WEST FRONT

Nelson Evening Mail, 18 September 1916, Page 5

WEST FRONT

THE BRITISH ADVANCE

FLERS. SIATtTI.XfPUrCH AND COUR- ' CFjLETTE CAPTCUED. \TR SERVICE RENQT-ERS ; VALUABLE AID. AEYAX'.OE OF OX!E TO TWO MILES. (Renter's Telegrams.; LONDON, Sept. 16. Sir Doualas Haig's communique repot ts that-severe fighting to-day resulted -,n the capture of .practical!;- all the high around between iConv&U* and. the A ozieres-Bapaume road. Most of 'Bouleaitx Wood, 3-iers, High Wood, itartinpnieh, and Courcelette are in or.r hands. Three hundred prisoners have already becn taken. '•' "~" -Sir Ltouglas Tlaig reports than; sor-di of the Anere there Is no material change in the main 'battle front. Two local eotruter-attaiks were beaten off. ~'e hold the" line gained yesterday running 500 yards north of High Wood. It includes the whoie of the large vilifies of Courcelette, Martinpuich, and Flcrs, eaah. of which is fuuly twice the s-'izs oi Crudll-emont. There have been many fuecessful raids at various points on the front. The air service is in constant aud successful cooperation with the artillery and infantry, .supplying ■•freqment and accurate reports in the course of the battle. Eostile aircraft were engaged' by our aeroplanes with machine gur. fire. Many bombing attacks were made on hostile aerodromes, railway stations, and trcop trains. Thirteen hostile aeroplanes were to-day and nine dam-ac-0.1. Four of ours are missing. "Sir [Douglas 'Haig reports that we continued .our attatii's southward of the Amcre in certain localities-, and made further progress. We have advanced since Friday to a depth of from: one to two miles on a six-mile front. We took 17C0 prisoners to-day. of whom 51 were officers. The total for the two days is over 4000. 115 being officers. Six .guns and .mpwards of 50 machine guns were taken or destroyed. Much material was -captured. Ttwo additional German aeroplanes were destroyed on Friday, and two additional "Brutish, machines are missing'