FIERCE BATTLE ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2877, 15 September 1916, Page 5

FIERCE BATTLE ON THE SOMME

GERMANS FIGHT FOR LOST POSITIONS ALLIES CREEPING ROUND PERONNE (By Teleeraph—Press Association—O-pyright). • ("He Times.") London, September 13. A brilliant French dash, under General Fayollo, on Tuesday, carried the hill commanding the Rancourt Road. Combles and Mont St. Quentin are now seriously outflanked. Tho Fronch gains included! a commanding hill two miles north (? north-west) of Peronne. A few yards more will necessitate . the evacuation of Peronne, which will result in the disorganisation of tho German system of victualling the army of Roye, to tho south. . FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. I Aristralian-Nflw Zealand Oablo Association. i London, September 13. A French official communique states: "The battlo. continued, north of tho Somme. We achieved a pronounced sucess in the evening by capturing tho entire village of Bouchavesnes, after, n brilliant action, overpowering strongly entrenched positions. The.y did not attempt to counter-attack. We crossed the Bethuno road south-east of Eouchaveshcs, and took by assault_ tho farm of Bois l'Abbe.' We also captured many prisoners and war material. "We liavo made progress northwards of Vaux Chapitre, in tho Verdun area." , PIERCE FIGHT FOR BOIS L'ABBE FARM (Rec. September Is, 7.35 prni.) '' 1 Paris, September 14. A French official communique states: "There lias been desperate combats 'on our centre and right northward cf tho Sonune. The Germans recaptured Bois l'Abbo ?arm, but the whole position was reoccupied, and all our gaina maintained. Tn'o thousand three bund red unwounded prisoners were taken on Tuasdiiy and Wednesday. Wo have appreciably extended our positions opposite Combles, and carried by assault , southward of Prioz Farm, a whole system of powerfully organised trenches, with important booty, which includes ten guns (several of them of heavy cal ibro), and forty maohine guns, in tbo Bouchavesnes sector alone. "A German attack on our recently, conquered positions east of Fleury w«d completely repulsed." HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The High Commissioner reports:— London, Sopfcember 14, 0.55 a.m. A French official message states:—"At tho Sommo wo oxtended our positions on a portion of the front facing Combles, capturing a whole system of trenches, which were powerfully organised. Desperato combats occurred, tho Germans endeavouring to recapturo the lost ground. A violent a'ttack by tho enemy at the farm of L'Ablip Wood succeeded in recapturing it, but by an irresistible counter-attack .we repelled the enemy, and recaptured the farm. South of Ridgo 73 was also the object of attempts by the enemy, but after a series of hand-to-hand combats v with alternative advances and retreats, our infantry maintained all gains. ' The total number of, unwounded prisoners yesterday and to-day exceeds actually 1300. Important booty was abandoned by tho enemy. That which has been counted reaches ten guns and forty machine guns in tho Bouchavosnes sector alone. South of the Sommo there has been very active artillery fighting in the regions of Verlnandovillers and Chaulnes. "On tho right bank of the Mouse tho Germans attacked tho positions wo recently conquered east of Floury, but they were completely EXTRAORDINARY SPEED OF THE ATTACK Australian-New Zealand Gable Association. Paris, September 13. An extraordinary feature of tho French advanco on Tuesday was its speed, whioh was unprecedented since trench warfare started. In some cases positions were taken in fifteon minutes. The French now command _ Hill 76, two miles north jf Peronuo, and also Mont St. Qucnfciu, both important artillery positions. Unless tho Germans hold those they must oracuate Peronne. ON THE BRITISH FRONT (Rcc. Septombnr 1-1, 5.55 p.m.) ' London, September 14. Sir Douglas Jlai»h reports: "Tho'situation is unchanged. An attack by the Germans on our lines from tho direction of Moiiquot Farm was repulsed with considerable loss." ' GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. London, September 13. A Gorman official communique atat os: "After heavy fighting botween Combles and tho Sommo, tho French penotratod Bouchavosnes._ "The enemy's attacks at Thianmont and Souvillo failed, with sanguinary losses.

"Air raids on Itotweil (70 miles from tho French frontier, duo cast of Epinal) and Saarburg (east of Nancy) 011 September 0 audi 10 resulted in no damage being done.'. THE FIGHT FOR THE GINCHY RIDGE (Rec. September 14, 5.45 p.m.) London, September Hi. Mr. Philip Gibbs says that when tho French get to Comblos they will link up with the British to tho right of Ginchy and Lcuzo Wood, where a few hundred Germans aro defending themselves bravoly in a loop trench flung like a lassoo north-east of Guillomont. "We are still below tho lino of tho Ginchy telegraph lino, on tho high plateau, so wo have not yet obtained full observation for the valley slopes on the other sid'e, hut the capture of Ginchy has robbed tho enemy of his viewpoints, and liis only means of observation is now in the air. ' According ly, the Germans have sent up kito balloons. Our airmen mount above them and dive, dropping bombs until the <r r eat bags burst into flames'. Tho Germans' latest means of defence is to use a gun placed below the balloons, sending tho shells up high to reach tho planes, scorching tho wings of British aeroplanes coming too close, hut our flying men are willing to take tho risk." OUR PRISONERS AND BOOTY SINCE JULY 1. ("Tho Times.") . (Ucc. September 14, 7.50 p.m.) Paris, September 14-. Since tho beginning of the Franco- British offensive on tho feomino and in the aEtacks by the French on tho Verdun front, the Allies havo captured 260 guns, 647 machine guns, and 54,000 men. ,