THE ALLIES' ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 July 1916, Page 5

THE ALLIES' ATTACK.

HOW THE BATTLE OPENED. BRITISHERS EAGER FOR THE FRAY. GERMANS FOUGHT GRIMLY. HEAVY TOLL OF BLOOD. Received July 3, 7.20 p.m. London, July 3. The Morning Post says no longer may li e Kaiser sarcastically refer to 'Britain's contemptible little army!" The people have every reason to be, buoyed with *he brightest hopes, but it i wouldpr-imature to assume that the offensive will soon end. General Sir Douglas Haig and his staff left nothing undone to p;ive lite way to success, being encouraged by valuable information obtained from'trench raids and the air service. Wo probably now possess the advantage in artillerv concentration. There is every type of gun, while the medical and lied Cross service is probably the best ever created, there being "■very arrangement, to alleviate the' inev-i'.-ible toll of suffering. Describing the battle fron't from a view point near Albert, a correspondent states the whole sky was ablaze. Peasants twenty miles in the roar were, awestricken. Groups watched the display, which resemh.'ed brilliant summer light>)ing. A French officer who experienced the worst phase-: at Verdun declares that ne had seen nothing to surpass the all day and all right British artillery vomiting millions of shells. The great day of battle broke in sunshine. The guns were gathered for the final effort before the British lions were loosed for prey. Soldiers, watching tlin pandemonium, said: "Pitv the poor devils who ar j catching this lot!" Great clouds of thick black smoke carried a light south-westerly breeze which drifted to the German trenches. The aeenrary of fire was unsurpassable. The extreme usefulness of the new British trench mortars was manifested. They fired twenty-five rounds per minute, and are trustworthy for destruction of entanglements and obstacles The quiescence of the Germans was becoming remaikable, and it was surmised they were lying low. Occasionally they were scattered by shrapnel from our lines, and they did not resent the immense flights of our aeroplanes. Non-combatants were no'j permitted to ■ sitness the Liitish charge. Newspapers are reliably informed that the men leaped to the trenches with a vigor and earnestness worth} of the best traditions They were fed up with the trenches and welcomed a fight at close quarters. The Germans realised fliey >vere up against it, and fought grimly inch by inch. The capture of the first line was a "walk over," but the British attackers encountered difficulties in the iiepper trenches Only their indomitable pluck and perseverance enabled them to triumph over the superhuman obstacles. Counter-attacks were everywhere resisted, except at Serre, where the enemy suddenly made a desperate offensive. We fell back a little, but we. pushed through Thiepva! early on Saturday. Germans hidden in deep dug-outs, suddenly emerged from the streets, and furious fighting ensued, all sorts of weapons being used. The Germans rained an inferno of shells. The British artillery replied, resulting in a big "strafe." Watching the incessant bursting projectives, it was difficult to understand 1 ow anything human could survive. The toll of blood was fairly heavy, hut n..t excessive considering the magnitude of the operations. Happily a large portion of British casualties were slight wounds ! PLANS WELL KEPT. THE TOMMIES IN TI Tr UR ELEMENT. SWEEP FORWARD, CHEERING, OVER THE PARAPETS. GERMAN DEAD LIE THICKLY. Received July 3, 10 p.m. London, July 3. Mr. Philli:. Gibbs states that for a fortnight the plans were discussed secretly. In their mess-rooms the Tommies, watching the arrival of scores of guns, smiled grimly, and everybody was aware that the bombardment was preparatory to a great assault. The secret was well kept, and the offensive was began satisfactorily. Not yet is victory only the beginning, and the advance ivill not 1.0 easy, but only by doggedly capturing the strongholds. German dead are lying thickly in the track of our regiments. The attack was preceded by an outburst from the trench mortars, the clouds of smoke thereby liberated hiding the whole line and screening the infantry. onl» the reserves being visible. A minute after 7.30, came a rushing coupled with the sound of rifles and machine-guns. The German artillery were bombarding our lines with some little difficulty. In the earliest attacks the bombardment flattened the parapets and smashed the entanglements. Then the British swept forward, cheering. They encountered no resistance, the surviving Germans hiding in their dug-outs, many whereof were filled with dead. Some of the enemy crept out dazed and deafened. They held up their hands and bowed their heads. 500 SHELLS A MINUTE. SPLENDID WORK OF AVIATORS. Received July 3, 10 p.m. London, July 3. Renter's special correspondent at the Front says the offensive was roughly thrice the magnitude of the battle of Loos. The shell oursts reached five hundred a m'uute on a short front, the guns being of all calibres. The correspondent pays tributes to the splendid work of British aviators, who were sailing undisturbed in the storm, marking the shells down on the enemy. Special trains of wounded arrived at Charing Cross in the evening and blocked the traffic. There was much obeerin*.

