THE WAR.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 July 1918, Page 2

THE WAR.

[per PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.)

fRE WfSTfcRN FRONT

OFFICIAL NEWS

WELLINGTON, July 6th. The High Commissioner reported undor date of London, July sth, as follows. Sir Douglas Haig reports that' on the Somme, in yesterday’s operations, we took over 1300 prisoners, a German field gun, 100 machine-guns, and a number of trench mortars. Eastward of Hamel the counter attack was onsiliy repulsed last night.

THE HAMEL A SMART OPERATION

[PER PREBS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.)

LONDON, July 5

The United Press correspondent says: The battle at daybreak, eastward of Amiens, is destined to'occupy a special place in history. Not only iiavo we signally defeated the enemy, but have taken 150 G prisoners and reached our objectives with exceedingly few losses to the attackers. Absolutely no artillery fire preceded the attack but two minutes before the troops went over, the British guns began a bombardment of the German front and support lines, when a smoke screen soon covered the battle, front from A nere to Luce. Suddenly, in the centre, a large number of tanks, which were secretly brought up, emerged from the smoke. The enemy , was so. terrified that he scarcely fought, lunny holding up their hands hogging to .surrender. Behind the tanks came the Australians, moving towards Hamel Village, Ynire Wood, and Hamel Wood. In a short tiim f every objective was gained ; the village, woods and trenches beyond fell into the Allied hands. Three German divisions lost heavily.

In the local operations between the Somme and the A nere wo kept the enemy guessing, which enabled us! to improve our situation,

Prisoners admit that they were totally surprised and spent the night in cellars and dugouts dodging the British bombs from aeroplanes which circled nil night over them and dropped scores of 251 b bombs on Hamel.