In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 73, 24 October 1916, Page 5

In the West

SASILY SAILLISEL. i , GERMASI COUNTER-ATTACKS, {press Association- —Copyright, Austru- ! lian and N.y.. Cable Association i # Paris, October 2d. | The enemy is disinclined to allow the French to hold their gains at S dlly' Sailliscl, and the neighbouring heights. Throughout Friday night 'ami Saturday they hurled thousands :of shells on the French positions. 'Titov came out of the St. Pierre-Va-;nst Wood trendies, south of Lo Mes- ! nil, and attempted to rush the Allies’ ill no, but they met a fearful fire, and I the rush was broken. The Germans ! thrice returned to the attack, • hut \\ ere driven back, leaving the ground covered with corpses. The Germans had some slight successes on the northern edge of Blaise ’Wood. Here, the attackers were preceded by men wearing ashetos clothes, and who carried a now kind of greulade, which bursts into flames when it {strikes the ground. The corps following the. asbestos attackers gained a footing in part of the advanced French trenches. ! During these attacks the French successfully counter-attacked over an advanced front beyond the ChaulncsOvillers railway. CAPTURE OF HSLL 128. NORTH SOMME OPERATIONS. The High Commissioner reports: — London, October 23 (2.55 p.m.) A French official report states: — North of the Somme, after artillery preparation, we captured Hill 123 westward of Sadly Saillisel, where wo entered on Wednesday.

FRESH ENEMY ATTACKS. SOUTH SOMM% OPERATIONS. • ) ■ -jftfJA.- cluimir-. Press Association—Copyright, Austrai i lian and N.Z. Caljlo . Association, Paris,' October 22. Official: Sout?r ol* the Somme a fresh' enemy attack was made this afternoon against the southern portion of the Chfinlnes AVood, but was repulsed with serious losses. The number of prisoners is not yet counted. The morning attack in the same region cost the Germans dearly. AVe surrounded the enemy, who had gained a foothold in our first lines. The survivors (500) were taken prisoners. An intermittent cannonade is proceeding elsewhere.

| rrf f'FTvy ~ ARTILLERY ON THE BLIND.

ENEMY INEFFECTIVENESS.

Press Association—Copyright. Reuter’s Service. London,. .October 24. Reuter’s corresp/pueni at French headquarters testifies io.j, the utter blindness of the German artillery at Sadly Saillisel, whoreas 'the French artillery assisted the heavy British howitzers and, helped by the airmen, perfectly - co-operated with the infantry. The Germans were only able to maintain a singularly ineffective barrage of fire. German gunners literally groped their way around the battlefield, dropping their heavy shells at random. They had not the slightest effect in stopping the arrival of the'French supplies. The stumbling efforts of the Germans to find the Franco-Eritish batteries which were pounding the ground behind the German lines, were equally futile. They had a vague idea of their whereabouts, but never got near. A typical example was the way in which they poured shells into Combles, where there was nothing, while not far away in another direction were two batteries of British howitzers, which fired away unmolested, against registered targets.

BRITISH CAPTURE OF 1000. Press Association— Copyright, Austra liau and N.Z. Cable Association. London, October 23. General Sir Douglas Haig states officially that 1018 prisoners were yesterday captured between the Schwahen redoubt and Le Bars. The enemy exploded two mines south of Ypros, in the neighbourhood of the Bluff, and occupied the lip of the crater, where they were subjected to continuous bombardment. Aeroplanes valuably located the enemy batteries yesterday. We destroyed five enemy machines and damaged four. Three of our are missing. THE GERMAN REPORT. Press Association —Copyright, Austin ban and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.55 a.m.) London, October 23. A German communique states: Wc bloodily repulsed strong English attacks between Lenars and Lesboeuis. 1 The French penetrated only the : first line north-east of Badly Boill.sel tyVe penetrated And was Wood, north ! 0 f Chaulnes. Wo withdrew from the jeast and north part of the wood voluntarily. j We downed twenty-two enemj ■ avaitors.