THE GREAT BATTLE ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2832, 25 July 1916, Page 5

THE GREAT BATTLE ON THE SOMME

CRISIS APPROACHING i' INTENSE STRUGGLE ON FIVE-MILE FRONT ■ A.- " ' ■ . The High Commissioner reports:— ' . London, July 23, 4.5 p.m. "On the British front the battle has been resumed, to-day along a front' extending from Pozieres to Guillemont (a distance of five miles), and is reaching a stage of intense violence. In the neighbourhood of Pozieres, Territorial • and Australian troops, attacking- from south-west and. south-oast respectively, carried the German outer works by . assault shortly after midnight. Violent fighting is now taking placo in tho village, whero the Germans, with a large number of machine guns, are offering a desperate resistance. ■ , "Oh other parts of the front tho fighting is'equally intense, and no definite progress can yet bo reported! At one time this morning we had iccaptiired tho whole of Longueral,'but the enemy once more regained the northern end of the village. Similarly, .the outskirts of Guillemont have already twice changed hands." London, July 23, 9 p.m. "On the British front we have made further progress in the neighbourhood of Pozieres, capturing a number of prisoners. "On tho Test of the front between Pozieres and Guillemont, the battle continues with intense violence.'.' 1 THE ANZACS AT POZIERES (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright). Australian-New Zealand Cablo Association. . * London, July 23. An afternoon dispatch from the war correspondents at Headquarters gives fuller details of the fighting at Pozieres. Following a heavy bombardment last night, British and Anzac troops delivered an attack towards Pozieres and Guillemont. Notwithstanding the enemy's desperate resistance, the Anzacs succeeded in establishing themselves in Pozieres, where tliey i>ra nuw consolidating their line. It is reported that their' casualties were comparatively light. • Westward (? eastward) cf tho village the British also successfully advanced, but they found the' wiTe. entanglements upon the right of Pozieres insufficiently destroyed. Consequently the' British progress was checked by heavy machine-gun fire. In spite'of this, we gained a footing in Guillemont; but owing to a determined counter-attack, -we were umablo to maintain our advance. Our progress upon tho whole continues satisfactory, especially in the neigh, bourhood of Pozieres and also along the road running fro.n the village northwestward, on which our troops are reported to b® established. GRADUALLY AND SURELY WEARING THEM DOWN. :Beo.. July 24, 5.40 p.m.) • • London, July 24. The Overseas Parliamentary delegates have returned from a visit to General Sir William Birdwood's headquarters, with the firm impression that the Allies are gradually and surely wearing down the Germane. ■ BRITISH MOVE THAT PUZZLES THE GERMANS. ' , London, July 2l The Central News correspondent at Amsterdam states that German, war correspondents are puzzled by British attacks at Fromelles, six miles south of Armentieres oil' Wednesday evening, in which two strong divisions wero engaged. .'Some consider this introduces a new offensive, some that it is a serious attempt to advanco towards Lille, and others that it is a demonstration to prevent the Germans sending troops to menaced sectors at Hoogo. BIG DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED. . London, July 23. The 'Times!' thinks the coining weak will bring definite developments'in the Somnio Battle. , ; BELGIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. London,, July 23. A Belgian official communique states: "Our artillery and trench engines, ■during tho past week, have continued to direct a destructive fire on the German trenches, especially "upon Dam and Hot Sas, with the 'boot results. A BELGIAN MOBILISATION DECREE. • (Bee. July 21, S.lO p.m.) Havro, July 24.King Albert has signed a decree mobilising all singlo Belgians from the ages of 23 to 35, immediately, Bachelors up to 40 years and married men will be called upon at intervals of tivo months. ■ OPERATIONS ON THE FRENCH FRONT Paris, July 23. A French official communique states: "An artillery struggle is in progress on the Somme front. A German night. Attack southward of Soyecourt failed under •our fire. ' / . "The Germans aic bombarding tho irleury sector (Verdun iront). There is grenade fighting at ChapellestefTc. "Our machine gnus repulsed an attack against the trcnchcs at Lcs Eparges." FRANCO-BRITISH CAPTURES ON THE SOMME. (Rec. July M, 5.W p.m.) London, July 24. Tho Franco-British captures on the Somme front during July total 26,223 prisoners, 110 guns, 40 bomb-throwers, and several hundred machine guns. SUCCESSFUL AIR OPERATIONS BY THE FRENCH-. ■ 1 (Kcc. July 24, 5.40 p.m.) Paris, July 24. A French official communique records many air operations, including the bombarding of the stations at Vigneullas, Thionville, Arnaville, Laon, Sainto Erme, and tho barracks and station at Mulheim. The squadron on returning fought a German squadron, four of the German machines and two of the French freing brought down.

