BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2871, 8 September 1916, Page 5

BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

GUILLEMONT AND THE TWO WOODS Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. September 7, 6.45 p.m.) London, September 6. Mr. Philip Gibbs, in the "Daily Chronicle," gives a vivid description of the capture of Guillomont, Leuze, Wood, and Falfemont Farm. "Curiously enough," he says, "the enemy did not seem to expect an attack after he had flung thousands of gas shells into the! British trenches. The British went forward steadily, despite the fire of tlio enemy's machine-guns, which, were sweeping tlie ground, quickly reached the outskirts of the ruined Guillemont, and ruslied the village with the finest valour. The first wave reached the German dug-outs. There was a little fighting underground with a few proud Germans who refused to surrender quickly enough. The rest came out rejoicing in their luck. Half-an-liour later our supporting troops advanced to the sunken road, where other Germans were captured. "After a reorganisation, some of the victors of Guillemont advanced to Falfemont Farm, but this was too far for one day's work, and they were driven to tiie outskirts of the wood by a counter-attack by . the Prussian Guards —the Germans for oncc faced the British bayonets. The attack on Falfemont Farm and the capture of Wedge Wood were continued next day. Wedge Wood is a solitary copse of naked_ sticks, and Leuze Wood is on the ridge above._ Some waves "f an infantry broke into Wedgo Wood, which was soon crowded with British' soldiers who seemed to be in a kind of scrimmage, from which presently camo a body of German prisoners. Waves of Britishers, advancing steadilv on Falfemont Farm, crept nearer the edge of tho wood, and finally another body of German, prisoners emerged. Then strange things began to happen in the German lines. Parties from Leuze Wood dsished oil Falfemont Farm. - The Prussian Guardsmen advanced slioulder to shoulder, and made serpentine line across the ground.Then, suddenly, the right end of the line crumbled away, gaps opened in tho thick bar of men—our niachinermns were raking them like ninepins. Th-j Prussians Guards fell face forward —the unwounded foil with the dead—to escape the bullets. The counter-at-tacli, and twenty minutes later, a second counter-attack, were broken up in confusion. We took tho wood, and the battle ended in the darkness of a great rain-storm 1 ."