THRILLING DISPATCH FROM, BRITISH COMMANDER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2881, 20 September 1916, Page 5

THRILLING DISPATCH FROM, BRITISH COMMANDER

SMASHING BLOW ON THE SOME A WORD FOR THE NEW ZEALANDERS (By 'Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright). Australian-New Zealand Oable Association. (lice. September K), 5.40 p.m.) '"'.. „■•,„.'■ London, September 18. bit- Douglas Haig reports: "Friday's attack was launched at 6.20 a.m. on the front from Leuze Wood to Pozieres, against a treblo lino of entrenchments connected with strcng subsidiary trenches. The enemy, besides, hold some advanced positions, with machine-guns in trenches and works and shellholes behind these. At' a distance of seven thousand yards from our front tho enemy had recently constructed and wired a fourth line of trenches fronting the Le Transloy-Bapaume road. Tho defences wero formidable, and supported by upwards of a thousand guns of all' calibres. Punctually, tho infantry, accompanied by heavy armourod cars, advanced in close order, under cover of our field artillery barrage, and everywhere carried tho first lino, except at two points, namely, on the high ground between Ginchy and Leuze Wood, and'at Foureaux Wood. Neglecting those, the infantry swept forward round them, and by 10 o'clock had captured tho whole of Flors, with its strong.points, and advanced beyond it to the outskirts of Martinpuich and Oourcelettc. They reached it in tho same time. These villages were captured in-tho afternoon. Tho Northumbrian and Londbn Territorials, tho Scottish, and English now army divisions, tho troops from Canada and New Zealand shared with our Guards the credit of these successes. "On tho right the enemy maintained his hold on the 'high ground northwestward of Leuzo Wood, and our efforts to dislodge him were not successful. The enemy in Foureaux Wood, howovor, surrendered when their flanks were turned, and by 11 o'clock the whole of tho Woods was ours. We have thus gained practically the whole of tho high ground between Combles Valley «nd tho Ancre, and are now woll down the forward slopes. Thankß to the excellent artillery observation thus afforded, wc are able to inflict heavy punishment on tho enemy. The Armourod Cars. "The'armoured cars gallantly led the action, knocking out machine-guns and inflicting heavy losses by machine-gun fire, onfiladiug the Gorman trenches, _ and causing indescribable demoralisation in tho enomy's ranks. On the night of September 15 and 16 the- enemy made counter-attacks withforces hastily brought up from all. directions, and continued these throughout Saturday. All the attacks were repulsed with heavy loss to tho enemy. The New Zealanders, after gaining their objectives on Friday, were particularly heavily counter-attacked. Besidos standing their ground, they punished the enemy severely, and even made progress. We made further progress on Saturday, especially towards Les Boeufs. During tho above operations, unci in close connection therewith, the new army troops • skillfully and gallantly extended their gains southward of Thiopval, 'seizing trenches,, and taking prisoners in hundreds. * Most Effective Blow Yot Struck. ' "The result of the fighting on September 15 and 16 was of great importance—probably the most effective blow yet dealt 'to the enemy.by the British troops, and the damage to his moralo is probablv greater, in consequence, than the seizure of the dominating positions. "Wc. captured between four and five thousand prisoners. Since .July 1, tho British forces alone, on the Somme battle front; have engaged thirty-five German divisions, of which' twenty-nine have already been defeated and withdrawn, exhausted. During the past week' only fourteen hostile aeroplanes crossed our lines, while ours havo made between two and threo thousand flights across the enemy's lines." \ THE LATEST GAINS-ANOTHER IMPORTANT SUCCESS (Rec. September 10, 5.15 p.m.) ~ . London, September .19. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "We havo captured the strongly fortified work called the 'Quadrilateral,' between Bouleaux Wood and Ginchy, and advanced our lines to a depth of .one thousand yards on ono mile oE front, . taking prisoner, in twenty-four hours, 500 of tho enemy. The enemy's coun-ter-attacks north of Flers were repelled with loss. Hostile troops' massing at Les Bouefs were caught by our artillery fire and dispersed." "Five heavy howitzers, two_ field guns, three heavy and three light trench mortars, wore captured, in addition to those reported since Friday. . Several of the enemy's aeroplanes were brought down. Four of ours aro missing." HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The High Commissioner reports:— London, September 18, 3.5 p.m. 'A British official report states: "The general situation is unchanged. The position at Martinpuich and CourCeletto has been improved. At Mouqueb Farm the enemy entered our trenches, but was immediately counter-attacked and driven out. South of Thiopval a further portion of ono of tho enemy's trenches was captured." "On Sunday a squadron of naval aeroplanes 'attacked tho enemy's aerodrome at St; Denis Westrem,' where many bombs were drooped with successful results. One machine was for.ced to land in Holland, where tho pilot was interned." GRAPHIC PICTURE OP THE BATTLEFIELD Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. ' (Rco. September 19, 5.55 p.m.) London, September 19. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes:—"The Germans made a couple of attempts \ against our defences round Martinpuich and Courceletfe, but- our long-range