THE OFFENSIVE FROM THE GERMANS' SIDE . J WHAT THE OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUES CLAIM. London, July 23. ■ A German official communique states: "British infantry attacks on tho Thiep-yul-Guillemont front failed with heavy losses. Violent hand-to-hand fighting is in progress near I'ozierea." Later. "Strong reconnoitring detachments in tho vicinity of Bichebourg were repulsed. "After increased artillery fire ir. the evening ami night between .tile Ancre and the Somme, tliero were infantry attacks on tho Thiepval-Guillemont front. Tho British attacks, in spite of the heavy losses and the number of troops engaged, 'failed near the west of Pozieres, the Foureanx Wood, and the western edge of Longuoval. \ "The enemy's attempted attacks between Guillemont and the Sommo were stifled in tho trenches by our curtain lire. "Sorao very strong artillery duels soutb of tho Sommo were followed by separate French attacks, which tailed." GLOOMY OUTLOOK I'N GERMAN PRESS. ; (Ecc. July 21, 5.40 p.m.) Rotteedam, July 21. Herr Max Osborn, tho German Headquarters correspondent of the, "Vossisclie /eituii;:," says: "Our looses are lieavy, and tho enemy hits suffered fearful losses, but we do not blind our eyes to the new mourning which has come to the Germans. We aro shaken by a burning pain as now streams of Gorman blood flow, and we recognise our powerlessness after two years of war. The Angel of Destruction is passing over tho ranks of tho German Army with merciless fury. It is as if the death dance had just begun. It is now a question of life and death -with our nation." A German officer, interviewed by the "Vossische Zeitung" says: "We do not know how great aro tho English reserves, and the length of their offensive will depend on this. Our positions have been !>adly knocked about, but ou.r dug-outs and shelters luckily field out very veil, and finally the rainy weather came to onr help." ATTACK ON THE GETtKAN CENSORSHIP. (Kclc. July 21, 6.50 p.m.) New York, July 23. The "New York "rimes" publishes an article by Herr Max Harden (editor of "Dio Zulcunft"), bitterly arraigning the German .censorship, and complaining of the authorities' suppression of tho strong desiro of the people of Germany for peaco. Th'o Sunday papers publish several striking cartoons indicative of American opinion that the Central Powers are being hopelessly beaten. ' • "PEOPLE OF GEHMANY, AWAKE t" (Koutcr's Telegram.) Amsterdam, July 21. Thousands of copies aro circulating in Germany of a remarkable brochure entitled "People of Germany, Awake!" by Herr Rosemeir, tho ex-political editor of the Berlin "Morning Tost." He si:.vs ho quarrelled with the chief editor, T;ho declared that whoever does not help to deceive the peoplo is a rascal. The brochure declares that the German losses are about one and a quarter million dead, three-quarters of a million prisoners or' missing, nnd three million wounded, a. million of the latter being hopelessly mutilated. The sick elude computation, but they are so enormous that Germany has a bloody debit baLmqe-fibeet to-day. A "MODEST" ANNOUNCEMENT. Amsterdam, .July 23. Tho "Echo do Beige" states that posters havo beon ■plaxndcd at tho barracks iu Ghent, stating that negotiations have been opened between tho United States nnd Germany, and that'Gcrmany may evacuato Belgium on payment to Germany of an indemnity of two thousand millions.

A WAR BAROMETER-AMERICAN MUNITIONS WORKS \ . -

■ SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN THE OUTPUT. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. New York, July 23. The "New York Times." in discussing the decline in war orders to America, points out that one company alone has dismantled an enormous' plant, and is discharging 2500 employees. Tho British inspector is leaving, because British manufacturers are able to supply tho demand. Tho valuo of war order stocks lias also been affected by tho Russian succosses on the East front and the FrancoBritish advance on tho West, which has led mfftiy to foresee the end of the war in tho near future. . INTENSE ACTIVITY IN THE BRITISH WAR WORKS. London, July 23. A special correspondent has_ visited tho munitions factories, shipbuilding oentres, land naval bases. He witnessed tho construction of warships and merchantmen at double the rate previously regarded as possible, including warships of dimensions, speed, and-'gnn jiwer .which must not be hinted at, besides a mysterious vessel .hidden by canvas screens.