A VERITABLE DEATH CAULDRON. BRITISH KUSTI TNTO A ROARING HELL. TERRIBLE ARTILLERY WORK. MASSES OF GERMANS SURRENDER. GENERAI. TURNS GUNS ON TO THEM GERMAN TIIENCHES A SHAMBLES. Rece'ved July 4, i am. London, July 3. Tt is believed there were 110 overseas troops engaged in tlio offensive. The chief fruits are the enemy losses, and the men's mvaie. Nowhere was the fight sufficiently uniform to make a general summing up possible. South of An ere we scored the greatest sucefPses. Northward the progress on the whole line was greater than the map shows. Under a dreadful hurricane of shells the whole of the attacking troops reached the enemy trenches, which were battered out of existence. His nearer communication trenches were obliterated. Whole villages behind the lines were swept away as if a forest fire had ragect through then:. The village of Thiepval was converted into a veritable, devil's cauldron. Here there was a bowl of seething fumes—black, green and white. The German lines for the past four days must have been a hideous nightmare. The French advance was magnificent. They went forward as if on parade, and carried the first German line unchecked and then swept on beyond. At the order to advance, the British rushed into the roaring hell, and worked their way to our curtain of fire ahead. The enemy's shells poured into our men, who did not jvaver, the gaps in their ranks being quickly closed. Then the curtain of fire suddenly jumped like a jerky cinema film, and rose and fell on another trench further on, leaving nothing but desolation in front of our men. Everything was flattened out. Our men leaped across the ruined trenches towards the wall of smoke and fire. The drama was repeated again and again. The men approached the curtain and saw it lift and fall further on, Our gunners had the range perfectly. In the cyclone of fire it was impossible to give spoken commands. Everything was done by gesture. A dense body of Germans approached. It looked like a counter-attack. Our artillery ceased fire. The gunners knew these were surrenderors. We slit their boot laces and cut ofi' their brace buttons. The Germans, with their hands in their packets, slouched rearwards, needing few to guard them. The German general must also have been surprised at the local counter-at-tack turning into a procession of prisoners, for he ordered the artillery to fire Many of the prisoners fell. Tt was also found that many of the enemy were stricken down while praying. Some had prayer-books in their hands. Many of the trenches were impassable shambles, groans coming from the wounded buried beneath the piles of dead. GENERAL HAIG'S REPORT. AEROPLANES SUCCESSFULLY COOPERATE. Received July 3 S.la p.m. London, July 3. General Sir Douglas Haig reports heavy fighting on Sunday between Ancre and the Sonime, especially about Fricourt and La Boiselle The former was captured at two in the afternoon, and remains in our hands. Some progress was made eastwards, the enemy stubbornly resisting in the neighborhood of Lo Boiselle, but our troops are progressins satisfatcorily. Much war material was captured. The situation on either side of the Ancre valley is unchanged. The general situation must be regarded as favorable. Later reports of the enemy losses show that our first estimates are too low. Our aeroplanes were very active, cooperating in the attack north of the Sonime. i'hey bombed numerous enemy headquarters and railway centres Two Fokkers were downed. We conducted a long distance reconnaissance in spite oi attempts to frustrate them. Three of our planes are missing. BELGIANS HELPING. VIOLENT BOMBING. Received July 3, 10 p.m. London, July 3. \ Belgian communique says that in the southern sector of the Belgian front violent bomb warfare developed on Saturday evening, THE FIGHTING AT THIAUMONT. GERMANS LYING AS USUAL, Received July 3, 0 p.m London, July 2. All reports prove that the Germans are lying as to Thiauniont in the same way as their falsehood' about Douaumont. The French captured Thiaumont at 10 o'clock on Friday morning, and the Germans re-entered the town at three in the afternoon, and remained there for ninety minutes. The Germans, in the evening, made a series of furious attacks and retook Thiaumont, which the French on Saturday morning again captured. The Germans bombarded all day without result.

