In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 44, 19 September 1916, Page 5

In the West

GERMAN ADMISSIONS. CUT SHORT BY THE CENSOR. ALLIES' GREATEST TEAM WORK ENEMY IMPOTENT AGAINST i TERRIBLE ONSLAUGHT. , Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 8.50 a.m.) New York, September 18. The German censors permitted Karl von Weigand } war correspondent, to j cable the New York World a : report f on the fighting on the Somme/ in ■ jwjwch remarkable admissions are' made concerning the Allies' success. : ' f Von Weigand in his despatch, which is dated Berlin, September 16,' , states; "In a tremendous attack splendidly carried out by the French and" English, the Allies drove back the Germans in what was probably |the hardest and most effective blow j in the Somme offensive. Following' an indescribably terrible attack, the' Allies on a narrow front of twelve miles carried the German lines from J near j Thiepval on the north to Ran-j court on the south-east. This is the ■ best team work the Allies have yet 'carried out. The Allies' drive was directed against the German lines which had been harrassed and wearied by davs of uninterrupted battering. The Germans' gallant and desperate stand was unable to withstand the terrific onslaught of the English and French divisions in overwhelming numbers only on such a narrow front. I .consider it probable that the Allies have secured further local success, and that the, Germans may fall back at a number of other points. In view of the greatly exposed situation of Peronne and Comblcs, it would not be' surprising if they fell into the hands of the Allies." The despatch was abruptly cut short at this point by the censor. m THE OFFICIAL REPORT. I The High Commissioner reports.- - London, September 18 (12.25 p.m.) The British official report states:— South of the Anere, several counterattacks on our new positions were repulsed. ADVANCE SOUTH OF THE SOMME. ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED. FRENCH FIGHT GALLANTLY. The High Commissioner reports:— London, September 18 (12.25 p.m.) The French official report states:— South of the Somme, we attacked and gained advances at several points ol the front. Verniandovillers and Bernv were captured by a brilliant assault. The territory between Vormandovillers and Deniecourt on one side and Deniecourt and Bernv on the other, which svere defended by several systems of strongly-organised trenches, have fallen into our hands after a bitter struggle. Fighting still

■continues around Deniecourt. Between' Berny and Harleux, we captured trenches. . Enemy counter-at-tacks'were all broken by our fire with heavy German losses. Many German counter-attacks east of Berny and south of Deniecourt during the night were all repulsed causing heavy losses to the enemy. East of Berny and east of Deniecourt we made progress. Deniecourt was completely encircled, and 1200 prisoners were taken and two German battalions destroyed. On Sunday, a squadron of naval aeroplanes attacked the enemy aerodrome at St. Deniswestrem, where many bombs •were dropped witir guffcessful results. One machine was. forced to land in Holland, where the pilot was interned. FRENCH PROGRESS REPORT. Press 1 Aissocia tipn—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.30 a.m.) London, September 18. A French communique states: We repulsed counter-attacks at Clery. The Germans thrice counter-attacked violently during the night southward of Deniecourt, also eastward of Berny but were repulsed with the heaviest losses. We further progressed at Berny and completely surrounded Deniecourt, taking twelve hundred prisoners. The prisoners state that the losses at Ccrny were enormous. Two battalions were almost annihilated. Our air squardons bombed the railway station at Nantilloss, Villercarbonnel. and Horghy, doing great damge. GENERAL SITUATION UNCHANCED. BRITISH STILL ADVANCE. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.50 a.m.) London, September 18. General Haig states: "The general situation is unchanged. We improved our position northward ol Martinpuieh. Our minor attack last night eastward of Courcelette was entirely successful, and we appreciably advanced .our line. The Germans .m tered a trench westward of Mouquot Farm under, cover of heavy shelling, but our counter-attack immediately drove them out. We took a furthei portion. In the French system southward ot Thiepval the Germans at intervals in the night heavily shelled various points. Official:—A squadron of naval aeroplanes dropped many bombs on Sunday afternoon on the aerodrome at St. Dennis.