BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2839, 2 August 1916, Page 5

BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

' THE FIGHT AT WATERLOT, FARM PLUCKY SCOTS Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. August 1, 6.35 p.m.) V London, July 31. Mr. Philip Gibbs, describing Sunday's fighting in tho vicinity of Waterlot farm, says: "Tho artillery maintained a heavy bombardment to support tho in-, fantry's advance over difficult ground. Many of the Germans surrendered in the early stages of the fight. The Germans' work in digging new trenches east of the Longueval-Guillemont Road was upsej; by the British. The Scots initiated a forward movement from Waterlot farm, whiolr is only a. collection of ruined buildings. Leaving at dawn, they reached thesfirst German lines with few casualties, but found tho enemy holding a troncli across tho . railway line in strength, with their next trenches east of tho' road, from where they enfiladed the attackers. The Scots hid in a serios of shell craters, whero they were attacked by a large force with German ma-chine-guns, and forced to retire to their trenches, our machine-gunners covering the retreat, and mowing down many of the enemy. ;. . "Later the Scots, reinforced, practically wiped out a strong force of the enemy's bombers and men carrying munition boxes. By this timo some of the enemy's gunners were sick of the business, and a party emcrgod with hands up, but when the Scots went out to bring thorn in, the enemy in the trencheS beyond opeiiod fire and killed a number of their own men and 6ome of the Scots. During the night tho stretcher-bearers found a wounded Stot whom a German patrol had left behind because he gave them a drink. The Germans wished him good luok and a safe .return to his own lines."