SOUTH OF THE SOMME. ENEMY'S SECOND LINE PENETRATED. THE FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. Received July 3, 8.15 p.m. ■Paris, July 3. A communique states that heavy fighting occurred in our favor all day north of the Soinme and in the region of llardeeourt and Cnrlu. We captured a' fortified (juarry east of Cnrlu. We sained a footing in the second lines at many points south of the Sonime anil captured the village of Frise Wood and Mereincourt. The umvoumleil prisoners captured now exceed 0000, including lot) officers. We also took some guns and much material. Our losses were slight. There was no infantry action north of Verdun, but there was a lively bombardment. Tlie insignificant French losses in tltf Somme region is due to the complete artillery preparation, the dasli of the infantry and the air squadrons. The latter did effective work, bomhing heavily the railway stations at Tonguyon, Thionville, Dun BriseuHes and Ainagrieluequy. At the last-named they destroyed the buildings and a train. The Germans to-day fired heavy shells at Nancy and Belfort, and aeroplanes bombed the open town of Luneville. Reprisals will be taken. VIOLENT GERMAN ATTACKS. EASILY REPULSED. Paris, July 2. A communique says: The struggle at Mori Homme was fierce. At night tlie Germans violently attacked new positions in the neighborhood of Hardeeoiirt. Our curtain of fire and infantry lire indicted important losses, and the enemy fell back in disorder. The Germans launched an attack in the evening north-east of the Bois d'Avocourt, and penetrated our advanced elements. Our counter-attack completely repulsed them. We effected I a coup de main on the eastern slopes of Mort Homme. The enemy made several attacks on the Thiaumont work, in which we were established, but were easily repulsed. A strong party of Germans was hurled at our first line, but were dispersed after suffering heavy losses. Over 5000 unwounded prisoners were captured. ATTACK WELL PLANNED. CO-ORDINATED THRUSTS. London, July 2. Our lino of attack starts roughly in the outskirts of Arras, while the French battle-front on the right extends possibly beyond Rove. It is an undulating, open and wooded countryside, with only the usual roads and railways. It is an agricultural district, hence the Gorman defence is less advantageously placed than in. other sectors. Military critics point out that there is nothing haphazard in the choice of the nywient and place, nor is it a mere chance that our offensive is coincident with the Russian and Italian thrusts. The Germans have hitherto not attempted serious fighting in this sector, because, unlike Y.pres, which offered the channel ports, it did not offer any value. A serious breach in the German front will imperil the whole position in Northern France. Happily the cutting-out raids have familiarised tis with the intricacies of the defences. A German communique reports a great Anglo-French offensive on a 23niiles front after strong artillery and gas preparation, which gained no advantages worth mentioning. From Goinniecourt to La Boiselle it penetrated our first line in the region abutting on the Sonime, compelling the withdrawal of our division into prearranged positions. We lost front line material which could not be moved. Other attacks were unsuccessful. Paris, July 2. Following iip our advantage on the right bank of the Somme, we occupied the village of Curie after a lively combat. We conserved our positions south of the Soiume. We made progress luring the night between Herbecourt and Asscvillers, and effected numerous ■■econnaissances in Champagne, clearing out the enemy trenches with grenades. The Petit Parisien says that the Franco-British offensive was launched in brilliant fashion and seized the enemy's first defences. The French west of Peroniie liberati'ie four villages. The principal battle is developing on a sector of 40 kilometres (25 miles), of which the British are attacking on 25 kilomeres (about 15 miles). There are numerous reconnaissances elsewhere, especially in the Loos sector. NEW TACTICS. NO CHANCES TAKEN. Paris, July 2. The French military authorities are fully