REVIEW OF SITUATION SOUTH OF THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2909, 23 October 1916, Page 5

REVIEW OF SITUATION SOUTH OF THE SOMME

GERMAN POSITION PRECARIOUS . ENEMY RISKING A CRUSHING DISASTER IN THIS SECTOR ,■■' • -...*.' ■■'■.■■ ". ■/..'. - : — ■ (By TVUfsraph—Pxess Association—Copyright). Australian-New Zealald Oablo Association. CRec. October 22, 5.5 p.m.) ' . • . London, October 20. Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, in a. tho situation south of the Somme, says the_Germans are holding the remaining positions on the Barleux-Chaul-nes line almost'tin sufferance, so easy v 4nd successful have recent French attacks been. ■ Barleus,'however, is a veritable fortress, lying in a hollow like Combles, so it will-be necessary first to drive'the Germans-from. Mont Saint Quentin. The Germans are now holding the low-lying ground south ei the Somme in a half-hearted manner. The subterranean defences,extort the-admiration of the French troops, also their gratitude,, because they provide ready-made shelters which are safe from the heaviest artillery. Under the chateau a't Deniecourt the Germans had • constructed shelters similar to the electric railway tubes, and lined with steel. It was an enormous .underground barrack, holding a battalion, and lined with sleeping bunks like the forecastle of a liner. The Germans considered;it impregnable,' but the French artillery- drove' every defender into the below ground caves, and then they were at tbe Frenchmen's mercy. The Germans had tho choice between starvation and surrender. These complicated underground defences yield a. large number of prisoners after a successful advance. Tho Germans constructed a.remarkable obser-, vation station near Berny, called Tour de Douvent. It was of concrete, containing eight large rooms. Inside of it now lie tbe bodies of a colonel, two captains,' and thirty-two orderlies, each wearing a gas mask. A Frenoh shell burst, at the entrance, resulting in concussion, and the air-pressure killed all. •■.-'-■ Another obstacle at Douvent was an immensely strong sugar factory. The Frenoh sisteen-inch howitzers reduced the factory to pulp, and the dash of •tbe infantry not only carried tn"e factory, but also' the village of Gonermont, half a kilometre beyond. The German position is daily becoming' more precarious. He has'the most difficult river in France behind Aim, with the French artillery continually smashing»the extemporised bridges. : By holding the line the German is risking a crushing disaster, as his troops in this sector may be driven to the river. The Frenoh infantry smell victory in the air, and the officers have to hold them baok like dogs in a leash. . / ■'':■' MANY MORE BLOWS NEEDED TO BRING THE ENEMY TO SUBMISSION (Rec. October 22, 5.5 p.m.) . . London, October 21. The "Morning Post's" correspondent a£ Headquarters says the German army on the Somme has abandoned hopes of an early peace, and apparently realise that the Allies are" determined to secure a complete victory in the field. ■• The Germans are'busily preparing for a hard winter campaign, and oven harder fighting, in the spring.. They are savage, discouraged, and less staunch and dependable than formerly, but far from beaten. Many more blows like those of the laßt three months will be needed to bring them to submission. I£ can be done, but ,not quickly. There is no ground for believing that the enemy will shorten his line without pressure. He insists on being blown homewards. An army of pioneers is perfecting the defences of Bapaume and the neighbouring villages, skilfully carving the countryside beyond Bapaume with the'usual, trench pattern, converting every hamlet into a miniature fort, and every crossroad into a machine-gun redoubt. True, they are not as formidable a's the original'three lines, but the engineers are using time and labour to the utmost. The' blasting process must continue " indefinitely, and for many months there will be stiff fighting ahead. The British Army contemplates the task with equanimity. The sighs are pro- _ The Germany army is suffering from the strain of overwork, and some divisions on the Somme have been thrice broken and re-formed. Tho artillery is overworked, justifying the belief that the Germans have insufficient guns to give