ALLIES' NEW GAINS IN THE WEST

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2856, 22 August 1916, Page 5

ALLIES' NEW GAINS IN THE WEST

THE WEEK-END BLOW ANOTHER SURPRISE FOR THE GERMANS . Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. . ' London, August 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Thero were some bombing encounters last night at some'points between the Somme and the Aucre. Tho'Gerinans havo not made any serious attempt to recover th'o ground wo capturcd on Friday. We successfully raided other parts of the line and inflicted considerable casualties." • , ! • (Rec. August 21, 9.30 p.m.) London, 'August 21. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "The enemy strongly attacked 'our new lino on the west corner of Highwood, and reached tho line at certain points. Our infantry drove them out. - Subsequent attacks by the enemy broke down. The enemy heavily shelled portions of our front, especially at Highwood, Hamel, and Mailly." , . HIGH COMMISSIONERS REPORT. London, August 21, 1.20 p.m. The British official report for Sunday says: "The enemy strongly attacked our new lino near Highwood, and reached the line at certain points, but ' was immediately driven out. Subsequent attacks collapsed under our artillery fire. North of Bazentinje-Petit a further portion of tfio enemy's trenches lias been gained." I , ON THE FRENCH FRONT ! r/ '£he High Commissioner reports: London, August 20, 11.35 a.m. Tho French official-.report 6ays: "North of the Somme wo captured a Wood, which was strongly defended hy the enemy, between Guillemont and Matirepas." VAIN ATTEMPTS. TO RETAKE FLEURY. , The High' Commissioner reports: , London, August 20, 5.15 p.m. "On the right bank of the Mouse tho enemy is greatly active. After several hours' intense bombardment tho Germans made different attempts to recapture Fleurv, but all attacks were repulsed. At the same time the enemy attacked our trenches north-west of Thiaumont work, where again, our our'ain of machine-gun fire inflicted a sanguinary check." _ : FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. August 21, 7, p.m.) Paris, August 21. & French official communique statos: "We captured a strongly-fortified wood between Guillemont and Maurepas, with important stores."

"A WEEK-END BATTLE OF FIRST IMPORTANCE"

