SERIOUS SITUATION ON THE SOMME

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

SERIOUS SITUATION ON THE SOMME

REALISED BY THE HUNS ' - ■..■'/ ■ . • •. ' FRENCH GUNS POUNDING ENEMY RAILWAY DEPOTS (By Telegraph—Pjbss Association— Copyright). ' t . Außtralian-New Zealand Cable Association. rn, ■ ,„ ... '. . Paris, September 8. The enemy is fully realising the seriousness, of the situation on the Somme, and! is bringing up reinforcements from many other sectors ■ According to "Liberte," the Kaiser arrived posWiaste for the purpose of be ta Dg dek S ed eary troopstodefend ' Cobbles at any cost, but.its cannot The Germans are defending Chaulnes to the utmost. They have important munition depots north of Chaulnes station. The French "uns are now pounding the Roye and Chaulnes railway depots. . ° ' ENEMY'S COUNTER-ATTACK RESULTS IN HEAVY LOSSES. . ■ The High Commissioner reports'.— ™' ti ' .. in • „ • London, September 8. 2.55 p.m. ... Ihe French officially report tnat nor.fch of the Somme action bythe artillery is m progress. South of the Somme the enemy made a counter-attack at Berny and as far south as Chaulnes, but it only,, cost him heavy losses. We are maintaining our gains. _ On the right of the Meuse, between Vaux and Chapitro Wood and Chenois we progressed. A. German grenade attack on our new positions at Vaux Chapitro failed as a result of our curtain fire. y BRITISH RAID TRENCHES AT GUINCHY AND RICHEBOURG. The High Commissioner reports: „,, _ ... , _. . ' ■ it London, September 8, 2.10 p.m. Ihe British official report states that activities on the Somme comprise actions by the artillery and bombing. ' We raided trenchos at Guinchy aud Ric'hebourg L'Avouo, causing severe enemy casualties. ARMENTIERES SHELLED BY THE GERMANS. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. , _, London, September 8. Sir Douglas Haig reports that tbo Germans shelled Armcntieres. \ DASH AND GALLANTRY OF IRISH REGIMENTS. (Rec. September 10, 5.5 p.m.) h , „■■, ... . . . .„ , . London, September 9. Sir Douglas Haig reports intense artillery bombardment on botli sides The goneral situation is unchanged. , Tho Irish regiments participating in the capture of Giiillcmont on Sunday bebaved with tho greatest dash and gallantry, and took no small 6haro in' the success achieved. Our aeroplanes bombed .ten aerodromes with good effect. FRENCH CAPTURE 7700 PRISONERS. The High Commissioner reports:— - - London, September 9, 3.30 p.m.. The French officially reports on tho south of the Somme taking a small wood east of Belloy-en-Saiiterro and progressing towards the enemy trenches east of Dcniecourt. Since Sunday wo took 7700 prisoners. London, September 9, 1.15 p.m. Tho British officially report that during the night sharp hand-to-hand figbting took placo at High Wood, where wo captured n, German trench, 21 prisoners, and caused heavy enemy casualties, i There was considerable hostile artillerywork north of Pozicres, and also at Mouquet "arm, where the enemy infantry were repulsed. At Courcelette an enemy attempt was checked by our fire. ' Wo made successful air raids at A rraa, Hohenzollern Redoubt, and Neuvo Chapelle, taking prisoners and causing other casualties to the enemy. i . '■ GERMAN ADMISSION OF LOST GROUND.. ! Au6tralian-Now Zealand Cable Association. i I \ . London, September 8. A German communique states:—South of the Somme, west of Berny, we lost isolated trench sections. We also lost ground on Wednesday iiorth-west of Fort Souvillo, east of Verdun. ENEMY REPORT ON THE: SOMME FIGHTING. (Rec. September 10, 5.5 p.m.) •Amsterdam, September 9. A Berlin communique savs:— "Enemy ) infantry attacks on the Sommo have slackened. During the day an English local enterprise at High Wood and night attacks by the French at Denicourt failed. "Wo regained a portion,of the ground north-east of I'ort Souville." COMBLES TO BE DEFENDED AGAINST THE BRITISH AT ALL COSTS. (lleuter's Teleeram.) ' ' Paris, September 8. South-west of Chaulnos, the French nold two and a half miles of the railway from Roye towards Pennine, which is the enemy's principal line of ■ communication behind his Somme front. The French are intensely bombarding huge depots of munitions of war material at Chaulnes station.

