BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2873, 11 September 1916, Page 5

BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

LIVING WEDGE IN THE 'ENEMY'S GATE iiuatralian-New Zealand fable Association. (Hoc. September 9, 7.30 p.mO London, September 8. Mr. Philip Gibbs, war correspondent,, writing.on September 5, says:— "The oapturo of Gillemont and the Falfemout Farm, the tlaring thrust forward into the Leuze, or what the Tommies call 'Lousy Wood,' and the close assault on Ginchy, have given this sector of thebattle line an atmosphere of exultation unequalled since July 14, when we broko the German second line .at Longueval. The men are now fighting with a sense of victory, and feel that the Germans aro on the run, and believe by taking risks they can keep 'him running. The' rapid progress of the French is helping our men not only as a 'moral tonic, but shows that the German strength has begun to crack. "We got all round Ginchy after hard bloody.fighting. Many men took a last hazard trying to force a way. into a stronghold where.the enemy was entrenched, and covered by well-placed machine guns..' No message has come back, and possibly they are still a living wedge in the enemy's gate. '•'One party of thirty fought their way along a sap, and established a bombing place north of Ginchy, which they held against all odds. Their rations gave out and they suffered horribly from thirst. Their ammunition was nearly spent, but they refused to give up, and then a sergeant came hack with • the requisite bombs. The Germans in the meanwhile were suffering terribly, only twenty being left out of a company at one spot. Other British troops'forced their way into Ginchy. "The stronghold will doubtless soon fall to our repeated' assaults. This will-give us the end 1 of the ridge and link up the line with. 'Lousy.' Wood, where we are still exposed to flanking 'attacks. ■. \ ■ "Our bombardment of Guillemont was extraordinarily effeotive. The Germans wore killed in masses, and wore a frightful! sight. • Many were quite naked,,the clothes heing stripped off them by tho blasting force of high explosives. Some who were untouched by the shells were killed by tho enormous concussion of tho air or through heart shock. -The success of the bombardment gave the infantry a comparatively easy task. The last of tho Germans at Guillemont were dazed and done. Forty were found lying in a single deep dug-out, and only three were alive. There were many dead in other dugouts. ■ "" ' : - "We suffered losses too, but thank God 1 the spirit of the .men in these hideous places and these frightful hours is always the 6ame', indomitable and I unbroken-by tho .-worst ordeals."