THE PRECEDING DAYS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 14 July 1916, Page 5

THE PRECEDING DAYS.

ALLIES’ TREMENDOUS BOM. BARDMEST.

; RETREATING GERMANS - ANNIHILATED. : ENEMY’S FRONT DEFENCES SHATTERED. . LONDON, July 12* dvffe Phillip Gibbs says: Prior to tbe capture pf Contalmaison, the enemy ? s was more intense andwidespread, than during the- past few days, bombarding our positions front La Boiselle to Mont Auben and fiercely searching the wood at La Boiselle with shrapnel, high explosives falling into Mont Auban village. At 3.30 in the afternoon tbe enemy heavily barraged in a straight line below Contaimaison and formed a wall of black smoke with only a few gaps. At 4 o’clock our guns concentrated on Contalmaison and tbe little straggling wood to the right of Mametz, also the German trenches defending Contalmaison ridge. Through the smoke our men moved forward and captured the village. The enemy at Contalmaison knew the position was hopeless. When our guns lifted, many of those still alive and unwounded streamed out of the village ■in a disorderly retreat, only to he caught by extended barrages between Contalmaison ; Pozieres and Bazentin Le Petit, so that the rout became a shambles. Our men entered the village and thoroughly searched ma-chine-gun emplacements and dugto prevent further trouble. Wrhe enemy within Contalmaison wire in a dreadful state. They had suffered to the very brink of human endurance. A prisoner stated that rations were soon exhausted. It was impossible to get fresh supplies owing to our ceaseless gun-fire They suffered great agonies from thirst. Other prisoners state that the effect of our fire was terrible. At least half those holding the village were killed or wounded. When our soldiers entered they walked over corpses. Those who escaped lay on the ground with face to the earth, utterly exhausted. Mr. Gibbs concludes: I have seen things to-day before which one’s soul swoons. Jn ten days, by the wonderful gallantry of our troops and the great power of our guns, we smashed several German strongholds as strong as any fort on the Western front and defended stubbornly by. masses of guns and troops. has now been forced hack to his next line of defences. The cost was great, but the enemy’s losses were greater and the German headquarters is pushed for reserves. y