In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 34, 7 September 1916, Page 5

In the West

ANGLO-FRENCH ADVANCE.

STIFF FIGHTING EASTWARD.

The Hiah Commissioner reports:— London, September 6 (2.20 p.m.)

The British officially report having gained the whole of Leuze Wood, but fighting still continues between the Wood and Combles, also around We successfully discharged gas opposite Gommecourt, ~ ,

FRENCH REPULSE GERMAN ATTACKS.

London, September 6 (2.55 p.m.)

The French officially report that there was no reaction at night on the north of the Somme. At the south of the Somme, the Germans attacked the new French positions south of Deniecourtj and also near Bernyeu Santerre, but all were broken by curtain fire.

A German attack at Fleury failed under machine-gun fire. A French communique reports: We made important progress eastward of Le Forest and north-eastward of Clery. We also captured the village of Ommiscourt, thus picking up the positions north and south of the Somme. We repulsed repeated massed attacks on the Barleux and Belloy sectors, inflicting sanguinary losses, and took prisoners 55 officers and

3992 men southward of the Somme Mjince Tuesday. The total prisoners secured since September 3, north and south of the Somme, is 6660, and 36 guns,' whereof 28 are of heavy calibre.

THE SOMME BATTLE.

PAVING THE WAY TO PERONNE.

Press Association —Copyright, Austia•jan and N.Z. CaOie A.ssoeiatiou London, September 5.

The Anglo-French military experts regard the battle of Sunday and Monday as the most brilliant since the Ist of July. Seven thousand prisoners were captured. Even Field-Marshal von Hindenburg, who had just completed his inspection of the Somme front, describes the battle as on a great scale and with great violence. Field-Marshal von Hindenburg’s frenzied reception on the Somme front put new spirit into the defenders, but they were unable to cope with tho British doggedness and the French dash.

Unlike the Ist of July battle, there were no elements of surprise owing to the forced lull due to bad weather.

General von Gallwitz was able to bring up considerable reinforcements of troops and material. The Germans even attempt;*?. to forestall the Allied attack, but wew ignominiously defeated. The weather twice forced the An-glo-French commanders to postpone operations. The advance commenced on an 183 miles front as the crow flies, and 293miles as the trenches run.

The British attacked at dawn and

the Fi'ench at mid-day. Five hours later every objective was gained. The! capture of Guillemont meant taking the greatest German stronghold on the Somme, with Thiepval the key to the positions of the Gorman lino. The Fifth Brandenburger Division, which made a name at Douaumont, defended the Guillemont sector foot by foot. A detachment held out in a small fort on the Combles road until their ammunition was exhausted The British found ten defenders alive. The Germans made desperate efforts to recover their losses, but the six counter-attacks wore broken by the Allied 'machine-guns. The situation was still more satisfactory on the French front than on the British. The greatest difficulties are in the Thiepval region, where the German communiques continue to record full-blooded infantry attacks. These are untrue since the failure cf attack north of Ancre early in July. General Sir Douglas Haig has refrained from frontal attacks at Thiepval, grudging the loss of life, and was content with a flank advance, which would eventually force the Germans at Thiepval to surrender. The recent British operations aimed at turning the position at Beaun-on-Thamel. They accordingly advanced by a road running west and along the edge of Thiepval. This advance was still blocked by the field works near Mouquot Farm, and until these are taken the Germans will hold Thiepval.

General Haig is of opinion that nothing can be gained by extending the bulge at the High Wood until the rest of the lino is advanced, but the capture of Guillemont was essential.

It was the most conspicuous success since the Australians captured Fozieres, a particularly brilliant episode being the capture of Talfemont Farm, standing on a spur overlooking and commanding Combles. The seizure greatly strengthens the French position, while the capture of Clery paves the way towards Feronne. FLOWER OF GERMAN FORCES DEFEATED. STEADY INEXORABLE PRESSURE BY THE FRENCH. ENEMY'S IMPREGNABLE FORTIFICATIONS STORMED. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and M.Z. Cable Association. (Received 9.30 a.m.) New York, September G.

The Now York Times’ Paris coirespondent, who visited the Somme front, says: In a two days’ battle, the French inflicted a crushing defeat on the flower of tho German forces. They stormed what the Germans claimed to bo impregnable fortifications, wi-tn a minimum loss on their own side, and caused fifty thousand German casualties. The correspondent asserts that the Germans aro trying to fight tho war on the lines originally laid down, but the French have adopted tactics to tho changed conditions, and tho result is that since July the French have advanced along a fifteen-mile front to a depth of five to ten miles, holding and strengthening the captured ground, not trying to break through the German line, but exciting a steady inexorable pressure, before which the whole sector has been eventually forced to give way.

AT RUHLEBEN CAMP. SYDNEY MERCHANT’S STORY. HARSH TREATMENT BY GERMANS’. Press Association—Copyright, Au-.ua lian nn-1 N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 9.30 a.in.) New York, September 0. Mr William Simpson, a Sydney merchant, who has arrived in Now York en route to Australia, spent eighteen months in the prison camp at Ruhleben. When ho loft a few weeks ago there were still more than four thousand there, many being Co and oven 70 years of age who had not been released because they had been shipmasters and marine engineers. Mr Simpson travelled to Ruhleben with five others in a horse box ten feet square, with damp filthy straw on the floor. The prisoners were treated harshly. The fish was often putrid and the other food was coarse and unwholesome. When two patients escaped from hospital, the others were forced to walk through the snow to the horse boxes. Three deaths occurred through exposure.

SOLDIERS NOT DISFRANCHISED. Press Association —Copyright. 1 . Published in “The Times.” (Received 9.50 a.m.) London, September 6. The War Office has agreed to British Colombia sending a staff to the ■French bases to take a poll of the 'votes of the fighters. BRITISH PROGRESS REPORT. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.30 a.m.) London, Setpember G. General Haig reports: We captured the whole of Leu/.o Wood, and were successful in a gas attack on Gommecourt. The lighting continues between Leuzo Wood and Combles, also round Giuchy. Both sides’ artillery are active northward of South Pozieres and Mouquet Farm. We effectively shelled hutments in Polygon Wood and eastward of Ypres.