In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 7, 7 August 1916, Page 5

In the West

BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

A PANORAMA OF WAR.

AMERICAN CORRESPONDENT WITH FRENCH ARMY.

"GREATEST HUMAN EFFORT W ALL HISTORY."

"GREATER THAN THE MARNE."

GREAT TRIBUTE TO THE FRENCH ARMY.

SUCCESS SEEMS INEVITABLE. PreßS Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 9.35 a.m.) New York, August 6. A remarkable description of the battle of the Somme is given by Mr Hugh Williams, correspondent of the New York Times. Cabling on Saturday, he says: All the week I have been with the French Army on the Somme. It is the first time a correspondent has been permitted to witness at close quarters such a gigantic action. , If any American believes France was bled white at Verdun, he is absolutely mistaken, for what I saw on the Somme was the greatest human effort in all history. The French Army today is greater, stronger, and better than ever. The offensive on the Somme will become greater than the Marne, Artois, Champagne, or Verdun. I venture to predict from what I have seen and heard in interviews with generals that the receding wave of the Somme will be the victorious French marching home. 1 walked across conquered ground to a plateau, from which the panorama of the great action spread out. Far north, I could see the British fire at Pozieres. Nearer were the fragments of Fricourt, Hardecourt aufj Fris. A few blackened stumps are all that is left of Hardecourt. German shrapnel constantly exploded over the ruins, and behind lay the dust ot what had been the villages of Bequincourt and Dompierre. I could hardly believe that the leprous-looking ground was once villages. All that was left was dust and rubble, discolored a brownish yellow by the picric acid of the shells. I have seen ruined villages before, but here even the ruins have disappeared. Where once the villages had been, I could not even follow the line of the main street, there being nothing except holes and piles of dust. After-leav-ing an exterminated town the artillery recommences, order having be'en given to destroy everything. I watched the human sacrifice going up in a roll of smoke and the roar oi guns.

I marvelled at the comparative smallness of the French losses. A J coined of one regiment, during the entire offensive, told me he lost only four killed and fifty injured. In the great advance on the previous Sunday, the German losses were ten thousand and the French seven hundred. The wonderful precision of the French fire was shown in a horizontal

strip covering the abandoned Gorman trenches. Here the fire was concentrated, and barbed wire, shelters, barricades, everything, was pulverised. Yet these strips, a beautiful rolling meadow was peaceful and undisturbed. The lines marking fcn© curtain of fire were almost mathematically straight. I saw only one German aeroplane, while there were great fleets of French machines over the enemy's lines. The German aviator was fleeing, being desperately pursued on all sides. I counted twenty French observation balloons and three Germans in the far distance.

! I am not permitted to give numbers' of the troop's, but so ' far the action has- been fought with a small number of French infantry, the brunt being borne by the artillery, but there are enormous French reserves. The activity of the numbers behind the lines is five times greater than in any previous offensive. Fivo hundred miles of railways and 1800 wells constructed in this region before the attack began, afforded the greatest proof of the gigantic scale, on which the offensive will be continued.

I paid a visit to Paro des Buttes; one of the eight great munition dopots just beyond shell range. The .supply of shells covered acres, the numbers being staggering. Several hundred freight car-loads are sent to the front daily. The vast majority of the shells are underground, while others are under -canvas.

I saw French guns firing 15,7-ineh shells and another at a range of 25 kilometres.

The organisation is perfect, and the success of the French offensive seems inevitable.

THE FLEURY FIGHTING.

Paris, August 6

A communique states: .We hold all the southern part of the village of Fleury. The Germans, after an allday bombardment, made two powerful attacks on Yaux and the Chapitro Wood. One was repulsed, the other penetrating portions of our trenches, but they were immediately driven out. Our front remains intact.

OFFICIAL VISIT ENDED.

Pross Association—Copyright

Published in "The Times." (Received 9 a.m.) London, Aligns! &. The visit of the Dominion meihl.; rs of Parliament has officially elided. Various private conferences -.n I" 1 perial problems will be held in the House of Commons this week. MORE SLAVE RASDS. AN EXTENSIVF SCALE IN NORTHERN FRANCE. (Received 9 a.m.; Press Association—Copyright. United Service. Amsterdam, .August G. The Teiegraaf reports further extensive slave raids in che north or France. DEPORTATIONS OF STUDENTS FROM ROUBAIX. Press Association —Copyright. United Service. (Received 9 a.m.) Paris, August 6 The Figaro mentions that 150 students were savagely deported from Roubaix.

GERMANS IN WANT OF WOOL. WARNING TO ENGLISH EXPORTERS. I j Press Association—Copyright. 1 Published in "The Times." i (Received !,' a.m.) London, August 5. The Germans are endeavoring to obtain wool through Neutrals, and the Government has warned manufacturers not to allow any huge consignments to leave England. WITH THE ANZACS IN FRANCE. "OUT-ON-THEIR-OWN" TRENCHES. Press United Service. (Received 9- a.m.) London, August 6. Lord Northclill'e who has been visiting the An/.acs in France, after describing General Birdwood's section, says: General Godley commands another portion of the line, containing 'the Australians and New Zealanclers. The trenches here, unlike those at Pozieres, are made behind breast--1 works, of sandbags, and very different to the Somme trenches, which are not unlike the deep excavations at Anzac. It is in General Godley's part of the line that the young Australasians are watching with interest the wonderful French cultivation of all kinds of crops.

