OUR VICTORY ON THE ANCRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2932, 18 November 1916, Page 9

OUR VICTORY ON THE ANCRE

MORE/ABOUT THE FIGHT AT BEAUMONT-HAMEL BIG COUNTER-ATTACK ON THE FRENCH DISPOSED OF . The' High Commissioner reports:— , . . ■'...' ' : ;.' . London, November 16, 12.15 p.m. ~.. A-British official report states:—'l During.the sight there,was consider- . able .shelling by the enemy northward and southwards of the Ancre. Otherwise there is nothing to report." ' -."•''.' SIR DOUGLAS HAIG REPORTS. (By Telegraph—Pi.'bss Association—Copyright). ' (Aiist — N.Z. Cable Abbh. and Keuter.) ' \ (Rec. November 17, 9.30 p.m'.) . : ',"'■■'. . . London, November 17. Sir Douglas HaJg reports:—"The enemy bombarded our new front northward of the Ancre.' Our artillery caused severe ■ explosions in a:bombardmoat of the enemy's lines in the regions of Souchez and Armentieres." -'"'.- GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. (Rec. 'November 17, 9.40 p.m.) ■ , London, November 17. . A German official communique states:—"We repulsed British partial attacks east and south-east of Beaumont Hamel, and stormed part of Saint Pierre Vaast Wood." THE VICTORY ON THE ANCRE '..--. FULL SIGNIFICANCE DAWNS ON THE PUBLIC Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. ~ . , ~'-..-., ~..', . London, November 16, It is only now that the public is beginning to fully realise the magnitude of the.British victory on the Ancre. The latest accounts from correspondents emphasise the completeness of the triumph and the extreme difficulties of the.attack. Though the conquered sector is described as one of the strongest on the West front, first-hand accounts sbow that the mazy intricacy of the trenohes baffles description. In places they were over a mile in breadth and of a pattern compared to a tangled quickset hedge in winter. ■ The barbed wiro division consisted of four systems, 200 varcis wide! The weather added enormously to the difficulties of the attack. ■ ~ Fighting in tho Fog. . stories are related of the difficulty the attackers had In keeping in touch in the darkness and fog. It was impossible to tell whether tho-next trench was lull or deserted, or how much wire remained standing. Accurate reporting was scarcely possible, especially in the absence of aerial observation. Those difficulties often accounted for the attackers missing batches ot Germans, and necessitating a methodical rounding-up all day. • The mud was not bad south of the Ancre, but it was serious on the lower ."ground,-especially north of the Sommo. The trenches were full of water; and there were several escapesfrom drowning. The darkness and the other conditions- were unsuitable for the use of the services of the "tanks." _ All the correspondents dwell on the nonchalance and ehecriness'of the British troops: Some of the men sat carelessly oh the. parapets, others strolled m. search' of relics. Their serenity passed all precedent, but the same quality alono enabled them to reach their goal in the face of unprecedented difficulties. The absence of the German' artillery retaliation is not explained, since it is, : known that recontly tho German's had about athousand guns in tho Ancre sector. ■ Though there is no disposition to depreciate the Gorman troops generally, the victory again proves the wanin" German morale. Never has such a-number not offered resistance. Thi£ teen hundred men and .twenty-nine-officers were rounded up in a series of underground refuges on the south bank of the Anore. Thev made no attempt to tight. There were remarkably few bayonet wounds among the British-casualties for the first two days, the vast bulk of which were due to shrapnel'and machine-guns. One correspondent sums up the victory as one of the most brilliant successes of the Somme offensive, if not of the whole war. THE KING'S CONGRATULATIONS • - ■ (Aust.—N.Z. Cable Assm. and Reuter.) • • „, . . London, November 16. . The King, in a message to Sir Douglas Haig, '.says:—"l heartily congratulate . you upon the great success of your gallant troops during the past three days on the Ancre. This further capture of first-line' trenches under special difficulties in the recent wet weather redounds to the credit of ' all rank?..". ■. " :' Sir Douglas Haig replied, expressing his most grateful' and respectful thanks'. ..'.'*' . - • ' i ~ .'.-'' HOW THE GERMAN PRESS VIEWED THE BATTLE : Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. • (Rec. November 17, 5.50 p:m.) ■'•■'- '"'.'■'■• Rotterdam, November 15. The German journal "Berliner Tageblatt," commenting on. the British advance on the Ancre, says:—"lt followed a bomnardment which - lasted for - twelve days, with continually-increasing guns, fed with-as much ammunition as was wanted." The "Tagleblatt" admits that the attacks in the southern sector were stronger than the defence. "The English were fresh and. strong." Tlis "Frankfurter Zeitung" says:—"The'English gained merely a tactical success, which was unavoidable in such a long defensive battle." ; The '..'Kolnisclio Zeitung" says:—"The'English employed the w ; hole fury of heaped up materials and projectiles from the heaviest calibre guns. ; With such a tremendous expenditure of ammunition an offensive can always be carried out after,levelling the trenches."

AN ADMISSION BY THE "TAGEBLATT." (Router's Telegram.) . (Rcc. November 17, 9.30 p.m.) London, November lt>. The "Berliner Tageblatt," commenting on the Battle of the Ancre, admits that the British shrewdly economised their men. "They are using them to advantage now," it observes. "A SERIOUS WARNING." ' ' (Rec. November 18, 0.30 a.m.) Amsterdam, November 17. Major- Moraht' (the German military writer), in tli6 "Berliner Tageblatfc," says"Recent-events in the West must be regarded as a serious warning for the future. ■ German}; is in nowise blind to England's great technical ■ achievements." ON THE FRENCH FRONT • . GERMAN; ATTACK AN ABSOLUTE" FAILURE. The High Commissioner reports:— London, November 16, 3.15 p.m. .A. French official report states: —"South of the Somme, during the night, we attacked, eastwards of Pressoir, that part which was occupied recently, by the enemy,'where the French had resisted energetically. . The Germans were finally ejected, after stubborn fighting.'' Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. ... J : ■ _ . London, November 16. . A French official communique states,:—"After an . obstinate fight we drove out .the enemy from St. Pierre Vaast tfood.. Our gains were entirely held. ' The enemy. sustained tho heaviest losses in yesterday's attacks. .He employed troops belonging to three divisions." " ' : (Aust..—N.Z. Oa.ble Assn. and Keuter.) (Rec.. November 17, 9.30 p.m.) _ Paris, November 17. _ A French official communique states:— I "Parties of the- enemy's troops which gained a footing north-east of Saillisel have biren ejected. There is a vigorous artillery duel, in tho Ablaincourt region."