In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 95, 24 July 1916, Page 5

In the West.

SUFFERING BELGIUM. , CERMANY'S CLAIM FOR EVA- ' CU AXIOM. INDEMNITY OF £2,000,000,000. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N,Z. Cable Association. Received 9.45 a.m.) Amsterdam, July 23. ' The Echo de Beige stated that posters have been placarded in the; J barracks at Ghent stating that negotiations had been opened between the United States and Germany, who may evacuate Belgium on payment to Germany of an indemnity of two thousand millions sterling. OUTCOME OF SOMME OFFENSIVE DEFINITE DEVELOPMENT EX- . PECTED. Press Association—Copyright, Austra- " iian.and N.2. Cable Association. (Received 9.45 a.m.) %?■'* '" London, July 23.

The Times thinks'the coming week will bring definite development of the Somnie battle. 26,071 BRITISH PRISONERS IN GERMANY. 150 GERMAN SUBMARINES LOST, (Received £h4s a.m.) London, July 23. The British prisoners in Germany total 26,071. It is estimated that Germany lost at least 15U submarines. GERMANS PUZZLED. WHAT DOES BRITISH ATTACK MEAN? (Received 9.5 a.m.) London, July 23.

The Central News' Amsterdam correspondent says the German war correspondents were.puzzled by the British attacks on Fromelles and south of Armentieres on Wednesday evening, in wdiich two strong divisions were engaged. Some writers cohriqer that it introduces a new offensive, some think that it is a prelude to a ssrious attempt to advance towards Lille; others again think that ;it is mere demonstration to prevent the Germans sending troops to the menaced sectors at Hooge.

CISBORNE MAN KILLED IN ACTION. Per Press Association. Gisbome, July 21.' Lieutenant E. R. Black cables I'rg'm England that his brother, Lieutenant O. H. Black, was killed on July 1-lth

whilst assisting wounded back from the. firing line. Lieutenant Black, was a local sheep farmer, who married. Miss Strang, of Palmerston North, shortly before leaving for the front.

'THE GERMANS' STORY. j

.LIES ABOUT THE ALLIES. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. /i 1 Amserdam, July 22. . i •: A 'German communique asserts that the Allies have abandoned their .great uniform attacks at tho Somme, after their defeat on previous days. It also claims the Germans captured many prisoners when they cleared the British out near Pauycourt Wood. • A German communique states: Yesterday's English attack in the Fromelles region, by-two strong divisions, was repulsed. We counted two thousand bodies in front of our lines. The enemy's strong attack will over 200,000 troops, on both banks of the Somme, failed.

iiMThbii enemy captured only three,' .kilometres' of our front line southwards of Hardecourt. GERMANS'THBRD LINE. I THREATENED BY THE BRITISH. FRENCH ATTACKS SUCCESSFUL. London, July 22. -General Sir Douglas Haig's report shows that the British are now in a position to seriously threaten the German third line. Fauveaux Wood is on the highest ground in the sector. The ridge commands the German positions beyond, where the country is less broken and less wooded. Latest accounts show that the French attacks yesterday were extraordinarily successful. Picked troops were chos-1 en to attack the German positions on the Hardecourt height to the river Tallosi, at Biaches. The attackers left the. trenches at dawn, and by nine had completed their task, which the staff expected would occupy the entire day. German counter-attacks loft the French masters of all ibe captured positions. General Sir Douglas Haig reports that there is a comparative lull in the main battle area. The enemy's bombing attack on the nor.h edge of the Leipzig salient succeeded in entering our front'trenches, but they were immediately driven out. Our aeroplanes continue bombing important military points. The enemy aircraft was inactive until the evening, and then there was much fightiug behind the' German lines. One of our offensive patrols encountered eleven German machines, three of which were I)rought down, one in flames. In. another oncoiinter, lasting forty-five minutes, between four of our machines and six German, one of the former was brought down and another damaged. It is now established that the enemy's assault on Delville Wood, over'a IVont of two thousand yards, on July 18, was made by at least thirteen battalions from four different divisions. The enemy's losses were orrespondingly great.

GENERAL HAIC'S REPORT.

ATTACK AND COUNTER-ATTACK.

The High Commissioner reports : ■ London, July 23 (2.5 p.m.)

On the British front, the battb has been resumed to-day along a front extending from Pozieres to Guiilemont, reaching a stage of intense violence. Ln the neighborhood of Pozieres the Territorials and Australian troops, attacking from south-west and southeast respectively, carried the German outer works by assault shortly after midnight. Violent lighting is now taking place in the village, where the Germans with a large number of, ma-chine-guns are offering a desperate resistance.

On other parts of the front' the fighting is equally intense, and no definite progress can yet be reported. At one time this morning we had recaptured the whole of Longueval, but the enemy once more regained the northern end of the village: Similiarly the outskirts of Guillemont have already' twice changed hands. F3ERCE BATTLE RESUMED. BTRUCCLE NORTH-WEST OF LOKGUEVAL. AUSTRALASIANS IN THE ATTACK. VILLAGES CAPTURED AND RETAKEN. Press Association— Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.'25 a.m.) Loudon, July 23. General Haig reports: The battle has been resumed with intense violence on the entire length of the Pozieres-Guillemont front north-west of Longueval. The Territorials an Australasians attacked ly south-west and south-east of Pozieres. The latter earned the outer Gorman works. . Violent fighting continues at the village, the Gorman* resisting desperately, having the use ol many machine-guns. No definite progress has yet been reported at Pozieres. Elsewhere on the front, there is fighting equally intense. We captured the whole of Longueval in tha morning, but the Germans retook the northern end. The outskirts of Guillemont twice changed hands.

FRENCH TASK ON THE SOMME. DETERMINED ENEMY ASSAULTS. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and (N.Z. Cablo Association. I ; f r to ,((Received 11.25 a.m.) Paris, July 23. "A communique states: There is artillery struggles on the . Sonime front. A German night attack southward of Soyecourt failed under our fire. The Germans are bombarding the Fleury sector,- and there is grenadefighting at Ghapelle and St. Fife. Our machine-guns repulsed an attack against the trenches at Les Epci'ges. ' '!' ■' ■ ' NEW KIND OF MINES. Amsterdam, July 22. German war correspondents on the West front admit that there is strong enemy pressure on the whole front. The'Allies are harassing tho Germans Sverywhefe ; both British and French' are employing numerous minethrowers with mines of a new kind. BRITISH REPORT PROGRESS. INTENSE VIOLENCE OF BATTLE. i The High Commissioner reports:— London, July 23 (9 p.m.) On the British front, the British made further progress in the neighborhood of Pozieres, capturing a number of prisoners. On the rest of the front, between Pozieres and Guillemont, the battle continues with intense violence, ■■