ON THE BRITISH FRONT.

FURTHER PROCRESS MADE.

The High Commissioner reports:— London, August 6 (2.55 p.m.) On the British front, the enemy's artillery was active during the shelling of the various areas on and behind the front between the Ancre and the Somme. Further progress was made by us at High Wood. BATTLE OF POZIERES. FRONT EXTENDED AND CAINS CONSOLIDATED. Press Association—Copyrigh t. Renter's Telegrams London, August 6. General Sir Douglas Haig states that, including, the capture of trenches reported to-day, our line north and west of Pozieres has "been pushed forward from 4,00 .to 600 yards on a 3000yards front. During the last two days the Australian, Kent, Surrey, and Sussex troops participated in the operations and consolidated the ground won, u»spite heavy shell tire. Our artillery shelled Courceleuand Meraumont, destroying ten gun emplacements and three munitions stores. The Australian troops and the new army partook in a local attack, during the fight which 'resulted in the capture of the German second lino system on a front of over 2000 yards. Repeated counter-attacks were macio against the captured positions, but they were repulsed with very * heavy losses. There is only mining activity elsewhere.

OFFICIAL REPORT.

The High Commissioner reports:— London, August 5 (12.30 a.m.)

| A British official message says it has been a quiet day in the trenches I which wo captured last night. Wo are in very close touch with the enemy. Largo numbers of German dead are lying all round these trenches. We took 100 prisoners. The enemy's artillery maintained a barrage south of Pozieres most of the day, and shelled a portion of Mametz Wood.' The enemy exploded a mine at Auchy, on our side of the crater, indicating the nervousness of the minors.

Four British aeroplanes engaged seven of the enemy for 45 minutes. Three German machines were brought down, and two of the British are missing. capture of german secondline elements. work of home and colonial Troops. Press Association—Copyright. Renter's Telegrams London, August 5. A correspondent at headquarters, describing the battle on Friday evening, says the British and Australasians rapidly advanced beyond Pozieres, with highly successful results. 'lac heavy bombardment throughout Thursday evening appeared to have taken by surprise the German second line system, which was pulverised out of recognition. The attackers crossed on a front exceeding a mile. The enemy's three coulter-attacks during the night were repulsed with heavy losses.

Owing In the intensity and accuracy of our artillery, many Germans i surrendered freely. Already »lo«r hundred have been brought in and there are others to follow. The clear and cooler weather favored operations.

Fantastic reports have been published in German papers as to the exI tent of the Anglo-French casualties on 'the Somme. .Meanwhile a significant silence is maintained regarding the Central Empires' losses, which are 'conservatively estimated on the East-

crn and Western fronts at 750,000, whereof 220.000 are dead or disabled permanently, and 380,001) taken prisoner, whilst GOO guns and 1500 ma-chine-guns wero captured. The losses against Italy arc not included. I THE GERMAN REPORT. Press Association—Copyright, AustraI lian and N.Z. Cable Association. i Amsterdam, August G. I A German communique states: Strong British forces attacked on n wide front on Friday, after lighting all day they penetrated the sector north of Ovillers to Foureaux Wood, but were driven out with heavy Josses at some places, after stubborn fighting. STRUGGLE AT VERDUN. FRENCH OCCUPATION OF THiAUMONT WORKS. Paris, August 5. A communique states: The Germans attempted furious counter-at-tacks to drive us out of the Thiaumont works, which are now solidly occupied. The. fighting lasted from nine o'clock in the evening until next morning, causing heavy losses to the enemy, who were repulsed at each attempt without gaining the slightest advantage.

Fighting is also lively in tho village of Fleury, where there is no appreciable change.

Aeroplanes in the neighborhood of the Sorarac had seventeen combats. Two ,German machines fell headlong, and three others were brought down elsewhere.

The Verdun fighting was of the fiercest character. The artillery on both sides was so packed that mass movements were impossible. General Nivelle adopted infiltration methods of advance by small parties, enabling a general advance on Fleury. A communique states that the fighting at Thiaumont was daylong. All the attacks north-west and southward of Thiaumont to dislodge us failed. We resumed the offensive, inflicting the severest losses on the enemy.

We carried the Thiaumont work a second time in twelve hours, and 'retain possession, despite many counterattacks.-

The fighting was- of equal fury at Fleury, which we evacuated after many attacks. We, however, retook the greater part of the village with the bayonet in the afternoon, capturing four hundred prisoners. The Germans continue their stubborn resistance.

We dropped bombs on the railway stations at St. Enay, Montmedy, and Segan, also bivouacs at Dannevillers.