satisfied with the first results of the new tactics. They (lid not expect any sensational results, as the element of surprise was largely wanting. The last half-hour's artillery preparation wa.s of unsurpassed intensity, and the French and British infantry attacks were then launched with the greatest gallantry and captured the advanced defences m an hour and a-lialf. The entire Allied front had advanced two kilometres (1% miles) on a front of forty kilometres (-25 miles) before evening. The British and French losses were small compared with those of the Germans', owing to careful preparation. The British took no chances. Where raiders reported that the wire was not cut and the trenches undamaged, the sector was subjected to a further bombardment. The new tactics aim at a steady and continuous hammering of the line, without unnecessary losses of Allied lives, until it is possible to launch a general attack. London, July 2. The chief German attack on the British front during the night was in the region of Montauban, and was repulsed with serious losses. The British are consoHtb l 3.1! their gait l -*

The Anzac; made a lightning raid on Thursday night. They swarmed into a- trench within live minutes of the first concentration, killing and "wounding 80. Their own casualties were slight. The Auzacs made a lightning raid on Thursday night. Tliey swarmed into a trench within live minutes of the first concentration, killing and wounding SO. Their own casualties were slight. A Belgian communioue says: We carried out destructive lire on German works and batteries in the Dixmude region. Amsterdam, July 2. There is violent artillery action 011 the Yser front, including heavy gunfire from warships. It is believed'tintt the British monitors are firing at the Germans across the dunes in order to render a German infantry advance impossible. REJOICINGS IN LONDON. ENEMY SURPRISED. London. July 2. Xeus of the Anglo-French nlfensive spread with astonishing' rapidity, and people repented the magical word to each other, knowing that the hopes of many months were nearing fulfilment and that such mighty forces had been accumulated that the enemy had been put on the defensive. Passers-by told the good news to convalescent wounded men 011 the balconies of hospitals, and the soldiers and sailors I cheered. It was also promptly reported at the theatres aiul picture shows, and there was the utmost enthusiasm everywhere. Judging from signs 'atterly the Germans were fully aware of the preparations of Generals JofVre and liaig, and the persistent and desperate onslaught on Verdun was intended to disorganise the Anglo-French plan. General Jofl're was not perturbed, and declined to budge until everything was in readiness and a moment had arrived promising every guarantee, of success. The direction the blow came from was a complete surprise. The enemy's expelling civilians from Lille indicated the expectation that the chief effort would be from t|he British centre, opposite Lens. The intense British bombardment on a ninety-mile front for a whole week kept the enemy in such doubt regarding the objective that it was unsafe for him to modify his former dispositions. Hence of 800,000 Germans facing the British lines not a single regiment was withdrawn for the reinforcement of other fronts. Those withdrawn were largely from the Champagne. The British and French are no>W' advancing towards Bapaume, an important centre of the main roads radiating at Albert, Peronne, Cambrai and Arras. The weather is fine. The British are strongly pressing the enemy from Frieonrt to Gommecourt. the latter being a mile northward of I.ebuterue. Sir .Douglas Haig's afternoon bulletin reports substantial progress in the vicinity of Fricourt, which our troops captured by i o'clock in the afternoon. We took 800 prisoners until midday. During the operations between the Ancre and the Somme the total was !!500, including prisoners from other parts of the front last night. Rome. July '2. The Itali-Vii press applauds the British success, and Union Jacks are generally hoisted on public and private buildings. Large crowds cheered at the Embassy and elsewhere.