the necessary relief. • i •■"'''' ' v ! PREPARING THE PEOPLE FOR THE PALL OF PERONNE AND BAPAUME j (Rec. October 22, 5.5 p.m.) Amsterdam, October 21. Tho "Frankfurter Zeitung," in a three column leading: article, reviews the war situation, and in candidly preparing the public foi* tho fall of Pcronna and Bapaume, says: "Even if they fall, the' Entente will not have won the war. Thero are other obstacles eastwards," and concludes:' "Germany must not expect her Generals to do impossibilities." *Rie "Frankfurter Zeitung," prior to the fall of Combles, declared that it was of no importance whatsoever; THE EXTRAORDINARY SIMULTANEOUS EFFORTS ON ALL FRONTS (Rec. October 22, 5.5 p.m.) Amsterdam, October 21. The "KdlniscbeVolks Zeitung" has published a'letter from General Ludendorff, von Hindenbnrg's quartermaster-general, declaring "it cannot be denied that it requires colossal efforts to destroy the enemy's hopes, which are - based on the extraordinary simultaneous efforts on all" fronts. AVe will achieve it, if the people unite and are confident, not dissipating tho army strength, and quarrelling about tho suitability of ways and means." SPEECH BY THE KAISER TO THE TROOPS ON THE , WEST FRONT (Rec. October 22, 5.5 p.m.) _' • , Amsterdam, October 21. Addressing tho troops on the West front, after paying a tribute to the dead, tho Kaisor said: "We who are living will fight further till nobody dare again assail the German people's honour and liberty," and added he hoped God would be with them. The newspapers are commenting on the use of this expression, instead of his usual "God is with die Kaiser." -fAIN ATTACKS BY THE ENEMY ON THE FRENCH SECTOR, The High Commissioner reports :— London, October 10, 11.50 p. m . "North of the Somme the Germans vainly attacked this afternoon the French lines northwards and eastwards of Sailly-Saillisel. Our .artillery fur. broke up waves of assault, causing appreciable lossos. "Southward of the Somme, we made further progress between Biachcs and La Maisonete."

ADVANCE MADE IN THE WAKE OF A TANK. .■ Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Reo. October 22, 5.5 p.m.) "Condon, October 21. The"Daily Mail's" 'correspondent says: "We butted forward on Wednesday a long way astride of the sunken road south-east of Warlencourfc. Tho advance was made in the wake of a tank. The animal proved a good foul-weather fighter, and is likely to continue a useful ally. Tho mortality in tanks has not been high, and they prove useful even in death. One is still straddling a trench, and is being temporarily used as a dressing-sta-tion. All the while our gun 6 aro pointing a strong line at the Germans when they attempt to dig and fortify across the front of Bapaume. ENEMY ATTACK REPULSED WITH HEAYY LOSSES. (Rec. October 22, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"We repulsed an attack westward of the Schwaben' Redoubt, inflicting heavy losses. There is nothing doing elsewhere." TRENCHES RECAPTURED FROM THE BRITISH. London, October 20. ,'A German communiquo states:—"We wrested from the English the greater portion of the trenches they won on Wednesday west of tho Eaucourt-I'-Abbaye and Lidarque Road." SEVEN GERMAN AIRCRAFT BROUGHT DOWN. (Rec. October 22, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, October 21. A French communique says:—"The night was quiet on the Sommo. "There was great aerial activity yesterday, and seven German machine were brought down.. „ "Our squardrons dropped many bombs on the stations at Noyou and Channey and tho cantonment at Ham." GERMANS CLAIM TO HAVE BROUGHT DOWN TWELVE AIRCRAFT. (Kec. October 22, 5.5 p.m.) London) October 21. A Berlin cammuniquo says:—"Tho English attacks between Lo Sars and Eaucourt failed. "Tho French attack on the SalJy-Raneomt road broke down. "Our aerial squadrons brought down twelve of tbo enemy machines, and made aerial attacks on the railway stations and munitions depots behind the enemy front with good results." . BRITISH MAKE FURTHER PROGRESS. The High Commissioner reports:— London, October 21, 12.35 p.m. ■' British official:—"ln the neighbourhood of Btitto do Warlencoiirt further progress was made during the night. "We successfully raided tho enemy trenches southwards of Nouve Chapelle." "/ ' ' CAPTURE OF THE STUFF AND REGINA TRENCHES Aoßtralian-New ISoaland Oabl'i Association. ■ (Rec. October 23, 0.5 a.m.) London, October 22. