FURTHER ADVANCE OF THE BRITISH ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2903, 16 October 1916, Page 5

FURTHER ADVANCE OF THE BRITISH ON THE SOMME

THE FIGHT FOR LE TRANSLOY VIOLENT WEEK-END BATTLE Tho High Commissioner reports:— ;• London; Ootober 18, 1.10 p.m. I A" BrTfcxsli official message states f— "South .of the Anore yesterday we advanced our front between Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs, and also north-west of Gueudecourt, taking 150 prisoners. ' During the night an attack by the enenjy northwards of tho Stuff Redoubt was driven off. Fourteen raiding parties entered the enemy's trenches in the Ypres and Armentieres areas, taking prisoners and inflicting casualties." SIR DOUGLASHAIG'S REPORTS. Australian-New Zealand Oable Association. > (Rec. Ootober 14, 7.20 p.m.) London, October 13. . " Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"We drovo back an attempted raid on our trenches north-eastwards of Wulverghom." (Rec. October 15, 5.5 p.m.) Condon, October 14. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"Wo carried out two successful trench raids north-weßt of Ypres and south-west of Hulluch." (Rec. October 16, 0.5 a.m.) .'■" / ' London, Ootober 15. Sir Douglas Haig reports:/"In local attacks we appreciably improvecT our position in the neighbourhood of the Schwaben Redoubt." SUCCESS OP THE FRENCH OPERATIONS I . . " ' • POWERFUL GERMAN ATTACK ON ABLAINCOURT. The High Commissioner reports:— . London, October 13, 3.15 p.m. •A French'official report states:—"Forty British and French aeroplanes bombarded the Mauser works at Obcndorf, dropping 4340 kilograms (almost 4 tons 5 owt.) of projectiles on their objectives. Six German aeroplanes were brought down in their defence of tho works." , London, October 14, 2.55 p.m. A French official report_ statos:—"Northwards of the Sordine we made progress to the Malassise ridge, southwards of the Somme, • the Germans, following up a. violent barrage, powerfully attaoked Ablaincourt, part of which they were enabled to reoccupy, and also some trenches to the northcast. Thoy were completely driven out by our counter-attack immediately afterwards." ' V ' '.' ! ' FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. ■ Australian-New Zealand Cahle Association. (Rec. October 14, 7.20 p.m.) I • Paris, October 13. A communique states: —"The Germans, by moans of flammen werfers (liquid fire), seized a few portions of our trenches on the outskirts of the Saint Pierre Yaast Wood." TWO BRILLIANTLY SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS (Rec. October 16, 0.5 a.m.) Paris, October 15. A French communique 'states: "Two brilliantly successful attacks on the westward side of Belloy-en-Santerro yielded ns the first German lino on a ; two-kilometre front (11 miles), aud the possession of Genermontand the sugar refinery twelve hundred yards north-edstward of Ablaincourt." ■ GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE . Amsterdam, October 13. A German official communique statos.—"The main weight of tho massed 'artillery and infantry attacks of the British and French.is directed against the'sector from Courcelette to the Wood of Si. Pierre Taast. The enemy temporarily penetrated our front. The French failed seven times near Sailly. The fighting continues. The Brandenburgers poured a devastate ing fire into denße columns of English troops at Gueudecourt. We won in stubborn fighting at the Generamon't sugar refinery. The main part of Ablainoourt remains ours." (Rec. October 15, 5.5 p.m.) Amsterdam, October 11. 'A German official communique states:—"We repulsed strong attacks on the Sommo, nnd recaptured some of. our positions in the southern sector of the St. Pierre-Vaast Wood, and also portions of the Ambos Wood, north of Chaulnes." BRITISH COMMUNIQUE TOO DISCREET FURIOUS BATTLE FOR POSSESSION OF LE TRANSLOY. <s<siitw'B Tolepram.l (Rec. October 15, 5.5 p.nf.) Paris, October 14. ' Semi-official. —"Tho British yesterday made much more serious progress than the discretion of their communiquo wouTff indicate —the Allies aro anxious only to announce confirmed results. Moreover, the battle continues." WHAT LE TRANSLOY MEANS TO THE ENEMY. Australian-Now Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. October 15, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, October 14. Somi-official.—''Tho Allied, operations which commencedou Thursday resulted in progress north-west of Gueudecourt in the direction of Bapaume and Le Transloy. Tho precarious position of Lo Transloy,- which had been incessantly bombarded for ten days, was aggravated by this advance. It is reported that the British already occupy tho outskirts of Lo Transloy, which is being most, desperately defended. Its fall will compel the enemy to aban- • .don a liua,of heights between Guoudeoonrt and, Morral."-

FRANTIC EFFORTS TO SAVE BAPAUME (Rec. October 16, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, October 14. Wednesday's attack brought us to the outskirts of Le Transloy. The German artillery occupy very good hill positions on the Bapaume-Peronna road, and made the most of their advantage. Hard fighting continues at Le' Transloy. which the Pommeranian Regiment is obstinately defending. Meanwhile the enemy is making frantic efforts to dig a fresh line of. trenches and fortify villages for the defence of Bapaume. " They are employing larga numbers of Russians prisoners, contrary to the rules of war. NO REST FOR THE ENEMY ("The Times.") (Rec. October 15, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 14. ' 'The "Times' ""correspondent at Headquarters reports:—"Without "giving the enemy any rest, we struck again after consolidating our positions and BtiU further driving the enemy back on the right from the EaucourfrWarUncourt road, on four miles of front, the French co-operating. Beyond .Lesboeufs', wo advanced within five hundred yards of Le Transloy cemetery, gaining one thousand yards, and forming here a new north-westerly zig-zag line to. the Flers-Lignay-Thallay road, where fighting is still proceeding. ..Our artillery and aeroplanes were again magnificent, the latter continually circling' the enemy's lines and ignoring the air-guns' constant fusilading." ■ VISCOUNT FRENCH VISITS THE FRONT. Paris, October 13. . Viscount French (Commander-in-Chief of the Home Forces, and previous- 1 ly British Commander-in-Chief in France) inspected the defences of Paris, and is proceeding to the front.