■ENEMY'S MORALE BADLY SHAKEN. CReuter's Telegram.) . , London, August 20. A correspondent at Headquarters in France statos that tlio week-end fighting developed into one of the most important and successful battlos in the Western offensive. Besides satisfactorily progressing towards a complete mastery of the ridge, wo captured 1000 prisoners, and much material. Several formidable and strong points wero destroyed, and tlie way prepared for_ further progress. Wo were most successful in,the neighbourhood of the Leipzig redoubt and Martinpuich. Tho onemy's morale was badly shaken under the incessant punishment. A whole squad of Saxons deserted, being unable to face the music. - THE LATEST PUSH REVIEWED Australian-New Zealand Gable Association.' (Rec. August 21, 9.40 p.m.) London, August 21. "The Times" correspondent at Headquarters writes: "The Germans lately liavo repeatedly said that tho British offensivo was dead. But we hare again hit hard.. Wo advanced to a depth of from 300 to 500 yards, and captured trenches which put an ond to a stretch of soveral-miles. Wo only faded at tho top of Highwood on the west, where ive cleared out tho furthest trenches, but as the position was untenable wo fell back to tho. old line. Elsewhere wo drovo tho\cnemy from his trenches and. strong points, and hold the captured ground. Tho advance covers five-sixths of the front attacked. The assault, was made in full daylight—in the afternoon and early evening. On the extreme left, where the gain was perhaps the largest and most important, wo cleared the whole of the enemy's elaborate front lino till our front was.'Romo 1500 yards north of Ovillora and La Boiselle, and due west of Pozieres cemetery. There has been no smarter action since the commencement of the battle. The Australian Push. ' "The Australian push carried them three hundred yards oil ail average, on the whole circuit from tho quarry to tho Albert-Bapaume road, beyond tlio windmill, to a width more tnan two thousand yards. .It must be understood that tho windmill and Mouquet Farm aro mere names. There is no farm, and the windmill is a mero hummock on tho sky line. Beginning with tho capture of Pozieres, the Australians havo done extremely well on tins front. Now, just about a mile north of tho centre of the village, thoy have taken over a mile of tho German second-line system, with minor trenches and innumerable strong points. Every road on tho ground was honeycombed witli everv kind of defonco German industry ancl ingenuity could invent. It was perfeot, yet nothing stopped thom except temporarily. The number of their prisoners is not "yob known. _ - , "East of the Bapaumo road, in ,th o 'Minister Alley region, we nave agaiu thrust on towards Martinpuich, breaking through another stretch of tho German line, ancT adding new ground on tho right. 'Minister Alloy was orio of tho most notable of Friday's gains. All tho land east of « aterlot Farm is ours. To the south wo forced our way to Guillemont. I am, not inclined to attacli much importance to the stories of the Germans' increasing war sickness. It is truo that there arc willing surfenderere, and large numbers of deserters. • I presume that we have ,taken over 15,000 prisoners since the beginning of tho battle, but it is unsafe to argue from local symptoms, amazing though they be. Wo daily break the best German troops, andjjerhaps we have never proved our superiority better than wo did on Friday. BELGIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. London, August 20. - A Belgian official communique states: "There is a daily bombardment and desperate bombing encounters at Dixraude and Boesinghe. Our aeroplanes dropped many bombs on military works on Praetbosch, in the region of barren, causing violent fires."- ' ' y . , \ 'GERMA'N OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. j ' . London, August 20. A Gorman official communiaue states: "Tho activity on tho Sommo has Gradually deoreased. Isolated British attacks north-west of Pozieres and at the Foureaux Wood were repulsed. Eight British and four French divisions participated in the attack on August 18." The loss of Fleury is admitted. . '"OUR'GREATEST AND' MOST ACTIVE ENEMY." (Hcutor's Telegram.) (Rec. August 21, 6.10 p.m.) > Amsterdam, August 21. Tho "Frankfurter Zcitung" declares: "Tlio British are just as pertinacious politically as they are enormously persevering in a military sense. Britain m every respect is our greatest and most active enemy. Tliereloro the lighting on til© Somine is most decisive and most important to us. History teaches conclusively that tho British will not yield to fatigue before they have either been beaten or exhausted." . , - ' V GERMANY'S INCREASING PLIGHT. Australian-Now Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. August 22, 1 a.m.) New York, August 21. The "New York American's" Paris, correspondent states that the Germans are vainly endeavouring to disguise their serious plight by a regroupof forces. 'General JofEre's staff possesses mathematical evidence that the Germans are stopping gaps in the line at the expense ■ of the depletion of other parts of the line. Tho French have a thorough command of the initiative at Verdun. "THE NIPPERS OF THE VICE ARE GRIPPING" / . WANTED:' "A COMPLETE AND UNCHALLENGEABLE • VICTORY." (lleutsr's Telegram.) London, August 20. Mr. Lloyd George, speaking at Criccieth, said that be was satisfied with tho way things wero going. He felt for the first time in three years that the nippers were "gripping, and that we would soon hear the crack, when we would bo able to extract the kernel. The vigour of our demands would be'proportionate. They could not dream' of the sacrifices made in Great Britain. "We must " ho said, "have a complete and unchallengeable victory, that will bo a warning to the kings and their counsellors of tho reckoning demanded by the civilised nations for their outrages. Let us have done with war now and for over." , KING'S GREETINGS TO THE FRENCH,PRESIDENT. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. London, August 20. His Majesty the King has telegraphed to M.. Poincare (President of France) birthday greetings, stating: "I had great pleasure last week in nieetinsr vou and ascertaining that our views were in perfect harmony. lam confident that our bravo troops co-operating on the battlefield will assure success in the common cause." ■ , . , M Poincare replied: "I congratulate mysolf on tho close agreement between our countries, likewise on our valiant armies. This mutual confidenco and close co-operation are sure pledges of victory. 1