It is stated that strong Gorman i oinrorcements have arrived at Combles to defend it against tho British at all costs. Tho Kaiser is believed to be on the upot. ARTILLERY STRUGGLE ON THE SOMME FRONT. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. September 10, 5.5 p.m.) ! Paris, September 0. A French comniuniqiio says: "Tho artillory strugglo continues throughout the Somme front. : "We progressed south-cast of Thiaimtont." ATTACKS BY THE ENEMY ON THE VERDUN FRONT. (Rec. September 10, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, -September !). A French communique says: "The r « irere several attacks on our Vaux, Chapitro-Lo Chenois positions. The enemy obtained a, foothold in a trench, but a counter attack drovo him out." BRILLIANT SUCCESS OF THE.FRENCH NEAR FLEURY. Tho High Commissioner reports:— . London, Septembor 10, 7.55 a.m. . French Official.—"Between Floury and! Douaumont wo captured all the systems of Germaan trenches, taking many prisoners and material with brilliant success " BRITISH AND FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORTS. Tho High Commissioner reports:, — London, September 8, 12.15 a.m. A British official message says:—"Tho main feature of Friday's operations was intense artillery activity on both sides." A French' official messago says:—"South of tho Sommo \va progressed in Vermandovillers. An artillery combat continues actively on the whole S Somme front. > "On tho right of the Meuso tho enemy launched several attacks on positions conquered by U3 in tbo region of Vaux, Ohapitre, and Lo Chenoiß. They gained a footing in trenches, but were immediately ejected, after lively counter-attacks. "An enemy attack in the Forest of Parroy was easily repulsed." I ' THE BRITISH IN POSSESSION OF GINCHY Australian-New Zealand Gable Association. (Rec. September 10, 11.30 p.m.) London, September 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports attacking on a front of 6000 yards from Highwood to' Leuze Wood. "AVe captured the remainder of Ginchy after severe fighting, also tho ground between Ginchy and the Leuzo Wood, and advanced s eastward of High Wood 300 yards on a 500 yards front. The enemy casual- ' tics wore very heavy. "We gained six hundred yards of trenches north-east of Pozieres, and bombarded tho trenches on Vimy Ridge oppoosite Soouchcz." SUCCESSFUL RAID ON ENEMY AERODROMES. , (R<!c. September 10, 11.30 p.m.) i London, September 10. " Official—Naval aeroplanes bombed tho aerodromes at Ghistelles and. Handzuo with satisfactory results. 'COUNTER-ATTACKS ON BERNY REPULSED. (Rec. September 10, 11.30 p.m.) ' Paris, September 10. A French communique says: There is vigorous mutual artillery activity on the Somme. We captured a portion of a trench eastward of Bolloy. The enemy's attempt to recapture a position at Berny was repulsed with heavy losses. We carried eastward of Fleury village a whole system of trenches. THE REASONS FOR GENERAL FALKENHAYN;S DISMISSAL (Rec. September 10, 5.5 p.m.) Berne, September 9. A well-informedl German soutco states that General Falkcaihayn's dismissal was duo to his prediction, of the downfall of Bulgaria in consequence of tho converging attacks of tho Allies from north and south, and the interruption of communication with Turkey. Ho advised that the Balkan campaign bo abandoned, that tbo Galician'armies fall back to a lino running through Bielostok and Brest Litovsk, along tho Bug, and to take up positions at Orsova to Dornavatra against tho Rumanians on the west. Falkenhayn also suggestedl tho evacuation of France, creating a new lino from Nieuport, on tho Franco-Belgian frontier, to Longwy, thoiico from tho Franco-German frontior, towards Alsace, and held tho view that the transformation of German strategy into a defensive campaign on a shorter front would paralyse tho Allies, and that the persistence of the present plan would lead to disaster., Hindcnburg denounced tho'advico as childish, cowardly, and unworthy'of Germans. The Kaiser agreed with Hindcnburg, and dismissed Falkcnhayn.

GERMAN CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS AND COMPLAINTS. . Austxalian-IJcw Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. September 10, 5.5 p.m.) London, September's. Colonel Moraht writes: "The present Sommo battles aro decisive, and will show the enemy the impossibility of breaking through or down our cleverly placed and elastic retreating movement." Hie "Vossisclie Zeitung" correspon dent at tho Somme front complains-of the horrid nuisance of gas, with which tho Anglo-French troops appear enamoured. Explosives no longer suffico; thoy must.make the air foul, even as far tack as the billets receiving a full share. .Perhaps only the'! spirit of comradeship will enable the Germans to bear the immense burdens and tortures.