THE ANGLO-FRENCH ARMY

Nelson Evening Mail, 21 September 1916, Page 5

THE ANGLO-FRENCH ARMY

PERFT3CT CO-OPERATION-GREAT RESULTS ACHIEVErTX uui \.Z C,:>hU- A-s.- <nT.v.i LONDON. Son SO. A .statement from an author!titi--source points out the ereat mo'-.i] vrV-o of the perfected co-operatirn of the Angjo-iFrench army on the Somme. Be tween July Ist arid 3th c 3 German divisions were ensaaed. of -h'ch 28 were withdrawn qvnt° hvk-T. E'"' r " others have been w:thd-r--iwn. f 1 ■■ rest are under the Allies' r>rtri r> ;- : -»" and infantry pressure. The average life of a German d<i'i>>on as a fit unit 'is about 19 davs. Over two new German divisions have been brought to tie front weeklv sin.-*e the end'' of June to replace those shattered and exhausted. These figures show even more than the ground won how steadily and swiftly the x Allies are ■moving toward the accomplish-

nient of the chief strategic aim, which is the destruction as a fighting force of the enemy's armies in the field. Of the 53 divisions 28 were used wholly against the British, and 20 were wholly used against the French. On September Bth seven German divisions were fading each of the Allied armies, the comrade armies thus evenly sharing the -burdens and' achievements of the struggle. If one shows more ground "won, the other may claim that larger enemy forces have been annihilated. In any case neither army seeks separate glory in the tremendous conflict which the 'German General Staff described as the decisive battle of the war. "LOCAL. ATTACK AT MARTIN<PUICH REPULSED. LONDON, Sept, 20. Sir Douglas: Haig report that a local attack on our trenches eastward- of Martinpuich was easily repulsed. Our lire exploded an ammunition store in the neighbourhood of Hill 60. FRENCH ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. PARTS, Sept. 20. A communique states that bad weather hampered operations over the greater portion of the front. The artillery is active on both banks of the Somme and on the right bank of the Meuse.