WESTERN FRONT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11650, 19 August 1916, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

ENEMY DETERMINED COUNTERATTACKS. SIX TIMES BEATEN. THINNING PROCESS SUCCESSFUL. London, Aug. 18. Sir Do ugluas Haig reports: The enemy made most determined counter-attacks with large forces on a broad front last night. Six times the German infantry advanced- and withdrew after suffering most heavy losses, our guns doing great execution. The enemy in no case succeeded in entering our lines. An enemy counter-attack to-day from Martinpuich was repulsed. London, Aug. 18. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Northwestward of Bazenten we captured 100 yards of trenches. OBJECT OF THURSDAY’S FIGHT. BRITISH AND FRENCH OPERATIONS TO EACH HIS SHARE. THE DIFFICULTIES AHEAD. Times. • London, Ang. 18, The Times’ correspondent at Paris says that one object of Thursday’s French operations was to cut through the Guillemout-Maurepas road in order to enable the British to turn Guillemont from the south and the French to encircle Maurepas from the noith. A preliminary bombardment was begun on Sunday, the Germans fiercely replying. The French were equally successful south of of Maurepas, and are steadily, nearing the village of Le Forest, in the centre of the Maurepas plateau. South of the Somme there are difficulties. South of Belloy the plateau as far as Chaulnes, is reticulated with defences. The main position is Villers Carbonnel, on the ParisBethnne road, protecting the trenches carried. NO QUIET ANYWHERE. RAIDING OF TRENCHES. LONG RANGE BOMBARDMENT. London, Aug. 17. Mr Gibbs says that while Picardy is absorbing attention, our northern line is not having a quiet time. During the last six weeks there has been hardly a single night without raiding affairs round Ypres, Hohenzollern, Givenchy and Neuve Chapelle. There were brief, bloody visits towards the enemy. The artillery on both sides was accelerated at some parts, especially opposing the Kemmel district, held by Canadians. The enemy seems to have withdrawn his heavy guns and replaced them by qniokfiring mortars, which Hammered our trenches with fiery rage, but-onr mortars were heavier and immediately retaliated. The enemy’s long range guns also shelled villages far behind the lines killing civilians. The enemy must have suffered heavily in this northern sector. Our arttillery daily keeps a steady and continuous fire, smashing entanglements and laying parapets flat. It has been six weeks of bombardment, raids and poison gas attacks. The enemy had the worst, though it was pretty bad for us, too. The Australians and Canadians have shared in the raids with the Britishers.

THE SKEFFINGTON CASE. ROYAL COMMISSION CONSTITUTED. London, Aug. 17. Official. —Sir John Simon, chairman, Lord Justice Molony and Mr Denis S. Henry, King’s Counsel, have been constituted a Royal Commission to inquire into the cases of Skeffington, Dickson and Maclntyre. A GERMAN REPORT. London, Aug. 17. A German communique states that after strong English attacks on Ovillers and Pozieres and to the west [of Foureaux Wood had been repulsed the French attacked Guillemont.' On the Somme we also repulsed them. Portions of the enemies penetrated west of Loreanx Wood and south of Maurepas, but were driven out with heavy losses. The French obtained a foothold in our first line of five hundred metres at Belloy. ' Enemy attacks at Chapitre Wood were suppressed. Russian night attacks were repulsed west ofJZalscze and enemy the advances north of the Dneister were fruitless. The Bulgarians drove' back the enemy at Dolozcle.