In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 74, 30 June 1916, Page 5

In the West.

BOOM OF BRITISH GUNS.

HEAVY SHELLING TO KILL.

BLOTTING OUT THE LANDSCAPE.

IO.NITSD pR£M ASSOCIATION.} London, vume 29

Correspondents on the British front, state that heavy shelling of the man lines has been in progress since the 26th.

If the enemy is in doubt as to the. formidable character of the British artillery and our willingness to use ammunition, that doubt must readily be dispelled- The British object is sim- ■ pie and terrible—it is to kill Germans j in large numbers and thus, save our \ man-power. Also to destroy the Ger- I man batteries, break the enemy’s defensive works, blow up ammunition, stores, bring down baloons, bombard, men and communication trenches, billets and rest camps, and generally to cause destruction of the enemy’s offensive powers.

The German reply thus far .is s’ight and ineffective. We seem to be ./iking havoc and desolation f to the extent the range of our guns along the whole front. A certain village was used as billets for the enemy’s local headquarters. That village to>-day is non-existent. Even the wood therein the village nestled is gone.

The - ' boom of guns .is practically ceaseless in the Loos salient.

THUNDER OF GUNS ON DUTCH FRONTIER.':

GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS ON British front. Amsterdam, June 28% Violent explosions have been heard on the -Belgo-Dutch frontier. The, thunder of guns was unparalleled. British airmen wore observed over Bel-, a«im. * .•: , , The Telegraaf states that the Ger*. ma;ri& were. active; in' cfcransponiiag Urge quarititltar Xof\ . Sjjwtoding heavy: ItKtiltejrj’, tw.it bet front;; Infantfye have Ijnes, including a reserve cor®, from, 6|t. Quentin. | A GERMAN COMMUNIQUE.™ ;

Amsterdam, June 28. i A German i’ communique states iFrom La Bassee Canal to the soqth of Homme the enemy, under cover of repeated strong bursts of artillery and mine explosions and gas clouds, and smoke clouds, made a reconnaissance. The attacks wore easily repulsed. Strong French forces, after twelve hours’ severe artillery preapration, attacked all day on Tuesday, against the positions Wfe 1 captured on Friday at Froi de Terre. The attacks collapsed after extraordinary losses had been sustained-, -■ - - simwtmmKmmmmmm TRENCHES PENET&IrfV I GERMAN Assault I jr-l ; ® \!f I. J, * * j ?* Paris, June 29.

A communique states: A successful coup de main towards Tahure, west of Butte du Mesnil, cleared out the enemy’s first line <*f trenches and penetrated second line at certain poinfefe, where we blew up several shelters. The Germans’, I 'after a violent hambardmeiit, strongly attacked at eight o’clock in tlie evening positions northwest of the Thiaumont works, but our curtain fire held up the enemy,, who were unable to approach the lines at any point, and they suffered considerable losses. SUCCESSFUL BRITISH RAIDS.

The High Commissioner reports , London, June 28 (11.6 p-ni.)

Last night British raiders entered the enemy’s trenches at several points, dropping bombs and causing casualties. . .. ■ ■ • ‘ / ■ '

Near Angres a raiding party found the enemy trenches badly damaged by shell fire, and the enemy apparently suffering from gas successfully discharged, , ' , A particularly successful raid was carried by the Highland Light Infantry near, the Vermelles-La Bassee Hoad. Forty-six prisoners and two machine-guns were captured, and two enemy mineshafts were destroyed. Our casualties were only two men Avoundcd.

GERMANS REPORT INCREASED - VIOLENT ATTACKS.

(Received 12.25 p.m.) London, June 29

A German communique stales:— There have been patrol assaults and stronger infantry attacks, accompanied by gas, by the British on the northern wing. The enemy Avere everywhere repulsed. The gas was ineffective. Artillery fighting has reached great violence.

GREAT ARTILLERY VIOLENCE

(Received 12.25 p.m.) London, June 29.

The Times’ correspondent states that the French are developing greater artillery violence on the Aisno, and between Auberiv© and the Argo mi 4.