WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1916, Page 4

WESTERN ATTACK.

GERMANS AT A DISADVANTAGE. FRENCH AND BRITISH PROGRESS. Paris, July 12. Tlie Germans are fighting it a disadvantage with their bucks to the river. The majority of the bridges have been destroyed since the beginning of the offensive. After capturing Hill 97 the French commenced a further attack, linking up the hill with La Maisonette and Biaehes. The enemy continued, U|j to a late hour on Monday, to resist at some noints. The French, however, are in possession of two lines at the hill dominating those, on the right bank. Meanwhile the Germans are opposing the British advance inch by inch. Their losses in the Trones Wood district were enormous. The British have made progress on both sides of Contalmaison, but the Germans are still clinging to one of the outskirts. w .;_.. * BRITISH RECAPTURE CONTAL- j MAISON. MAMETZ WOOD STORMED. London, July 11. Sir Douglas Haig reports.—'"Last night, after a brisk bombardment, we again carried Coiitaiinaison by assault, taking 18!) unwounded prisoners, including a battalion commander and four officers. A strong counter-attack during the night was beaten oil' with heavy enemy loss. The whole village is now in our hands. Further eastward we stormed several lines of trenches in the Mametz Wood, and the greater art of the wood is now in our possession. We captured a heavy howitzer, three held guns, and 286 unwounded prisoners, including three officers. Heavy fighting continues in the Trones Wood. In aerial combats on the nth one of our aerolanes was shot down by a direct hit from an anti-aircraft gun and three other machines have not returned. INTENSE * D TILLERY WORK. GERMANS ATTACKS REPELLED. Paris, July 11. A communique says: The condition at the Somme is calm. Prisoners taken dining the last two days exceed 1300. There U great artillery activity at Avocourt and Chattancourt, and it has redoubled its intensity at Fleury and east of Chenois. The Germans attacked over the whole front east of Fumin Wood and Chenois Wood, and entered j an advanced trench. A counter-attack ■ drove them out. The Germans in Lorraine attacked a salient east o'f Reillon and penetrated the first line on a front of two hundred I metres. Taking advantage of four mine explosions, the enemy attempted to seize the trendies north-east of Velio. Our rifle fire caused him to fall back, leaving dead and wounded. We occupied the craters. In the Vosges we penetrated and occupied the first line and supporting trenches north of Fontenielle and cleared out the enemy. GERMAN BRUTALITY, WOUNDED BAYONETED AND SHOT. London, July 11. The Times correspondent at headquarters states that at one point only did the Germans allow the British to recover their wounded. Most of the Germans bayoneted and shot the wounded and played machine-guns over the fields where the dead and wounded were lying together, to make sure they would not figfit again. The evidence comes from too many quarters to admit doubt of this. A GALLANT OFFICER. London, July 11. A wouiuled man state s that Captain Gerald Pr'owse was cheering on the troops vvheu a shell dropped near him and he fell. Several rushed to his assistance but, though dying, he continued to cheer on his men. His last words were ''keep up the name of the ;stonewall brigade'." ■ - SPIRIT OF EAST SURREYS. 3 tf,' . (Keutcr Service.) London, July 11. A special from France describes the experience uT a battalion of East Surreys which was selected to start the attack. Each platoon was provided with a football and the commanders kicked oil'. Officers and the men dropped rapidly, but the dribbling continued. Two balls were actually kicked into the German trenches and recovered. When the bayonets got to work one 0: the footballers slew 17 Germans. Another handed his rifle to a comrade and polished off-a Bosche with his lists, explaining: "That bloke is too old to shoot and too thin to bayonet." The Surreys captured a machine-gun and turned it 011 the enemy, devastating an ammunition column. GERMAN GARBLED REPORT. Berlin, July 11. A communique says: Between t» Anere and the Soinme the Eng&l launched strong attacks, but were sin down on a wide front on the Bapauiii' Albert Road. Repeated enemy attemp to recapture the Trones Wood fail with heavy losses. Black French troops attacking Maisonette were repulsed by ov powering fire. At Ltintrey, in Lorraine, a mine hu damaged the' French positions, wlikli ! Germans penetrated.