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PROGRESS OF THE WAR

It seems more than likely that the general Allied offensive in the Balkans, which has been so long expected, is now definitely under way. An official report, published as late news yesterday, stated, that the Rumanians, from their own side of the Danube, were bombarding towns in north-western Bulgaria. This has not been amplified, at time of writing, so far as the immediate locality is concerned, but it is now reported that 1 the British forces in Greece have attacked the Bulgarians on the Struma line, and gained somo preliminary success. They have crossed the river, and dislodged the Bulgars from positions on the eastem side, near_ the sea, and further north. A violent cannonade of the enemy positions east and west of tho Vardar Valley is also mentioned in {ho official reports. At the same time tho effect of news concerning the Dobruja front, on the south-eastern confines of Rumania, is that the Bulgar offensive has been stemmed. Indeed the Bulgarian army seems to have been outflanked in the region of the Black Sea coast in a fashion which places it in some jeopardy.

In its total effect news in Hand stops short of a definite announcement that the general Allied offensive has. opened, but the reports mentioned are in the highest degree suggestive. It seems distinctly likely that the Allies are about to essay tho crossing of the Danube into north-western Bulgaria simultaneously with a forward movement from Greccc. The British attacks beyond the Struma take shape for the time being asi a stroke designed to clear the flank of the Allied line, possibly with a view to making the Struma Valley—the most dircct routo from the south into the heart of Bulgaria— as well, as the Vardar Valley and the routes further west, available as a line of adfance. As lias been frequently, pointed out, tho choice of routes "open to the Allies when they launch their offensive from Greccc is a factor in their favour and against the enemy. For the timo being, however, all detail considerations are overshadowed by the general anticipation that the Allies arc about to throw their woight into an enterprise directed to. the conquest of tho Balkans, the isolation of Turkey, and a tightened stranglehold upon the Central Empires. Apart from the military flevelopmcnts which have been touched upon, the resignation of tho Greek Cabinet looks like a significant indication that a new epoch has in fact dawned in tho Balkans.

Very bare - accounts arc coming through of the mighty struggle that is at present being waged in Galicia, but from one of to-day's messages it appears that experts in London think it not unlikely that tho Russians are oh the eve of a great victory. It is suggested that Bothmer's army in Galicia is still in serious danger of envelopment, and that in any case if Halicz is reduced no better course will be open to the onemy than to fall back a long way to a line where the fate of Lemberg would do determined by the fortune of a' battle. With so little detail information'in hand it is not easy to assess these expectations, but there is a certain amount of evidence which tends to show that they are not wholly groundless. The obstinacy witli which the enemy is clinging to Halicz, though his positions arc half encircled and arc being subjected to a terrific bombardment, in itself suggests that lie is in desperate straits, and sees no very promising remedy in retreat. There seems to be very little doubt that the Russian attack will prevail, and that the enemy is prolonging his defence of Halicz, not in the hope of retaining the place indefinitely, but Co gain time, and, if possible, avert a disaster.

Though attention for the time being is fastened on Galicia, so far as-the development of the Russian main campaign is concerned, it cannot bo forgotten that the Russians are also well advanced towards their immediate goal in Southern Russia. At their nearest approach they arc still about fifty miles distant from Lorabcrg, but their lines in Southern Russia have

been advanced to within something under twenty miles of Kovcl, which, as an objective, certainly docs not stand second in importance to tho capital of Galicia. When tho curtain lifts it may disclose something more than an extension of tho movement on Lemberg. The present intensity of the struggle in Galicia no doubt bears intimately upon late and ponding develo-p----monts in Transylvania and ;the Balkans, but, even so, it is unlikely that tho ilussians will make any big forward movement in Galicia without launching a powerful attack also in Southern liussia.

