In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 18, 19 August 1916, Page 5

In the West

THE DESOLATION OF WAR. i i a> LIFE BEHIND THE GERMANS LINES. PEN PICTURE OF THE COUNTRY : Press Association—Copyright, Austra* | lian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 1 8.50 a.m.) Copenhagen, August 18. i Herr Von Weigand, writing in The World says: There is appalling devastation and desolation for miles behind the German line on the Somme. The Allies are not shelling the towns more than is necessary, yet Royo is partially in ruins, Peronne is burning, and Bapaumc is a picture of destruction. Hundreds of the inhabitants refuse to leave, and are living in cellars. Many German .bomb-proofs were thirty feet underground, and he saw a subterranean hospital below the officers’ quarters. FRENCH PROGRESS REPORT. The High Commissioner reports London, August 18 (3 p.m.) The French official report . states: Several enemy counter-attacks southeast of Maurepas were broken. On the right of the Meuse, the Germans were chased out of Fleury, some fractions maintaining themselves in part of the ruins of the village. We progressed between Thiaumont and Fleury.

GENERAL HAJC’S REPORT. VIOLENCE OF ENEMY ARTILLERYINC. BRITISH PROGRESS REPORT. The Hifeh Commissioner reports; Loudon, August 18 (3.30 p.m.) There has been greatly increased enemy artillerying north-west of Ba/.entin lo Petit. By means of a small local enterprise, we further extended our gains of the enemy lines. iThe German trenches were found to jho greatly damaged and full of enemy dead. A further hostile attack ex ■ Martinpuicli during the night was repulsed completely as previously. DETERMINED ENEMY ATTACKS. Press Association —Copyright. Router’s Telegrams Loudon, 'August 18. General Sir Douglas Haig reports that the enemy made most determined counter-attacks with large forces on a broad front last night. Six times the German infantry advanced, but were compelled to withdraw after suffering the heaviest losses, our guns doing great execution. Ihe enemy in no case succeeded in entering our lines. The enemy’s counter-attack to-day, from Martinpuicli, was repulsed.

GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable AssociationLondon, August 18. The Morning Post states that the prisoners taken during the Somme fighting include some naval men who participated in the Jutland battle. They were hurried westward as a naval brigade. i CUJLLEMONT - MAUREPAS. UNDER TRIANGLE OF FIRE. CAPTURE MERELY QUESTION OF TIME. Press Association— Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 8.50 a.m.) New York, August 18. The Times’ Paris correspondent says; As the result of Wednesday’s success, Guillemont and Mauiepas are under Allied fire on three sides, and their capture is. merely a question of time. CIVILIANS DEPORTED,

Press Association— Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.15 a.m.) Hague, August 18. It is reported on the frontier that the Germans compelled 1200 inhabitants to leave Charleville, and that they passed through Aix la Chapelle towards Germany.

NOTHING NEW. Press Association— Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable 'Association. (Received 11.15 a.in.) Loudon, August 18. General Haig reports: We further 'extended our gains north-west of Razentin lo Petit and found the trenches greatly damaged and full of 'dead. GERMAN FOOD PROBLEM. DISCLOSURES OF PRISONER’S LETTER. Press Association —Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.15 a.in.) Paris, August IS. \ circular found on a prisoner states: “It is the duty of every solRon’t he told that the Swandri coat is not procurable in Stratford. AVe have this coat still iu stock and will he pleased to show to all interested. Again we give a written guarantee that it is absolutely waterproof. We are the sole agents. The Kgmont Clothing Company, Stratford. x

diev io economise in food and forage and counteract enemy’s efforts to starve us. Satisfy only your natural 'needs. Eat all crumbs. You have right generous rations, but you need not eat all. Don’t eat for the sake of eating, ft is your duty to uand in the leavings, and apparently useless articles, such as tins, old clothes, bags, leather, and metal.” i 1 GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED. fighting AT FLEURY. ! Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. I (Received 11.15 a.m.) Paris, August ‘B. 1 A communique states: Our fire broke many counter-attacks against the new positions south-east of Maurepas. Our attack after violent fighting drove out the Germans from part of Fleury. The Germans remain in occupation of a small part 'of the ruins eastern of the outskirts. jWe substantially progressed between Thiaumont and Fleury. MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS. London, August 18.

The Times’ correspondent at Paris states that one object of Thursday’s French operations was to cut through Guillemont and the Maurepas road, in order to enable the British to turn Guillemont from the south and enable the French to encircle Maurepas from the north. The preliminary bombarment began on Sunday, the Germans fiercely replying. The French were equally successful south of Maurepas, and are steadily nearing the village. The forest in the centre of the Maurepas plateau, as far as Chaulnes, are reticulated defences of the main position. The villages at Carbonnol, on the Paris-Bethune road, are protecting the trenches carried by the troops. Mr. Philip Gibbs states that while Picardy is absorbing attention, our northern line is not having a quiet time. During the last six weeks there has hardly been a single night without raiding affairs. Round Ypres, (Hlohonzollern, Givenchy, and Neuvo Chapoil© there have been brief but bloody visits towards the enemy. The artillery on both sides has been accelerated 1 at some parts, especially those opposing in the Kemmel district, which is hold by the Canadians. The enemy seems to have withdrawiit the heavy guns and replaced them with quickfiring mortars, which hammered our trenches with fiery rage, but oui-mor-tars, which were heavier, immediately retaliated. The enemy’s loiigerange guns also shelled the villages far behind our lines, killing civilians. The enemy must have suffered heavily lin tliis northern sector. Our artillery daily keeps a steady and continuous fire, smashing the entanglements and laying the parapets flat. It has been six weeks of bombardment, raids, and poison gas attacks. The enemy had the worst of it, though it has- been pretty had for us, too. The Australians and Canadians share in the raids with the Britishers. A German prisoner gives details of the British aeroplane raid on Saint Quentin at the end of July. While two battalions were awaiting entrainment, the aviators’ bombs fell on an ammunition shed causing a terrible explosion. Sixty wagons, which were lying at the station, became ignited and also exploded, destroying the soldiers’ train. The battalions became panic stricken and fled, 180 being killed and wound- 1 ed. The French shell output is eighty times greater than at the begining of the war, while the riflles have increased 290 times, machine-guns 136, and guns 90 times.