THE WAR

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 September 1916, Page 3

THE WAR

(Australia-New Zealand Cable Service.) BRITISH ADVANCE IN FRANCE. London, Sept. 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports: In to-day' 6 severe fighting we captured practically all the high ground between Comblcs, Pozrero'-s and the Bapaume road. Most of Combles, 1' lers, High Wood Martinpuich and Courcelette are in our hands. Over 2.300 prisoners were taken, including 65 officers. The total hostile aeroplanes destroyed to-day were thirteen, nine being driven down in a damaged condition. London, Sept. 17. Sir Douglas Hadg reports:— South of Ancre there is no material change in the main battle front. Two local counter-attacks were- beaten off. We lioki the line gained yesterday running 500 yards north of the .'High Wood, which includes the whole of the large villages of ■Courcelette. Martinpuich and Fleiis. Each is fully twice the size of Guilleniont. We made successful raids at various points of the front. Our air service is in constant and successful co-operation with artillery and infantry, making freouent and accurate reports of the battle. Hostile artillery and infantry were effectively engngedi by our aeroplanes with machine aun fire. Many bombing attacks were made on hostile aerodromes, railway stations and troop trains. Four of our 'aeroplanes are missing. Wo continued our attacks southward of Ancre and in certain localities and further progressed. We have advanced since Friday to a depth of from one to two miles on a .six-mile front. ■We took 1700 prisoners to-day, of I which 51 were officers. The total prisJ oners for two days is over 4000, of which 11C are officers. Six big guns and upwards of fifty machine guns were taken or destroyed. Much material was captured. Two additional German aeroplanes were destroyed on Friday. Two additional British maclr'nes are missing.

THE FRENCH ADVANCE. Paris, Sept. 15. A communique states:— Wo captured to a depth of 500 yards trenches northward of Lc Pries-, Farm. In the course of brisk fights we seized, a .strongly held trench and wood eastward of Deniecourt and three trenches in succession north-eastward of Berny. We consolidated positions north of the Somme. A German attack east of Clary was repulsed. In addition to nine German aeroplanes, brought down on Friday, six others were forced to descend after air combats. Our air squadrons early on Friday morning dropped 106 large shells on military establishments at Pontsaverger and. Detheniville causing large fires. We also dropped 174 large shells on Confl«ns and Garnv station. Coupled with British operations we materially advanced our encirclement of Combles.

After lively combats eastward of Bethune road and northward of Bonchavesnes we extended our positions. Ten aeroplanes successfully bombed railway stations and railways at Sergnier, Chauny, Guiscar and Pont a MoUsson and barracks at S ten ay where several fires were observed. We bombed Rombach factory, Our airmen set fire to works at Dillingen in the Saar Valley. The front is comparatively quiet. We progressed northwards of Bouehavesnes and captured trenches north oi Berny. A counter-attack between Belloy andi Barleaux collapsed under heavy ma-chine-gun fire.

Our aeroplanes bombed blast furnaces at Uthingen and Rombach works at Mondelingen railway southward of Metz and railway stations at Bensdorf, Opincourt and Longuyom.

REPORTS FROM THE ENEMY. Copenhagen, Sept. 17. A German communique states: — During the last few days at Westend© we were repeatedly bombarded from the sea. The battle an the Somme is especially fierce. Twenty Anglo-French divisions assaulted between the Ancre and the Somme. After hot fighting we were forced back through Ooiircelette, Martinpuich and Filers. We held Conibles against strong British attacks. Six enemy aeroplanes were brought down. The Rumanians in Transylvania have crusscd tho Alt lira above Forgeras. We captured Rumanian positons south east of Katszey. A decisive victory cl'owiled: our clever and energetically conducted operations in the Dofcrudja. We arc pursuing the defeated | A Bulgarian communique states:— j The battle in the Dobruja began oh i the old Rumanian frontier. The enemy was driven back with heavy loss.

After the loss of Malanidge the Bulgarians occupied a defensve line .prepared beforehand. Repeated Serbian attacks on the Themoglena front near Preslap height failed.

Sofia, September 17. A Communique claims:— We decisively vanquished the Russians and Russo-Serbians and Rumanians in the Caraomer district westward of Mnngalia. The enemy was decimated and closely pursued. We achieved an important sufocess westward and south-westward of Lake Ostrova. The enemy, including Rus - I sian regiments, were repulsed.