RANCOURT TAKEN BY THE FRENCH

Nelson Evening Mail, 27 September 1916, Page 5

RANCOURT TAKEN BY THE FRENCH

ACsl inrPORTiA.NT AI>VANCE. (Australian -and N.Z. Cable Association.) PARIS.. Sept. 26. A communique reports that as the result of a violent' battle on the FrancoBritish front the French extended their lines north-westward of Combles. They captured*' Rancourt together with 400 unwounded prisoners. iAi communique states that the French infantry, assuming the offensive towards noon, attacked, simultaneously' a position .between Combles and Rancourt. and the defences "which have 'been accumulated between Rancourt and the Somme. "We carried our lines north-eastward of Coinbles to the southern outskirts of Freqicourt, and conquered the' powerfull v organised ground from Fregicourt to Hill 148.

We extended our position eastward of the Bet-hnne road- by a depth of a kilometre from the Combles road to Bouchavesnes. We carried' -by assault a hei-crht north-eastward of the latter, and) reached Hill 130, south-eastward. We carried further south several , trench systems near the northern canal from the Bethune road to the Somme. Our aeroplanes dropped 150 bombs on t'he railway stations at Bam, TTonsblenx, and Manacourt, and the aviation ground at Vraignes. (Ranoourt is almost due east from •Combles, from which it is two miles distant.) COMBLES FORMED AN UNTENABLE SALIENT. (Rec. Sept. 27. 12.10 p.m.) PARIS. Sept. 26. Combles now forms a salient a kilometre into the French lines, and must soon be untenable.