured the village. The enemy at Contalmaison know that tho position was hopeless when our guns lifted, and many of those who were still alive and unwounded streamed out of the village in disorderly retreat, only to bo caught by our'extended barrages botween Contalmaison, Pozieres, and Bazentin-le-Petit, so that the rout became a shambles. Our snen .entered tho village, and thoroughly searched the place for maohine-guns, emplacements, and dug-outs, to prevent further trouble. "The enemy within Contalmaison was in a dreadful state. He had suffered ,to the very brink of liuman endurance. One prisoner stated that their rations 6pon become exhausted, and it was impossible bo get fresh supplies owing tx> our ceaseless 'gunfire. They had suffered- great agonies from thirst. 1 Other prisoners state that the effect of our fire was terrible. At loast half of those who were holding tho village were killed or wound-' ed. Whon our soldiers entered, they walked over corpses. , Those who escaped lay on the ground,' face to the earth, uttorly exhausted,"
Terrible Sconos. ILr. Gibb3 concludes: "I have seen things to-day before -which one's -soul swoons. Iu ton days, by tho wonderful gallantry of our troops, and tho great power of out guns,' wo' havo smashed several' German strongholds, as strong as any fort on tho Western front, and defended stubbornly by masses of guns and troops. Tho enemy has now been forced back to his next line of defences at the cost of great loSses, which are greater because tho- German Headquarters Staff is pushed for reserves." DEEDS OFJVALOUR ("Tho Times.") (Hoc. July 13, 7.35 p.m.) London, July 13. "Tho Tmies's" correspondent, describing the incidents at Oontalmaißon., says: "One of the Northumberland Fusiliers, who had been sent back with a message, Was mortally' wounded. Ho struggled on till ho reached our advanced post, and then had only enough strength left to point to his. tunic and eay: It sin here.- 1 Then he died. . 1 "A lieutenant in tho Yorkshires was wounded twice. After twelve hours he managed to crawl back in. tho darkness. En rout© lio found two unbounded Germans hiding in a- shell-hole, and brought them both m as prisoners, with the help of his revolver. "It has now been pro-red that tho uerman machine-gunners were tied to their guns. One was discovered fastened with straps inserted into staples driven in the ground, and a chain round his waist. - THE FIGHT AT TRONES WOOD A FRIGHTFUL MELEE. (Renter's Telegram.) (Kec. July 13, 8.25 p.m.) . London, July 13. A French oorrespondont says that tho Battle of Trones Wood will probably rank as the bloodiest and most obstinate of the war. Tho British and Germajig were equally tenacious, and the wood was a mass of trenches. Tho British, -by a brilliant attack, carried most of tho wood. The Germans delivered several furious counter-attacks, and then the British batteries opened fire, followed by another charge, which ended in a terrible melee, in which, tho Germans were reinforced. "Finally," says tho writer, "after six hours' hand-to-hand fighting, tho British neatly trapped the enemy by advancing in crescent formation, like a Zulu impi, and forced tho Germans to run in order to escape annihilation."
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2823, 14 July 1916, Page 5
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677BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2823, 14 July 1916, Page 5
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