In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 32, 5 September 1916, Page 5

In the West

FRENCH MAINTAIN CAINS. ENEMY SUFFER SEVERELY. The High Commissioner reports; London, September 1 (2.53 p.m.) Tiro French officially report that tlio enemy did not attempt at night to recaptui'o. the conquered on the north of the Somme, where fourteen cannon had been captured. The gains at' Floury were maintained, and the enemy attempts at \ aux and Chapitro Wood failed after they suffered heavy loss.

I STUBBORN FIGHTING REPORTED BY THE BRITISH. ADVANCE OF 800 YARDS ON 3000 YARDS FRONT, London, September 4 (3.15 p.m.) The British officially report: Tho fighting yesterday at the Somme and the Ancre was severe and stubbornly contested. The enemy’s repeated counter-attacks were defeated with heavy losses, and wo captured their defences on a 3000-yard front and a depth of 800 yards, including the strongly-fortified village of Cudlemont. At Ginchy, the whole portion of which was first captured, we were compelled to give ground, but we retain hold of a part, despite heavy counter-attacks during the night. SOLDIER’S LUCKY FIND. SECURITIES WORTH MILLION FRANCS. Press Association —Copyright, Austinliau and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 8.55 a.m.) Paris, September 4. A young artilleryman who was digging "a shelter on tho Picardy front unearthed an iron box, inside which ucre found sccuitios for one million francs. A will which was enclosed bequeathed one hundred thousand to the discoverer of tho treasure, the balance to named beneficial ies. IMPORTANT BRITISH CAINS. London, September 4. General Sir Douglas Haig reports; Our new front now runs five bundled yards east of Guillemont, and 11 oin Ginchy to near Tallemon hum. Ac also gained ground east of Mouquet farm.' Our aircraft most useful work in co-operating witn the artillery and infantry. F.muuy aeroplanes‘desperately attempted to interfere. We successfully engaged m many fights, and destroyed three machines, damaging at least lour. We lost three.

GENERAL HAiG'3 REPORT. (Received 11.30 a. in.) London, September IThe enemy fiercely resisted and determinedly counter-attacked, suffering heavy losses, but were unable to shake our hold of the ground won, including Guillernont. They compelled us to give up part of uivchy. all enemy attempts repulsed. BAD WEATHER HINDERS french operations. (Received 11.30 a.m.) Paris, September 4. A communique states: The Germans have not attempted to re-take the ground lost northward of the Somme, where we are actively organising. Bad weather hinders operations. Our fire repelled all attempts at Vaux and ChapiLre Wood.

A N G L 0 - F R £ N U H ATT A C K. EVERY FIXED OSJECTIVE CAPTURED. Paris, September 3. A communique reports: On the Somme, after intense artillery preparation, the French infantry, m conjunction with the British, attacked shortly before midday against the Germans. Wo progressed with admirable elan, which the enemy’s resistance failed to check for a moment. Our troops swept away. the enemy’s considerable forces, capturing every fixed objective. ’The villages of Le Forest, at Manrcpas, and Clery, on the Somme, art* in our power. Wo have taken all the German trenches along Le Forest-Comldes road to the outskirts of Combles. Heavy battles continue eaSt of the Mouse.' The French captured positions in the Floury region. The Germans are strongly attacking at \ anx Glnpilre. The Somme fighting con(nines successl ully. A communique states: We captnrod all the miemy positions between Le Forest and Clery and also numerous points, and passed beyond the road joining the two villages. The. Gerouim; launched a connter-altack with j i-’ge elfcclives south oi la' Forest, hot ,mr batteries compelled tlnmi to retreat m disorder. I welve gnus wme captured in a single sector at Le Forest and fifty machine-guns. A series of violent German attacks at Vaux Chanitrc were repulsed several times with heavy losses. 1 he eiiemx

succeeded at the close of the aiteiiioon in penetrating a salient in our line, where desperate fighting continues. We attacked. the German positions east of bleary. We have* taken seveial trenches, also a strong work in another attack .north-west cn Floury, 1 which enabled u s to occupy a portion ol tin' i nig*' helve l, n h leuij ami ’! hiaeanoni work. . THE GERMAN REPORT. London, September 3. A German communique reports: Artillery activity on the Somme is increasing in violence. A strong French attack between Maurepas aim dory collapsed, whilst attacks on tho riiianmont front were repulsed.

HINDENBURC’S SUCCESSOR. (Received 11.10 a.rn.) Rome, September 4. The Message ro states that King Leopold of Bavaria succeeds General Hindenburg in *«*•• command of the northern armies. FRENCH AHD GERMANS FIGHT BITTERLY. ENEMY ADMIT LOSSES. (Received 12.50 p.m.) Berlin. September 4. 1 A Berlin official communique states: The Anglo-French attacks on the Somme led to a most extensive and most bitter battle. Notwithstanding oft-repeated attacks, wo retained the mastery of all positions and re-cap-tured the temporarily lost ground near Mouquetto farm. Fighting between Ginchy and the Somme conduced till late at night, our troops heroically defending the completelydestroyed first position in which tho enemy obtained a foothold, and in the second line of defence we stemmed an attack. Guillemont and La Forest are in the enemy’s hands. A French attack near Barleux was sanguinarily repulsed. An attempted attack on the rhiamnont work and south-east ol Floury failed. The. French salient at Louville defile was cleared.