guns prevented them from coming within riflo range. The enemy's losses in the recent battles are very frightful—one of our staff officers estimates them at eight, to one. Tho German dead lie solid on certain parts of tho battlefront across the ridge, and when the. wind blows there comes a. dreadful miasma of corruption and blood. Tho whole ridgo to .Delvillo Wood and Giuchy is one great graveyard. The enemy's artillery is still very strong, but some of his batteries are perilously situated from our new positions, and there aro indications' that ho is shifting them backward. Thero is evidence that the enemy had prepared for a great counter-attack at the time ours was launched. Mouquet Farm was captured by a. dash across a short strip of No Man's Land. Tho enemy retreated within a tunnelled dugout, which had at least two entrances, and maintained a tire from loop-holes. After wo had surrounded it we blew in the southern entrance, while guarding the other outlet. When our men rushed the "wunder work," they found that the whirlwind of our bombardment had converted it into a chaos of earth, and concrete. Five officers and 116 men were still alivo, and surrendered instantly. Our attack reveals a. temporary demoralisation. in tho ranks of the enemy, but there is still much fighting to bo dons before Germany's weakness reaches the breaking point." BANTAM CREWS IN THE "TANKS." (Rec. September 19, 5.40 p.m.) London, September 18. The "Evening Star" states that the crews of the "tanks" are selected from the Bantam Battalions, owing to tho lack of head-room. DENIECOURT CAPTURED BY THE FRENCH CREEPING NEARER COMBLES. • * London, September 18, 3.15 p.m. The High Commissioner reports:— A French official report states: "Many German counter-attack's east of Berny and south of Deniecourt during the night were all repulsed, causing heavy losses to the enemy. East of Berny and east of Deniecourt we made progress. Deniecourt was completely encircled, and 1200 prisoners taken. [ Two German', battalions were destroyed." i . _ London, September 19, 0.20 a.m. j 'A' French official message says: "North of the Somme we captured a knot of. trenchos 200 metres south of.Combles. South of the Somme the combat continues -with bitterness. Our infantry captured the village of Deniecourt, containing the last of the defenders, and reached a. kilometre (3-5 of a. mile) to the southward. Simultaneously we captured a trench westwards of Horgny, and chased the enemy out of three little woods south-eastwards of Deniecourt. We occupy several trenches to the south-west. The total number olprisoners taken on September 17 and IS ia this sector is 1600.' "Our air squadrons bombed the railway stations at Nantillois, yillorsCarbonel, and Horgny, doing great damage." i —: — ■ GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE REVERSES ADMITTED. (Rec. September 19, 5.30 p.m.) i Amsterdam, September 18. A German official communique states: "Mighty battles on the Somme, along a 45 kilometre (27 miles) front, from Thiepval to Vermandovillers, led to bitter fighting. North of tho Somme the actions were favourable to us.. South of the Somme we abandoned our positions between Barleux and Vermandovillers, and the villages of Berny and Deniecourt." (Roc. September 19, 8.20 p.m.) Amsterdam, September 19. An official message from 1 Berlin states:—"Our hydroplanes yesterday successfully bombed hostilo warships off the Flemish coast, hit the aircraft's mothership, and forced hostile airmen down in Holland." The British Admiralty danft* that any ship was hit, or .damaged, WHAT THE GERMANS SAY ABOUT IT REMARKABLE ADMISSIONS BY VON WEIGAND. /- New York, September 18. _ The German censors have permitted Carl von Weigand to cable to the "New York World" a report of the fighting on the Somme, in which remarkable admissions are made of tho Allies' success. The Von Weigand dispatch is dated "Berlin, September 16," and states:— "In. a tremendous attack, splendidly carried out by,tho French and Eng- ' lish, the Allies drove back the Germans in what was probably the hardest and most effective blow of the Somme offensive. Following an indescribably terrible attack, the Allies on a narrow front of twelve miles carried the German lines from near Thiepval on the north' to Rancourt on the south-east. This was the best team-work the Allies havß yet carried out. The Allies' drive was directed against German lines which had been harassed and wearied by days of uninterrupted battering. The Germans made a gallant and desperate stand, but were unable to withstand the terrific onslaught of the English and Frenoh divisions, who were in overwhelming numbers, on such a narrow front. I consider it probable that tho Allies will have further local successes, and that the Germans may fall back at a number of other points. In view of the greatly exposed situation of Peroune and Comblos, it would not be surprising if they fell into the hands of the Allies. . ..-."• [The dispatch' is abruptly out short at this point by tho censor.] BERLIN BITTERLY DISILLUSIONED. Rotterdam, September 18. Berlin has been bitterly disillusioned. Following on tho Kaiser's melodramatic Dobruja telegram to tho Empress, tho newspapers flaunted great headlines, tho city was befl3gged, and there was hysterical J rejoicinc. People eagerly bought tho later editions, expecting news of great hauls of prisoners and guns,, but only found the story of tho Sommo disasters, and tho loss of Flors, Martiupuich, and Courcelotte.' which the military experts had just declared were impregnable. The rejoicings ceased, and there was muob. bitter comment on tho Kaiser raising false hopes. Berlin went to bed gloomy and dispirited. VON HINDENBURG SOOTHES THE UNEASY PUBLIC. Amsterdam, September 18. i Field-Marshal von Uiudeuburg, in an interview published in the "Tageblatt," referriug to tho German tasks on 1 the Sommo and elsewhere, said that tho difficulties were great, but thoro was good justification for tho belief that Germany would conquer. Whore there's a will there'* a way, and they must find the way.