BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2824, 15 July 1916, Page 9

BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

A FIENDISH TRICK HOW THE HUNS TREATED A CAPTIVE OFFICER By To 1 <5,7m —Pros? Association—Oopyripht CEeuter's Telegram.) London,. July 13. Reuter's correspondent at Headquarters tells a story of the shameful conduct of-the Germans at the Somme. A wounded English .officer was brought to a German trench. Tho popular idea was to dispatch him forthwith. Ultimately the suggestion.of two. German officers was .adopted, and the helpless .officer was hoisted, and tied to the parapet of the trench,, amidst jeers, and informed: "Now, see what- your cursed bombardment is like \" The Germans ..descended to their dugout, where the. correspondent believed they were'bombed to' extinction by the British infantry who stormed the place and rescued the British officer. OVERSEA TROOPS IN ACTION London, July 13. The "Daily News," • describing the fighting' at Mametz,' Contalmaison; and Ovillerp, says that overseas troops were engaged, and formod a : wave of attack on the' most formidable section of tho whole German- front,- ' ' "THE BATTLE OF THE WOODS" 'BRITISH INFANTRY AT CONTAL- , MA'ISON. . - Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. July 14, 2.50 p.m.) London, July 13. Mr. Philip Gibbs states-.—"The battle of the woods raged round Contalmaison; Its chief characteristic was deter-mined-effort .to take -hold of the copses and small forests between the first and second German lines. Our success at Contalmaison was largely due to the progress of our attacks on the woods on the right and left, nicknamed f ßailiC Wood*' and 'Pearl Abbey. 1 Four attacking..'columns stumbled on ba&s of rifles, bombs, and machine-guns covered with muddy slime. Both luck and weather were against these gallant' battalions. Despite an enfilading machine, gun fire from Bailiff arid Mametz Woods, they-penetrated deep into Contalmaison, but were compelled' to' withdraw until j supplementary' attacks-gave the opportunity for complete ■ occupation. "Mametz 'Wood became n, place of terror. on Monday; the Germans crouching in: gnarled roots'-with.; bombs and ma-chine-trims. .; Our ■ giiirs,':,' progressively ba'rraging: with waves of-high explosives, ■we"Swept forwardf-th&!inrantry following in short, .sharp rushes. Some, in 'their' eagerness,' advanced over f.ar,. There was a liorrible-.shatter of nl'ach'iheguns all "night. It was a night to which we may well, loolc back throughout a lifetime. : There mis wonderment that the. dawn came..-'' ' '

• "A "General says .that the infantry at daybreak went across' magnificently, and. ivithin two ' hour's, occupied the whole of. Contalmaison. There was. fierce hatred in the hand-to-hand fighting. We' killed two hundred Germans who refused to surrender."