ANZACS AT POZIERES

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 26 July 1916, Page 5

ANZACS AT POZIERES

' STEEL HELMETS

A THRILLING NARRATIVE. I 1 I HOW GERMAN TRENCHES FELL. [ t I THE HENS WERE FRIGHTENED _____ | FLED OR SURRENDERED , (Received 8.45) LONDON. July 25. In the "Daily Chropiele" Mr Phillip Gibbs, in ti despatch dated Sunday, stati's that heavy fighting was proceed- i ing in the early hours on the line from ! Pozieres to Delville Wood, and south- i ward of Trones Wood in the direction of Giuillemont. Many batallions took ' ipart in the assault, belonging to English [Scottish. Australian and Now Zealand Regiments, and they fought with eouiiage equal to that of all the troops shown throughout the three weeks l battle. Anzacs were chosen to -attack , Pozieres, with the Englisr boys work- '' ing upon the other side. For several days and nights the Anzacs had been I in the neighbourhood under ceaseless ) shell fire. Ther e was a distance of five J hundred yards between the Anzacs line and the front tuench of the German network across the Bapaume Road, running diagonally through Nozieres vililage. This was an enormous distance'" to go in darkness, under a fire of high explosives, shrapnel and machine guns. The Anzacs lay crouched behind earthworks bracing up their spirits for a sprint. For two hours every gun in the British batteries fired as hard as the gunners could get shells into the breech. It was at midnight when the Anzacs went forward with the other troops, the only lights being signals of frightened Germans, for the enemy were aware that the attackers were coming, and they immediately opened the fiercest barrage of shrapnel. The first German trenches were lightly held, the only defenders being machine gunJ nens and some grenadiers who flung 'bombs. Th e Anzacs fixed their bayonlets. b-*t the Germans didn't wait fon the steel; some ret rented ;!to their 'Second line, while; .others thing up their hands. ~: ;, ~.;-, -!>■'• •■■ ■ ■••■•'•

ANZACS DESERVE ALL POSSIBLE ,',•;! -PRAISE "•'■' •>''■' ■''' <; - L

LINE''AFTER,LINE CAPTURED

BRAVE BRITISH BOYS

FIJI J.Y. DO TH LI R &HABB

POZIERES NEARLY SURROUNDED

The• German second lino was,along a light railway; this was .strongly ,held by many machine guns and strong dugouts, but the Anzacs came in like a wave, while some remained in the first line as consolidating parties; others went straight towards the machine guns, and the German riflemen, and not even their machine gunners, could keep back this tide of keen, ardent men; these clean shaven, hatchet-faced lads who brought a new type of manhood into France, drove out the Gerfans without such heavy casualties as

might have been expected. ! The Anzacs took this line, then two other lines of trenches in front, leaving some of their number. They then Went on and carnied their objectives with an irresistible rush and drove straight) along the Bapaume Road, which cuts the village of Pozieres in ralf. Then they called a halt and established a defensive position. After this astonishing assault the enemy still holds the north-west, side of Pozieres with machine guns concealed in ruins of houses and in .special emplacements, but the German position is an unhappy one owing to the Territorial boys, who came up on the Anzacs left.

The Teruitorials, too, fought forward rapidly under heavy fire, and by the time the Anzacs gained the lower village the English were above the village outflanking it. Ohq objecti.be must be gained before Pozieres is completely surrounded; this is an old windmill, immediately north of the village, midway between the Anzacs and the English. This had been made a strong fort, guarded with sandbags and earthworks, fnom whence German, machine gunners maintain a dangerous fire. The Anzacs deserve every possible praise.

ITALY'S PROGRESS

CLEARING THE FRONTIER

VALLEYS

JIOME, July. 24

An Italian communique states: "We captured the enemy's defences just below the summit of Mount Cimon*, north-east of the Trentino, and repuSsed attempts to recapture trenches on Mount Zebil. We completed the occupation of the Upper TrefgnoJo' and Pellegrina Valleys."

NAVAL PATROL SERVICE

NOT A SINGLE LIFE LOST

IN TRANSPORTS TO FRANCE

(Received 0.5) LONDON. Ju'v -V.

Admiral Bacon's despatch , covering the operations of the Dover pat rol for six months ending May 21st, states that 1,000 merchant ships passed the patrol, whereof the enemy sunk or damaged 21. Fou-- per cent of the patrol vessels were sunk, witn a los s of 77 lives, but not a single life was lost on the transport of troops across the Channel. The activities of submarines operating otT Belgium had been much reduced; we destroyed several submarines an one surface vessel.

PREPARATIONS IN GERMANY

FOR ZEPPELIN RAIDS

(Received 0.5) LONDON, July 25

German newspapers descdrioe great raids on England, as a reply to public murmurings of inactivity.

LLOYD GEORGE'S PREDICTION.

