WAR NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 201, 30 September 1916, Page 3

WAR NEWS.

THE CAPTURE' OF THIEPVAi..

A FINE PERFORMANCE PARIS, Sept. 25. The attack on Thiepval began ac noon. A regiment advancing northward from Ovillers struck the southern side and carried portion of the Leipsig Redoubt. Other contingents came from Mouquet Farm and a hill near the Albert highroad. Our men, wren irresistible impetuosity, plunged into the ruined village by the Pozieres road, heavy curtain fire preventing the bringing of enemy reinforcements from the Beaucourt fortified system. Thiepval covered a square mile. The attackers found underground galleries which resisted bombardment by the heaviest guns and howitzers. Each collar was strengthened by steel armour and concrete until it was a small fortress. Many of the galleries were fitted with lifts, by which machine guns could instantly be lifted into position. Fortunately the defence was less determined than expected. Thirteen hundred prisoners have already come to the base. They confirm the reports that the garrison was surprised by the attack, and was throw:into a panic. Officers vainly tried t; rally the men, but many surrender •

without firing a shot. Prisoners state that eight German battalions were practically wiped out in Tuesdays fighting.

ALLIED VICTORY ADMITTED. AMSTERDAM, Sept. 25. , The “Frankfurter Zeitung” says: The enemy attained a tactical advantage on the Somme on Tuesday. It wa: terribly bloody for the attacker, ancr a test, searching to tne. innermo. - heart, for the defender. Streams o blood flowed, and incalculable quan.” ties of projectiles crashed on to f German position, but Hindenburg-r quiet course was not forced from its pre-arranged path by a hair’s-breadtii. It is impossible for the enemy t break through,, GERMAN SMUGGLERS. COPENHAGEN, Sept. 2£ A German merchant named Viogt representing a German rubber factory, and three others, have been sentenced; fined £17,500 for smuggling rubber to 120 days’ imprisonment. Each was into Germany in herring barrels. ENEMY MELTED AWAY. LONDON, Sept. 25. Mr Phillip Gibbs, continuing his description of Tuesday’s great advance, says;— In the night, the enemy troops between Morval and Sailly melted away. Our cavalry patrols were out trying to find their rearguard. Our gunners were quick to find their target, anc» clouds of shrapnel burst over masses of men and threw them into panicstricken rout. They flung down them packs and rifles and fled, leaving many dead and wounded in their wane The worst thing that has happened to the enemy is the breaking of his morale. The enemy fought well, but saw if he held on longer he must die or he prisonered. As soon as our men swept across the trenches and over the sunk en roads and entered the villages, the garrisons came from underground and surrendered in heaps. They could have fought longer and harder, perhaps, but only with their backs against the walls, asking for death, and they were not in the spirit to do that. They aac gone dazed by the appalling intensity of our shell fire and were disheartened by the unfailing regularity wherewltn the British have captured their strong holds since July. Their confidence an - faith in the German war machine rs destroyed. They were stupified by the grim way we attacked, reckless of loss I saw twelve hundred prisoners brought in, mostly Prussians. Many confessed that it was a great British victory. These men, as a whole, manifested none of the braggart confidence shown by German prisoners a year ago.

GALLANT FRENCH TROOPS. LONDON, Sept. 28. The King, replying to President Poincaire’s congratulations to the British army on. their two days’ sue- j cesses, says—These could not have been achieved without the splendid support of the gallant French troops ■on our right fighting for one common’ objective. “MAD ALLIED ATTACKS.” LONDON, Sept. 27 The Frankfurter Zeitung says the mad allied attacks on the Somme were full of unparalleled courage and savagery. We are endeavouring to keep back the enemy and preserve an elastic front. We lost long held positions and villages, and possibly more important shortenings of the west front is contemplated in the interests I of all fronts.