No one can protend to say, at this stage how long it will take the Wcst--9m Allies to reach decisive victory in their offensive on the Sorame, but the splendid progress they have recently made raises certain definite prospects. Such a penetration of the enemy's line as would bring him to disaster, or at. tho least compel him to beat a hasty and extended retreat, may be either In near or somewhat distant prospect. But it is a matter not of speculation, but of fact, that tho •■Allies have all but completely mastered a range of positions, posseswhich will give them a pronounced advantage in the further development of their offensive. This applies more especially to the section of front on which the British are facing north towards Bapaume. It is not merely a matter of tho measure of progress made into the enemy's defences. On portion of this northern section of tho front the German third-line system of trenches has been reached, or closely approached, but the same is true of, a great part of the front further south. Between Martinpuich, south-west of Bapaume, and tho vicinity of Barleux, south of tho Sorame (a distance of about 14 miles as the crow flies and considerably more as the' trenches run), the Germans are now defending either third-lino defences or intermediate works between the second line and the third. Combles, for instance, tho western outskirts of which have been reached by tho French, is an integral part of the German third-line system. The importance of recent developments on tho. northern section of the front, facing Bapaume, restß upon certain topographical features which at an earlier sfcago were utilised by the cnomy very greatly to his advantage, but wilj now serve to' materially facilitate the further development of the offensive. * » » t It is by this time pretty well known that in their northward drivo towards Bapaume the British had to. move from low to higher ground, and that in losing the ridge which runs east and a little south from ■ Thiepval, the enemy has lost one of his best assets making for a secure defence. The extreme elevation of the ridge is not great. The floor of the Sommc valley is about two hundred feqt above sea-level. The highest summits of the Thiepval ridge have an elevation of little more than five hundred feet and over a great part of tho country iu which the offensive has developed the rise from low to higher levels is . gradual: •Nevertheless possession of the ridge carries with it great advantages. In particular the army holding it is able to control its artillery bombardment by direct observation. F-rom a description of the country below Bapaume given by Mit. Hilaike Eelloc in Land and Water, it would, appear that the gain of commanding positions' for tho direction of artillery fire only partly covers the advantage achieved by the British in mastering the greater part of the Thiepval ridge. Great importance attaches also to a marked difference in the configuration of tho country to tho north, and that to tho south, of the ridge. The grountf to the south, Mr. Belloc states, offers continual examples of transverse contours, that is to say, of more or less pronounced ridges lying across the path of the British advance. To the north of the ridge this character of tho 'ground largely disappears. The country falls away towards Bapaume in what is roughly a series of shallow valleys, lacking long transverse positions tor defence, and enfiladed by observation and'fire from tho south.

These facts make it easier than ever to understand why the Germans havo spent lives so freely in attempting to avert the British conquest of the Thiepval ridge, which_ is now all but completed. They indicate also that the capture of Bapaume has been much more closely approached than would be supposed from the fact that the British have advanced about .four miles towards that objective, 1 and are still separated from it by five miles or a little more. The position now reached is that, except for a small area at High Wood, the ridge has been completely gainod from a point cast of Thiepval to north-east of Ginchy, a dircct distance of nearly six miles. Comparatively limited forward movements at two or three points will give the British complete possession of tho ridge. They will then bo commahdingly placed, with their artillery sweeping the descending valleys which run towards Bapaume. This general statement of tlie position is subject to minor reservations on account of detail topographical features of the country on the approaches to Bapaume, but tho essential fact stands that the British (will presently be better placed than they have ever been to continue their northward drive, while the enemy will resist their progress under a growing' handicap. With the position of affairs disclosed on other portions of tho Somrhe front, these facts convey a definite promise that the Allied offensive will tell with rapidly increasing effect upon the enemy. It is already highly probable that the Gormans are preserving the continuity of their line at the cost of losses exceeding those of tho Allies, and there is every prospect, that tho balanco will turn increasingly against them as tho struggle continues.

A. report has been circulated in Karori, -so tlio. Mayor of tho borough states, that there-is 110 need for people to give more money to tho Belgian Fluid. The Mayor mentioned at tlio Karon Council last evening that that was not the true position; more money ivas wanted, and the lady collectors should not be discouraged by wrong reports, buo should be encouraged through ovoryone giving cheerfully. Ho wished to thank the peoplo who had given, and also the collectors. (Hear, bear.) The Town Clerk of Karori (Mr. England) stated that between June, 1915, and August 31, 1916, £219 6b. lid. had been collected, and £209 had been paid into the fund.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19160913.2.15

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2875, 13 September 1916, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,769

PROGRESS OF THE WAR Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2875, 13 September 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2875, 13 September 1916, Page 4

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