"VICTORY IN A FEW MONTHS"

LONDON, July 24

In the House of Commons Mr Churc hill complained that Mr Asquith had not reviewed the minlitary situation. The Rt. Hon. Lloyd George replied:

"You cannot review the military prospect in the middle of a battle. The prospects are good, and the British generals are more than satisfied with the progress made. I am proud of the valour of our men. Great as were the British infantry in day s gone by, they were never greater than now. One thrills with pride to belong to the same race. Our citizen army is muling back the most formidable of foes. Whatever happens in this battle, I am confident that victory is assured, and feel beyond everything confident, because numbers and all other resources are on our side and soldiers provided' with, : British; resourcefulness ' and intelligence are going' to snatch victory in; a. few months over What! appeared .at .one: .time, an ; inviiieibie ' military Power/V . i.. "v.; :>': ■•■■ '* !i:

MUNITION WOKKER.S. '. SPECIAL PAY FCR'h<C)LIDAY. ; (Received July ; 26;"M.5 ; 'a.m.) .•■■-. .-, -■•■■ , A Router •message- "stfifesHhat' the .'Ministry -of ■ ■Munitions 1 'fta*s ,:; sa iictioh'ed special rates of pay "tor ; Working on |bank holidays. The vote for the Civil Service on the Supplementary Estimates includes £20,000 for Shackleton relief expeditions.

BRITISH PRISONERS IN TURKEY..

ARE HARSHLY TREATED

TOWNSHEND 'S TREATMENT

EXCEPTIONAL.

A YOUNG TURK TRICK

(Received July 26, 10.5 a.m.)

LONDON, July 25. Th e "Daily Mail" states that the American authorities in Constantinople have warned the British Government hat the treatment accorded to General Townshend does not apply to officers nd men. The Americans are not alowed to enquire into the conditions of British pnisoners in Turkey and Mesopotamia, where it is believed they are i arshly treated Townshend's treatment is probably a young Turk's trick o divert attention from Armenian Massacres.

. PROBLEM OF THE BIG GUN

BRITAIN'S MARVELLOUS SOLUTION. (Received July 25, 8.10 p.m.* LONDON, July 24. Britain was turning out in a single month, more guns than the whole British Army possessed at the beginning of the war. The success with which the British manufacturer rose to the problem of the big gun was a triumph of engineering. We wanted still eon»idorably more heavy guns and shells. ! | ! DARDANELLES ENQUIRY. r MR MASSEY TO ATTEND. LONDON, July 25 It is expected fiat the opening of the Dardanelles enquiry will be postponed : sufficiently to permit the arrival of Australasian delegates. It is eon- ; sidered that enquiry would otherwise be unsatisfactory from the Dominion's i viewpoint, inasmuck as possibly it would not deal with, detailed operations. Senator Pearce and Mr MasiSey will represent Australia and New Zealand»

"A SECOND VERDUN. "*

HELL RAGES AT DELVILLE WOOD

SUPREME HEROISM OF SCOTS

AND SOUTH AFRICANS

EXHAUSTED MEN CHARGE

MASSED GERMANS

LONDON, July 2D

A correspondent at headquarters, writing on the 21st says that already the operations on the Somme rival Verdun. Never was a struggle of such fierce intensity, which promises to increase.

Describing recent German counter attacks on Delville Wood, he savs: We already know how the Germans fear the Highlanders. They hava better reason now than ever. There was nothing finer in any war thau lha Avay the Scotsmen, after four days' unimaginablet strain, flung back enormously preponderating numbers in a last desperate counter attack. Wita a gallant nandful of South Africans they rose from a hastily made line and beat back nine or tn battalions. Oi fresh troops. liOPgueval forms part of Delville Wocd. The eGrmans were immensely strong having machine guns a oil two held uns, which they fired troin a 150 yards point "blank range, our ca'sxi 'ine was tremendously shelled by every kind of weapon for eight uours. This was worse than anything we had known before. The South Africans, who had passed through the Scottish two days previously to clear Delville Wood, were driven back. Small bands throughout the day dropped into the trenches beside the Scottishand waltted wile hell raged. At last the enemy infantry appeared through the wood on all sides in wave after wave. Before overwhelming numbers our men fell back to the reserve trench. Here gathering fragments and scraps of battalions, companies and platoons, the Scotsmen and South Africans rallied. A handful counter attacked and drove back the enemy's masses through Delville Wood. Even shellshocked wounded after four sleepless days and'four sleepless nights,, took la •heroic resolution and somehow went ■.forward with their comrades... I

I July %s}:. B.lo' j>.nU ; ) LONDON, July 24

Mr Lloyd 'Cteorge .replying to Mr Churchill, said steel helmets were being manufactured , aJi a prodigious rate. They had already saved many thousands of lives.