WESTERN FRONT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11652, 22 August 1916, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

HUN IMPRESSION REMOVED. AGAIN HIT HAND. DRIVEN FROM THEIR TRENCHES. . London, Aug. 31. The Times’ correspondent at headquarters says: The Germans have lately repeatedly said that the British offensive was dead, but we have again hit hard. We have advanced to a depth of from 300 to 500 yards, and captured trendies which, put onend, stretch for several miles. We only failed at the top of High Wood, to the westward, where we cleared out the furthest trenches, but the position was untenable and we fell back to cur old posiion. Elsewhere we drove the enemy from their trenches at strong points. We hold the captured ground. Our advance covers five-sixths of the attacked front. We attacked in foil daylight during the afternoon and early evening. On the extreme left, where our gain is perhaps the largest and most important, we cleared a whole elaborate front line till our front was some 15(!0 yards north of Oviliers and Labciaselli, due west of Pozieres Cemetery No smarter action has taken place since the commencement of the battle. The Australian push them 300 yards on an average circuit from the Suarry to the Albert-Bapaume road beyond the Windmill, It must he undersood that the Windmill and Mouquet Farm are mere names. There is no farm and the Windmill is a mere hummock on the sky line. Beginning with the capture of Pozieres, the Australians have done extremely well on this front. They are now just about a mile north of the centre of the village, They have taken over a mile of the German second line system, with minor trenches innnnmerabla, at strong points. Every road was fouuud honeycombed with every kind of defence that German industry and ingenntiy can invent. The defences were perfect, yet nothing stopped the Australians, except temporarily. The number of their prisoners is not yet known. East of the Bapaume road, in the Muustalley region, we again thrust on towards Martinpuich, breaking through another stretch of the German line and adding new ground on the right of Munster Alley. One of the most notable of Friday’s gains is that all land east of Waterlot Farm is ours. Southwards we forced onr way to Guillemont. lam not inclined to attach importance to stories of the Germans’ increasing war sickness. It is true there have been willing surrenders and numbers ot deserters. I presume that over 15,000 prisoners have been taken since the beginning of the battle, but it is not safe to argue from local symptoms. It is amazing that though we daily break the best German troops, perhaps we have never proved our superiority better than on Friday.

THE COMMANDER’S REPORT

GERMANS ATTACK NEW LINE.

FURTHER TRENCHES TAKEN

London. Aug. 21

Sir Douglas Haig reports; The enemy strongly attacked our new line at the west corner of the High Wood They reached the line at certain points, hut our infantry drove them out. Subsequent enemy attacks broke down. The enemy heavily shelled portions, on the front, especially High Wood, Hamel and Mailly. We gained further trenches northwards of Bazentin Le Petit.