FIVE MILES OF THE GERMAN LINE; BROKEN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2929, 15 November 1916, Page 5

FIVE MILES OF THE GERMAN LINE; BROKEN

; ' BRILLIANT" COUP BY THE BRITISH [BEAUMONT HAMEL AND ST. PIERRE DIVION | : ■■■:■ ■"■'. ..: ' captured 'v The High Commissioner reports:— . V; ' • .. .-...-.; London, November 13,12.50 p;rh; A .British, official report states: "During the night we attacked on both banks of .the Ancro. The capture of a considerable number of prisoners has already been reported. At Lesboeufs, arid also at Gueudecdurt, • thero was hostile artillery work during the night. Opposite Hans we made a successful gas attack on the enemy's trenches. At Armentiei'cs the enemy's trenches to the south-east were entered." '•." " '• ••■■':■■. '

■ ; London, November 13, 5.15 p.m. The British have advanced to the depth of a mile, and haye captured Beaumont-Hamel (north of the Ancre, 9 miles west of Bapaume); and other villages. Two thousand' prisoners have been' taken. / ' '. ... Later. "We attacked this morning on both banks of the Ancre, ■ penetrated tlio German defences on a front of nearly five'miles,'and captured .the stronglyfortified village oE Saint Pierre Divion. The attack was delivered before daylight, ill a thick mist. The enemy sustained'severe losses. Three'thousand three hundred prisoners have been counted, and more are coming in. Fighting continues." , | CAPTURED POSITIONS CONSIDERED IMPREGNABLE x (By Telegraph—P«ss Association—Copyright). .. .- ■ Australian-New Zealand Cable Association, i ■ ... I London, November 13. The "Daily Chronicle's" headquarters correspondent writes: "Wo have advanced the British line, to the depth of a mile on both sides of tho Ancre River, We captured Beaumont-Hamel and l St. Pierre Divion (north-west of Thiepval), and also valuable trenches north of Serre' (north of BeaumontHamel), -whero. the fighting continues. Already two thousand prisoners liavo |'been brought in. •■. ■ ■ • '. ■ ■ The Germans considered Beaiiniont-Hamcl impregnable, while the position at .the captured trenches northward of Serre was the only place not captured; in the first assajilt.. All tho eaptured positions were strongly fortified, and were part of the original lino the Germans' ha'd occupied for two years. ' - ■''•■»' LULL ON THE FRENCH FRONT (Ausl— X.Z. Cable Assn. and Keuter.) Paris, November 13. A French official rommunique states that there is nothing to report. "Nine'bombardihg'aeroplanes and seven escorting machines of tho British naval wing bombed the blast-furnaces at Saintiugbert, north-east of Saarbrueken. All the machines_ returned. Two German aoroplancs bombed Belfort. Five civilians wore injured." NAVAL AIR-RAID ON OSTEND London, November 13. Tho Admiralty reports: "A squadron of naval aeroplanes attacked the harbour of Ostend" on November 12. A considerable number of bombs wore dropped on the Atelier do la Marino and on war vessels."