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "A strong enemy attack on the Schwabon Redoubt was repulsod with heavy losses. Subsequently* on a front of fivo thousand yards, wo advanced our lino three hundred to fivo hundred yards, and captured tho Stuff and Regina trenches, besides the advanced' posts northeast of Schivaben, and took prisoner some hundreds." VIOLENT ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED BY THE FRENCH. (Rec. October 23, 0.5 a.m.) , Paris, October 22. A French communique says: "Thero were multiplied violent infantry attempts to expo] us from Sailly Saillisel. Our curtain of fire thrice broko the a6sanlting waves with sanguinary losses, without approaching our line at any points. The same fierceness -was shown in tho attack on our positions between Biaches and La Maisonette. It was particularly desperato in the Blaise Wood region, the enemy using flaming liquids, and was bloodily repulsed on the whole front. But the enomy gamed a few advanced positions in the trench northward of Blaise Wood. Meanwhile wo captured tho woods northward of Chaulnes." STRATEGIC PURPOSE OF THE SOMME OPERATIONS TO HOLD THE BULK OF THE GERMAN FORCES. , Now York, October 20. The New York "World's" correspondent at London interviewed Briga-dier-Ganeral F. B. Maurice, Director of Military Operations, who said: "The main strategic purpose of tho Allies' operations on the Sommo was to retain tho bulk of tho German forces on this front. As fivo-eighths of the German army is there, this purposo has been achieved. The British are now fight-ing-for ajumping-off place, from which to attack Bapaume! While Bapaume and Peronne are not of first-class strategic value, if captured they would be morally important." • Replying to a question, General Maurico said there was no reason to lackconfidence in the Rumanians' ability to make an effective stand. They had enough men, and with good leadership there was no ground lor doubtin" the result. ■ v . ■ EFFECT OF THE CAPTURE OF SAILLY-SAILLISEL. New Yorfc, October 20. Dispatches from French Field Head Headquarters declare that tho Freuch victory at Sailly-Saillisel increased the Allied broach in the German line to a maximum depth of over eleven miles. Soon the Allies will lie in a position to make most effective assaults simultaneously on three sides. Tho Germans, fearing this development, are constructing - deep subterranean tunnels on a scale, hitherto -unequalled. Tho tunnels will shelter thousands of men, and provide for the rapid transfer of men underground from place to place. The tunnels are equipped with miniature railways for/ transportation of machine-guns and ammunition to the exits, where lifts trans-' port tho guns and their crews to the surface or permit descent to the tunnel, and thence to other points, with a maximum of rapidity. ..-.;; a public anxiety in germany regarding the s'.:mme. Amsterdam, October 20. Owing to the necessity of calming German public anxiety regarding the Sohune, the authorities have issued a summary belittling the defeats, and describing the battle as "the vast and costly failure of the Franco-British attempt to break through." The account is intentionally confusing. It glowingly describes the German defence,..and briefly mentions tho.iObS of successive fortified villages, using the phrase "the position was then left to tho enomy."_ The 1 loss of Combles was presented as a German success, because the garrison escaped heavily laden with arms and material. MARKED SUPERIORITY OF BRITISH AIRMEN. . . ' , Paris, October 19. The correspondent states that British airmen in the vecent operations mode three thousancT trips across the enemy's lines, to a dozen mado by tho enemy airmen over theirs. Before every attack tho troops resting behind the lines reproduce a plan of the enemy's complicated works from photographs taken by the airmen, and rehearse thiir capture. ENEMY COUP DE MAIN REPULSED. London, October 20. A French communique states:—"We repulsed an enemy coup do main in Lorraine." REPORT BY SJR DOUGLAS. HAIG. London, October 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"We raided trenches at Loos. "The enemy shelled the Stuff and Schwaben Redoubts at Thiepval."