In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 96, 25 July 1916, Page 5

In the West.

GENERAL HAIC’S REPORT.

MINOR SUCECSSES SECURED.

STUBBORN ENEMY RESISTANCE.

The High Commissioner reports:— -London, July 24 (2,15 p.m.) General .Haig reports: Apart from mutual continuous shelling during the night, there was comparative calm following yesterday’s severe fighting. Yesterday, between Highwood and Guillemont, repeated enemy counterattacks gained ho advantage, our artillery and machine-gun fire inflicting very heavy casualties. 1 We gained ground near Highwood, and in the direction 'of Guillemont. In the

neighbourhood of Pozieres, we secured important advantages in spite of stubborn enemy defence. A large portion of the village is now ours, and we have captured two guns and sixty more prisoners. THE SOMME BATTLE. . I SCENE qf principal conflicts. Press Association—Copyright. Published in “The Times.” (Received 9.15 a.m.) London, July 24, Details of the fighting on the Somme show that the principal conflicts extend over a front of nearly seven miles from Pozieres, which was recently the centre of a shallow German salient. The capture of which was essential in order to facilitate the advance on Thiepval Plateau to Guillemont, which is an extremely strong position and must be taken before Combles is threatened, Pozieres and Guillemont practically constitute powerful positions on the present German line.

FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. High Commissioner reports: — London, July 24 (2.55 p.m.) The French official report says: On the Somme, the night was calm, the weather being had. Northwards of the Aisne our reconnaissances penetrated the enemy trenches near Vailly, bringing back some prisoners. On the righ bank of the Meuse, during the night, a small action look place in the neighbourhood of La . Chapelle and St. Fine. We cap.tired thirty prisoners. New calculations show that the to'.al number of prisoners taken ' in ten days - exceeds 800.

OUR CAPTURES ON THE SOMME.

Press Association— Copyright, Australian and N.Z, Cable Association. London, July 24. The Franco-British captures on the Somme in July total 26,223 prisoners 140 guns, forty bomb throwers, and several hundred machine guns.

BELGIANS CALLED UP.

Havre? July 24

King Albert of the Belgians has signed a decree mobilising all single Belgians from twenty-five to thirtyfive immediately j batchelors to forty and marrieds will then be called at intervals of two months.

‘AN AERIAL BATTLE.

Paris, July 24

A communique records many air operations, including the bombarding of the stations of Vigneulles, Thionville, Arnayille,’ Laon and Sainteerme, and the barracks and station of Mulheim. The squadron, on returning, fought a German squadron. hour, , Germans and two French were downed. THE GERMANS’ STORY. Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. ■London, July 24. A German communique states; — Strong reconnoitring detachments in the vicinity of Richebourg were repulsed, after increased artillery fire. In the evening, between Ancre and the Somme, there were infantry attacks, on the Thiepval and Guillemont front. The British attacks, despite tire heavy losses and the number of troops engaged, failed. There was fierce hand-to-hand fighting near the west of Pozieries and I outeaux Wood, and the western edge of Lougueval. The enemy attempted attacks between Guillemont and the Somme, but were stifled in the trenches by orrr curtain fire. Along the Somme there were some very strong artillery duels, followed by separate French attacks, which failed.

SATISFACTORY FRENCH PROGRESS. ■ (Received 11.20 a.m.) Press Association-Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. Paris, July 24. A communique states; The night was calm on the Somme front. The weather continues bad. Our reconnaissances northward of the Aisuo, penetrated the trenches at Vailly. We took some prisoners in the local actions at Ohapellestcffe. Our total prisoners during the past ten clays mimt bered eight hundred, A German aeroplane bombed Laneville, wounding one. Lieutenant Chiput downed his eighth German at' Freshes en Woevie. Our aviators throw eight bombs on the station at Conflans, forty on the barracks at Vigueulles, and twentyfive on the aerodrome at Dieuzo.

F9CHT9NG FOR POZ9ERES. AN EPIC STRUGGLE. AUSTRALASIANS AMD BRITISH DOGGED WARFARE. Press Association:— Copyright, Australian and-N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.40. a.m.) Paris, July 24.

.An epic struggle is iin progress ai Pozieres. The Australasians are

fighting terrifically on both ados of the village. The British attacked frontally. Ilaml-to-hand lighting < ohtinnes in the streets and hon ; cs, which must be captured step by step. The Village is a veritable fortress. The Germans were strongly render ed. and recaptured a portion.

VICTORY ASSURED.

Press Association—Copyright, Austin lian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 12.20 a.m.) New York, July 21. •Mr Lloyd George, in the House, cl' Commons, said the British Generals were satisfied that victory was assured. GERMANS SAY BRITISH LOST HEAVILY. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 12.20 p.m.) Berlin, July 23. The War Office states that the engagement at Prozieres cost the British heavily in dead and wounded. EXCITING DETAILS OP ASSAULT REMARKABLE BRITISH COURAGE. MIDNIGHT WARFARE. TERRIFIC STRUGGLE BY BOTH SIDES. (Received 11.45 a.m.) London, July 24. The Central News’ Paris correspondent states.: The British bombardment in ihe Pozieres region increased in intensity on Saturday evening, indicating that the hour of attack was approaching. The British troops advanced to an assault on the whole line on’ Sunday morning while the artillery lengthened the range. The artillery’s preparation was excellent, but some armoured shelters were only partially destroyed, and machineguns were still in place when the attack began,-especially about Pozieres village. The British displayed remarkable coolness, courage, and inimitable tenacity and reached the enemy’s lines, where they captured several positions, but superior numbers and artillery fire forced them to fall back at some points, only to return when reinforced.

The fighting in the village reached its highest at two o’clock irr the morning. The British seized the advanced defences and penetrated the streets. They had to storm the majority of the houses. Tire struggle was frightful. The Tommies fought hand-to-hand, and the tide of battle swayed until six o’clock in the evening when the British reached the noithern extremity of ethe village, but the Germans returned in great masses and retook portions of the lost ground, forcing their opponents out ot some houses. While the epic struggle raged, the Australian battalions were engaged in terrific figbts on both sides of the village. The Anglo-Australians were still fighting with the same ardour at eight o’clock in the evening, and had regained some of the ground. Meanwhile, the battle from buillemont to Longneval was of the most stubborn nature, but by midnight it seemed to have turned in favour oi the British.