FOCH'S GREAT STROKE ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2830, 22 July 1916, Page 9

FOCH'S GREAT STROKE ON THE SOMME

FIVE MILES OF TRENCHES CAPTURED : INCREASING ANXIETY OF THE GERMANS (By Telegraph—Press .lion—''cpvrigM). . . Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. . . .. (Rec. July 21, 10.10 p.m.) . ,'. The .'British and'. French public are delighted with the-news o°" Genera" I 'inch's capture of five miles of the German front on : the Somme. The advances haying brought their line approximately on a level with the French, General !• och recommenced his offensive at daybreak, with most gratifying success, breaking the German-line and-capturing hve.miles of trenches on both banks of the bomrne, threatening Coiubles, and also relieving the pressure on the British angle at Longueval and the Belville Wood, where they 'were making a grand figut, though outnumbered by tour to one. The positions' which the Anglo-French trobps have seized on the Somme were at least as diftcult and twice as extensive as the Germans have seized at Verdun. The Anglo-Ireiicli .oftensive accomplished in sixteen davs what the tiermans accomplished in five months with a fivefold expenditure of lives. The bermans fully realise the dangers of the Anglo-French advance upon the confines ot the Plains ot Umbres, but are endeavouring to confine the fightin B to tho homme sectors, as is an even greater danger, in the likelihood of a further advance,/that branches pi the German line 1 will be rolled up in sections. The Allies great-advantage .lies in the fact .that the Germans are tied up in their ftffi ,Ti- all lf or " d "'J' 011 , lim 7 Suns, which are excellent for offence, but diincmt to utilise for defence, where mobility is all-important ' -..'-The newspapers give prominence to the excellent results of the Australian reported 00 " Kteuslve frollt than .<»> any General Htiigk' has yet HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT The High Commissioner reports:— _ ! ~ , ' London, July 20, 4.35 ri.m • G e ne ral Haig reports: In the Belville Wood and at Longueval we have regained a-little more" ground. The struggle in these areas still continues ; ' Northwards of <Jur Longueval-Huzentin position we pushed our line forward this-moriiingj capturing some prisoners and guns. ; , . - "Eastward of the Leipzig redoubt bombing parties substantially advanced ■■during the night. ' '.. "Elsewhere the main battle area is chiefly marked by artillerv activitv but the position has not changed since my last report, ' ' : 'The diary of a captured German commanding officer shows that in the fichltne on July 1 the oth Bavarian Regiment opposing us at Montauban suffered 3000 casualties out of a total .strength of SSOO. Another document shows (hat a battalion of the 190 th Regiment lost 980 out of 1100 men two other battnlinn's •o'sinar more than half their effective strength. oiutaiio.ns "Yesterday, southwards of Armentieres, we carried out important raids on a front of two miles. Australian troops participated.- A.bout HO Germans were made prisoner." . London, July 21 115 am "On the British front, north of the Bazontin-Longucval fine' we advanced about 1000 yards, in spite of stubborn opposition. Heavy' fighting 'still continues in-the northern outskirts or Longueval Village and Belville AToon. - "On the: remainder of the front the situation is unchanged." " - MASSED ATTACKS ON NARROW FRONT. ■ Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. - The Germans, whon attacking I/onguoval and the several. regiments in massed formation on a narrow front. The British who were organising the now positions, wero surprised, but fought horoicallv Winef odds of four to one, and gradually assumed tho mastery. *" ON THE FRENCH FRONT • The High Commissioner reports:— London, July 20, 3.10 p m : "'On Ijoth .sides, on the Somme, the French infantry 'this morning attacked tho German positions, realising marked advantages. "Northwards of the Somme we took tho enemy's trenches from tho region of Mnmelon-de-Hardecourt to the river, carrying the French line eastwards of Hardecourt along the Combles-Clery-raihvav. In that part of the battlefield we took uoarly 400 prisoners. ' "South of the Somme, be-tween Barleux and Soyecourt, all the enemy's firstlino trenches were taken. "In Champagne the French penetrated a trench north-east of Auberive brinaing back prisoners. ' "In the Argonno, the Germans attempted a oonp-de-main on our small posto at the Bolant salient; after lively grenade fighting the enemv was repulsed . "On tho left bank of the Steuse the bombardment of Avocourt and Chattancoiirt continues. There has been grenado fighting on the north-east slopes 0 f Hill 304. '.'On the right, bank we progressed westwards of, Thiaumont. Southwards of Fleury a strongly,fortified enemy work was taken by us, the prisoners nuinberine 150." V . h London, July 20, 11.45 p.n\. The French, official report states: "North of the Sommo wo consolidated 'the positions we captured this morning. "South of tho Somme wc extended our attacking front, and in the course of the afternoon we entirely, captured the first German position from Estrees to Vermand-Qvillers.. . . "In tho course'of tho day we took about 2900 prisoners. 'Hie total prisoners taken in the Fleury sector wero 300." AERIAL, ENGAGEMENTS. (Reutor's TcloErara.) (Rec. July 51, 9.25 p.m.) . . London, July 21. Sir Douglas ITaipr reports:—"Onr aeroplanes yesterday dropped-many tons of explosives most successfully on railway centres, aerodromes, and other important points." Paris, Julv 21. - A French communique states:—"Our air squadrons bombed -he stations at Thionville, Montmery, Krioulles. Roisel, and military establishments at Lonach, north-oast of linslo (Switzerland)." ' ' -

THE OFFENSIVE FROM THE GERMAN SIDE OFFICIAL CLAIMS TO SUCCESSES. Australian-Aew Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. July 21, 10.10 p.m.) , ' . , Amsterdam, Julr 21. A German official .communique states: "The English attacked . with considerable force our positions west and north of FronicHes. Our counter-attacks tnrew them back from the points they had penetrated "The English again penetrated Longueval and Belville Farm, but our coun-ter-attacks compelled them to retire, though they still hold portions of the village, and the farm. * Anglo-French attacks along our whole front on the Foureaux Wood, on the Som rmSi b ?f an thls mornin &- The first attack was broken • i th i? afternoon delivered two fruitless attacks in the region the morning on^the GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S ANTI-ANNEXATION POLICY. ■tm. • -i . „ V _ Zurich, J'ui.v 50. • the majority of the leading Germman newspapers now support Von Bethmann anti-anneption policy The "Munich Post" declares that, the area of the latherlands defenders must not be sacrificed for annexation schemes which cannot be carried ont. ANOTHER RUSSIAN CONTINGENT ARRIVES CEeuter's Telegram.) . .A' iresh contingent of Russians has landed at Brest. Ther^ to instruction camp, ajid thence to the front lnej \T m s ° t0 an