WEATHER INTERVENES ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2882, 21 September 1916, Page 5

WEATHER INTERVENES ON THE SOMME

.... LULL ON THE GREAT BATTLE-FRONT STRIKING ANALYSES OF. GERMAN LOSSES "' ' (By Teletrranh—Press Associatioiir-Copyright). Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. ■'. ■ r..< - ' ',;,. London, September 19. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— I'iVo more of our aeroplanes failed to return." (Rcc. September 20,10.15 p.m.) ' I ." . . . London, September 80. Sir Douglas Hail reports:—"A local attack on our trenches eastward of Martinpuich was easily repulsed. Our fire exploded an ammunition store in the neighbourhood of Hill 60." HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The 1 High Commissioner reports:— . . ; . . London, September 10, 12.55 p.m. ."A British official report states that on tho Somuie rain continues. The enemy trenches were raided at Richobourg- l'Avoue, wheTo prisoners and a. machine-gun were taken, and many casualties inflicted.'' FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. Australian-Xew Zealand Cable Association. '. ~ ' , - , . „„ , , . London, September 10. A-I'ranch communique states:— Bad weather hinders operations "After a bombardment of our positions westward and eastward of SouainSommep'y Road (m Champagne), the Germans made many attacks, notably five against the Russian sector, which were repulsed everywhere with serious losses.' , . ' ■ "We repulsed a coup de main at Avocourt, and two counter-attacks at Mort Homme." ' : (Rcc. September 20, 10.15 p.m.) Paris, September 20. A. French official communique states: —"Bad weather has hampered operations on the greater portion of the front. The artillery is activo ou both banks ot the Somme and on thi> right bank of tho Mouse." ' ANOTHER WEDGE IN THE RING ROUND PERONNE ■ /.— ■. ■ ' SUNDAY'S BATTLE ON THE FRENCH FRONT. ... . New York, September 10. The Now York "Times's" correspondent in France states that as a result of Sunday's battle the French have driven another wedge into the circuit fortress defending Peronno. Describing tho scone of tho battle between Barleux and Vormandovillers, the correspondent states that at tho latter village the fight was so fierce.that tho Gormans died to a man rather than surrender. The French found evidences of tho terrible effect of their artillery fire. In a wood south-east of Berny thoy literally had to force their way through hoaps of corpses. The Bavarians returned to charge again and again, but each new company was cut to pieces • by the curtain fire, which' passed over the heads of the French so closo'yet harmlessly that the accuracy of the artillery must be perfect. It is described as tho finest gunnery over witnessed. After the capture of Berny, the French brought strong pressure on tho German line between Berny and Deniecourt, thus preventing the advanco of strong reinforcements, on which the Germans counted. After his capture, the German commander broko .his sword in the bitterness of dofeat. , ' , GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. London, September 10. 'A German official communique states: —"East of Ginchy aud before Comblcs we yielded somo trenches. The French temporarily penetrated our trenches on the west slope of Mort Homme (north of Verdun, on tlie west bank of tho Mouse)." HOW GERMAN WRITERS SQUARE THEIR DISASTERS. Amsterdam, September 19. German correspondents aro attempting to induce their readers to believe that the Somme successes are merely local advantages, and do not influence the war. Professor Wegner, in tho "Cologne' Gazette," writes: "Wo do not liko abandoning ground, hut the army, commanders voluntarily refrained from.recapturing razed positions." GERMAN WAR CORRESPONDENT'S DESPONDENT WAIL. ("Tho Timos."). (Rec. September 20, 9.15 p.m.) London, September 19. Tho war correspondent of the "Frankfurter Zeitung" (says: —"The Sommc offensive is most terrible and continuous fightiug. The nnomy only pauses hastily, to prepare for now attacks. With crushing artillery . and infantry superiority, he is indulging in perfectly horrible orgies of modern scientific destruction. Tho German Holdiers are fighting in a hell, and male ing tho most gigantic sacrifices for tho Fatherland. How long oan this slaughter last?" Tho correspondent also points out: "The enemy is immensely strong, and while Germany is compelled to hold the whole of tho Western front, and the greater portion of tho Eastern front,. she is supporting ior allies in tho Carpathians, Transylvania, the Dobruja, and Turkey."

490,608 PRISONERS SINCE JULY 1 ; WHAT THE ALLIES HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. London, September 1.9. The News .Exchange states that tho official communiques show that between July 1 and September 18 the French captured 145 guns v the British 109, the Russians oil, and the. Italians 36. The French captured 729 ma-chine-guns, jflie British 223, tho Russians 1530, and the Italians 92._ The- < French captured prisoners to tho number of 33,699, tho British 21,450, tho Russians 402,471, and tho Italians 33,048. Tho totals aro:—Guns, 1131; machine-suns, 2624-; prisoners, 490,668. ANOTHER ANALYSIS. (Rcc. September 20, 5.20 p.m.) London, September 19. The military correspondent of the "Westminster Gazette." states that tho twenty-nine German divisions whicu Sir Douglas Haig reports as haying been withdrawn, as exhausted, represent 550,000 fighters. At least twothirds of, the Gorman effectives must havo been. lost-before the Germans retired a single division, therefore the enemy's losses on tho British front have been about 370,000 since July 1. Probably the Germans have Jost another 150,000 on tho French front on the Somme. "The limit 6? German endurance," he says, "must havo almost hcen reached." THE ENEMY'S BROKEN STRENGTH ON THE SOMME, /Rcc. Septemher 20, 10.15 p.m.) " London, Septemher 20. A jitateriwntfroni an authoritative source points out- the great moral value* of the perfected co-operation of the Anglo-French armies on the Somme. Between July 1 and September 8 fifty-three Gorman divisions were engaged, of which twenty-eight were withdrawn, quits brokeu, while eleven others were withdrawn for rest. Under the Allies' artillery fire and infantry pressure, the average life of a German division as a fit unit is about nineteen days. Over two now German divisions have been brought to the front lina every wceE" since the end of June, and replaceu those which have been shattered and exhausted. The figures show, even more than tho ground which has heeu won, .how steadily and swiftly the Allies are moving toward, the accomplishment of their chief strategic aim, which is the .destruction, as a fighting force, of the" enemy's armies in the field. Of fifty-three divisions, twenty-eight woro used, wholly against tho British, twenty were wholly used against the French. On September 8 seven German divisions were facing each of the Allied armies on tho Somme. Our comrade armies are thus evenly sharing the burdens and achievements of tho struggle. If one shows moro ground won, tho other may claim that largOT enemy forces have been annihilated. In any case, neither army seeks to separate the glory of the treemndous conflict which tho German General Staff has described as the decisive battle of the war.