In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 80, 1 November 1916, Page 5

In the West

FIERCE ARTILLERY STRUGGLE. i'ress Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association Paris, October 31. A communique states:—Tlie artillery struggle was continued in the Li Maisbnetto region. Bad weather still hampers operations generally. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: —We bombarded Beaumonthamel. There has been considerable shelling in the Hebuterne and Auehy areas. ONLY LIVELY ARTILLERY ACTION. Press Association—Copyright. Renter's Telegrams. (Received 11.25 a.m.) Paris, October 31. A communique states: Except lively artillery at Douamont and Vaux, there is nothing important to report. INTERMITTENT SHELLING. Press Association —Copyright. Renter's Telegrams (Received 11.25 a.m.) London,' October 31. General Sir Douglas Haig states that there is nothing to report during the night, except intermittent-shell-V'lig on both sides. THE GERMAN REPORTPress Association— Copyright, Austra. lian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 12.20 p.m.) 1 London, October 31. A German communique states: We drove back the enemy north-east and east of Les Boeufs. The French attacks at Lamaisonette on our new trendies south of Biaches' and Albanrourt and on both sides of the Chaul-ties-Lihons road all failed. SIXTEEN-INCH SHELLS. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY BURST.

London, October 25

Reuter's correspondent at beadquarters, describing the French spring forward, when they captured Ablamcourt, Bovent, and Chaulnes Woods, narrates the destruction of a. tower constituting a German observation post. ' The tower ho says, winch was ot thick armoured concrete, gave access to a typical German underground tortrcss similar to which the Germans were ; compelling .the Belgian and French' civilians to Build in all directions ' The French fired a single 400 millimetre shell (about 16in), which blew the tower into smithereens, It pierced the roof of x the underground fort, and the garrison of two otticers and'2o men was instantly killed by the concussion, although they were quite unwounded and uiitoucnea. A meal was lying waiting them on a table.

Similarly, a correspondent adds, a single shell pulverised a big factory. The ruins were filled with dead. Eight hundred survivors, shaken and cowed, were made prisoners. The heaviest guns now recognised as the main offensive arm. The '/s's are used now only to establish barrage. ' »

"VERY LONG WAR". SCALES FROM NATION'S EYES. ENEMY NOT YET DEFEATFD. W «», *' '•' ■ London, October 25. Mr Lovat Fraser, writing in the Daily Mail, says that the scales have fallen from the nation's eyes, and the public now-recognises that war will probably continue for a very long time. Four months ago the bulk of the new British armies had not been proved in great encounters, and the rumour was current that Verdun was ia deadly peril. The whole outlook was changed between the dawn and sunset of the unforgettable Ist oi July. We have become, for the first time in history, a great military Power. The most noticeable result of the Somme fighting is that the Germans are beginning to talk a great deal about peace. An armistice in the near future would suit them very well, because they still hold Belgium, Poland, and Servia, a valuable slice of France, a greater slice of Russia, a scrap of lloumania and of Persia, the Aden .hinterland, and the greater part of Sinai Peninsula. With such cards they would sit at the council table as conquerors. Therefore the Allies must continue to light. They can never count Germany as defeated until her road eastwards is cut, but Marchand disclosed the secret of victory, when he said that the army winning on the Somme wins the war.