ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 154, 3 July 1916, Page 5

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

GERMANS DRIVEN BACK. MANY IMPORTANT CENTRES GAPTURED. NUMBER OF PRISONERS TAKEN. BRILLIANT WORK BY RUSSIANS. KOLOMEA STORMED AND OCCUPIED. HINDENBURG'S OFFENSIVE BEATEN.

THE LINE OF ATTACK.

GERMAN DEFENCE WEAK. k WHOLE GERMAN LINE IMPERILLED. Received July 3, 9 a.m. London. July 2. Our lino of attack starts roughly from the outskirts of Arras., while the French battle front, on the right, extends posifaly beyond Royes. It is an undulating, open and wooded countryside, with only the usual roads and railways. It is an agricultural district, ience the German defence is less advantageously placed than in other .seetors. Military critics point out that there was nothing haphazard': the choice of moment and place was no mere chance. Our offensive is coincident with the Russian and Italian thrust. The Germans hitherto have not attempted any serious fighting in this sector, because, unlike Yprcs, which ■offered a road to Channel ports, this did not offer Jin objective of any value. A serious breach in the German front will imperil the whole position in northern France. Happily, cutting-out raids, have familiarised us with the intricacies of the German defences. A Belgian communique says: We carried out a destructive firfie on German works and batteries in the Dixmuds region. * '

A BALTIC -FIGHT

f GERMAN CHARACTERISTIC METHODS. Received July :$, 9 a.m. Stockholm, July 2. The Svenska Dagbladet gives details of the Baltie fight. The German squadron included light cruisers, maskecy as freight steamers. They were that the Russians would not attack merchantmen proceeding to Sweden. The Tuse enabled them to safely approach, and they then opened fire at short range. Destroyers, following at a distance, were summoned to assist. The .attack is ascribed to a desire to force back the Russians beyond the Aland Islands, so as to strengthen the German minefields in that vicinity.

BRITISH CAPTURE FRICOURT

PRISONERS NUMBER 3500. i Received July 3, 11.25 a.m. London, July 2. Official: The British have captured Fricourt, taking 3500 prisoners.

BRILLIANT FRENCH OFFENSIVE.

fICURLU VILLAGE CAPTURED. OVER PRISONERS TAKEN. 's'"' ' '■' ' "■' Paris, July 2. A communique states that the struggle north of Mort Homme was fierce during the night. The Germans violently attacked our new positions in the neighbourhood of Hardecourt. Our curtain fire and infantry inflicted important losses and the enemy fell back in disorder. Following up our advantage on the right bank of the Sommc\ we occupied the village of Curlu after a lively combat. We conserved our positions south of the Somme, and progressed during the night between Herbecourt and Assevillers, and effected numerous reeon naisanees. in the Champagne, clearing out the Army trenches with grenades. Thi£ launched an attack in the evening north-east ox Bois d'Avocourt, and penetrated our advanced elements, but our counter-attack completely repulsed them. We effected a coup de main on the eastern slopes of Mort. Homme. The •enemy made several attacks on the Thiawhont work, wherein we are cstablJfnied. We easily repulsed them. A slfbng party of Germans hurled at our first line was dispersed, suffering losses. Over five thousand uuwouilw. prisoners were captured.

BRITISH GAINS.

ARE BEING CONSOLIDATED.

Received July 3, 10.35 a.m. London, July 2

The chief German attack on the British front last night, in the region of Mont Auban, was repulsed with serious Gorman losses. The British ar« consolidating all their gains.

MAJOR MORAHT'S VIEW.

THE GENERAL SITUATION. GERMAN VICTORY DIFFICULT. Received July 3, 9.50 a.m. London, July 2. Major Moraht, writing in the Berliner Tagematt on the general situation, says ail belligerent positions are critical; our antagonists, liEe the Germans, have .ciu-hed a culminating point of their exertions. It must bo admitted that their warfare is being energetically organised. The Allies learnt the lesson from us. Their large numbers and possession of the sea, together with their great strength, enables them to render our ultimate victory difficult. The British are going forward very systematically and cautiously, and it may be supposed they have colossal quantities of ammunition, because for months past they have been able to transport it across the Channek We cannot get a step nearer peace without a settlement of- accounts with the British.

NEW ALLIED TACTICS.

A RAPID ADVANCE

ECONOMISING, ALLIED LIVES

Received July 3, 10.15 a.m. Paris, July 2. The French military authorities are fully satisfied with the first results of the new tactics. They did not axpect such sensational results, as the element of surprise was largely wanting. The last half-hour's artillery preparation Avas of unsurpassed intensity. The French and British infantry attack was then launched with the greatest gallantry. They captured advanced defences in an hour and a half, and the entire Allied front had advanced two kilometres on a front of forty kilometres before evening. The British and French losses were small compared with the German, owing to careful preparations. The British took no chances where raiders reported the wire was not cut. Where trenches were undamaged on any sector they were subjected to further bombardment. The new tactics aim at steady, continuous hammering of the line/ without unnecessary loss of Allied lives, until it is possible to launch a general attack.

TROUBLE IN GERMANY.

FOOD RIOTS TAKING PLACE. PEOPLE WITHOUT FOOD. Rotterdam, July 2. There is much bitterness displayed in the German press over the withdrawal of the Declaration of London. It is described as another instance of British hypocrisy. There are indications that Germany will resume submarine frightfulness in the event of war between the United States and Mexico.

A Berne copy of the Muchner Post (which was confiscated for publishing details of the hunger riots) shows that citizens were faced with a dinnerless Sunday, and that they paraded the streets on Saturday and chased a food corporal who had taken refuge in a shop, which, was wrecked, and cafes were plundered. The troops fixed bayonets and cleared the streets, when many were wounded. ' Colonel military critic, declares that Moltke died of a broken heart. His staff work was responsible for German successes early in the war, but the Kaiser interfered with his plans, causing subsequent disasters. The Kaiser meanly put the blame on Moltke to save his own reputation.