In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 46, 21 September 1916, Page 5

In the West

— —' BRITISH SITUATION UNCHANCED. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.10 a.m.) London, September 20. General Haig reports: The situation is 'unchanged; We repulsed in the night .several determined counterattacks Southward of the Ancre. THE LION'S CUBS IN WAR. GLORIOUS CANADIAN ACHIEVEMENT. NEW ZEALANDERS* CHARGE ACROSS NO MAN'S LAND. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 12.20 p.m.) . London, September 20. Mr Gibbs, the correspondent, states that the Canadians won great glory on Friday;and Saturday. Wley came from the Ypres salient to the Somme, determined to get their own back. The attack was finely organised, and when the facts -are known it will be regarded as a great military achievement. The French-Canadian unit, which was particularly brilliant, captured the Germans' stronghold and took 100 prisoners. The New Zealanders, clean-cut and handsome fellows, followed the great example which the Australians set in tiie fight around Pozieres. The New Zealanders' gallant charge at dawn on Friday will be long remembered. They crossed No Man's Land over the German trenches'" arid out into the blue in pursuit of the retreating enemy. GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. LIVELY ARTILLERY ACTION.

Press Association—Copyright, Austra-

lian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.10 a.m.) London, September 20

A French communique states: The Germans attacked our positions from. Clerv Road to the Somme, but were repulsed. A vigorous counter-attack threw out the lev. Germans who penetrated our advanced trenches in the southern part trf this sector. There was lively artillery action at Bouchavesnes, Souahi, and in tiw Vosges. GERMANY'S LOSSES ON THE SOMME. Press. Association Austra lian aiid N.Z. Cable Association. London, September 19. The Westminster Gazette's military expert states that the twenty-nine divisions which Sir Douglas Haig reports to have been withdrawn in an exhausted condition represont 550,000 fighters, so that at least twothirds of the effectives must have bean lost before the Germans retired a single division. He therefore coneludes" that the enemy's losses on the rLUsh front amount to about 370,-

000 since July 1, and that, probably, the Germans lost another 150,000 on

limit of the Gorman endurance must bo nearly reached.

A statement from an authoritative source points out the value of the perfect co-operation of the AngloFrench ai:uy on the Somme. Between July 1 and September 8 fiftythree German divisions were engaged, whereof twenty-eight were withdrawn quite broken. Eleven others were withdrawn to rest. Under the Allies' artillery Ji re and the infantry pressure the average life of a German division as a fit unit is about nineteen days. Over two new Germain divisions have been brought to the front line weekly since the end of June and replaced those shattered and exhausted.

I Figures show even more than the ground won how steadily and swiftly the Allies are moving toward the accomplishment of their chief strategic aim, which is the destruction as a fighting force of the enemy's armies in tire field. Of fifty-three divisions, twenty-eight were used wholly against the British, and another twenty were wholly used against the French and later against the British. On September 8 seven German divisions were facing each of the Allied armies, the comrade armies thus evenly sharing the burdens of achievement' in the struggle. If one shows more ground won, the others may claim larger forces annihilated. In any ease., 'neither army seeks separate glory in .this tremendous conflict, which the I German General Staff described as the decisive battle of the war. , 'socialist insults high-spirit-ed PEOPLE. PREMIER'S MEMORABLE AND CRUSHING REPLY. Press Association—Copyright, AustraHan and N.Z. Cable Association. Paris, September 20.

M. Briand; the Prime Minister, in the Chamber of Deputies, delivered an eloquent speech as the outcome of the remarks of M. BuKon, a Socialist, who roused the Chamber's anger,by asking whether France had not already suffered enough, and couldn't she now negotiate for peace. M. Briand said: "Look at your country, Buzon I It has been violently attacked for two years. It has the I honor of championing tbe-'right. 'M. ihas staved the invader, yet when its blood flows you say, 'negotiate lor peace.! What a challenge ! What an outrage to the memory of our dead! pld men, women and children have been carried off 5 they tvwait deliverance. Yet you ask for a peace which is both humiliating and dishonoring! ' The Chamber gave M. Rriatid an ovation and ordered the speech to be placarded throughout France.