WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

» THE VITAL STRZTCH. GEEAT GERMAN PREPARATIONS. 1 NAVAL GUN BROUGHT UP. , EXTENSIVE ENTANGLEMENTS. Received.August 2, 12..>5 a.n. t T.rmdon. AuGiist 1. CormpomleTit* state Hint liu> tierMils have dug many new trenches be- 1 hind (iiiillemant, and that among the new nuns brought up is a naval li-incli. s It is believed that eleven battalions will garrison the vital stretch. c There is a trench of about two thonTiie British artillery's toll will therefore ' be correspondingly heavy. j ' C 'o:jie of the Genr<>n entanglements i are fifty yards deep, r"~ -a THE FIGHTING AT W,-T£RLOT. -MANY GERMANS SURRENDER. SCOTS ADVANCE, BUT FORCED BACK. THEY HAVE THEIR REVENGE. Received Aug. 1, G. 43 p.m. London, Julv 31. Mr. Phlip Gibbs, describing Sunday's fighting in the vicinity of Waterlot farm, says the artillery maintained a heavy bombardment in sunport of tha infantry's advance over difficult ground. Many Germans surrendered during the o.u-iy stages. Til,- Hermans' work in digging new trenches east of f.ongueval aim Gmllemunt road, has been upset liy the Britishers, The Scotsmen initiated a forward movement from the Waterlot farm, which is now only a collection of ruined buildings. Leaving' at dawn, they reached the first Goim.n with few casualties, but found the enemy l.~!dir.g :t trench across Ihe railway line with their next trench east of the road, whcrefiom they enfiladed the attackers. The Scotsmen hid in a series of shell craters, where they were attacked liy a large force of Germans with machine- j guns, and were forced to retire to t.lie j trenches, our machine-gunners covering the retreat and mowing down many of the enemy, Eater, .the Scotsmen lieiig reinforced, they practically wiped out a strong force of enemy bombers and men ' carrying munition boxes. Bv this time [ some of the gunners were sick of the 5 business. A party of them emerged with hands up. but on the Scotsmen bringing the party out of the enemy's trenches, those beyond opened fire and killed a number oi their own men and .some of 1 the Scots. During the night, stretcherbearers found a wounded Scot whom a 1 Herman patrol bad left behind because he gave them a drink. The Germans wished him good luck and a safe return to his own line. GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS, THE PLOW CEASES ] MASSED GERMAN BATTERIES. HEAVY SHELLS THE FACTOR. ' £. BRITISH VOW TO ROUT THE BRANDENBURGERS, Received Aug. J, d.St) p.m. j London, July 31. Dutch reports show a cessation of the big movements of German reinforcements westward thus proving that her man-power is now on the West front, but they are still rushing guns, hoping to counteract tlie British superiority in men. It is estimated there are 'TOO German batteries on the Somme front. The fiercest fighting continues. The spell o£. liot, clear weather is facilitating air work, wherein the AngloFrench aviators maintain their superiority. The immediate Anglo-French objectives are Gincby, Guillemont, and Maurepas, screening the township of Combles, which the Germans have transformed into a fortress. Any French progress east *of the Clcry-Combles line will threaten the German position at ( Peronne, which is still the main object , of the French attack. There is fierce fighting in the woods , north of the main road at flinchy. and , at Combles woods, against strongly organised Brandenburgeis, who had taken up a position in the wood after their defeat at Longueval and Delville Wood. The Britishers have sworn to completely rout the Brandenburgers from their newposition. A continuous supply of heavy shells will be the governing factor of the lighting, >-r- —irr ——> _ AVIATORS' BOMB RAIDS. SEVEN TONS USED. GERMAN POSITIONS SUFFER. Received Aug. 1, 1 p.ni, London, July 31. General Sir Douglas Haig reports that there has been no infantry lightimr. Aviators made several raids, and dropped seven_ tons of bombs on the German positions. They also blew up a train and ammunition dfetiot.

FRENCH OFFiCiAL REPORT. " GERMAN" ATTACKS FAIL. VIOLENT FIGHTING AS tiIIAUMONT. AVIATORS DO ClOGi WORK. Eeoeived August 2. 111(1 a.m. London, August 1. A French official report states: North oi the S'omme the Germans continued their attack on the Hew Wood and Moueau Farm, but all attempts iailed'. Willi serious euemv ln-.-es. * y w . al v holding all conquered positions on the right hank of the Mouse. Violent lighting is continuing in the sectors of Thiaumont and Floury. There has been no event of importance on the rest of the front. On Sunday night one of our squadrons bombarded the military factories at. Tiiienville and stations at Conliaus and Audun-le-lloiiian, al-o encampments in the region of Elaine. FOR THE FIRST TIME. 1 \ MEN AND MUNITION* ' t STRENGTH OF TLB BRITISH London, July 31. Mr. Reach Thomas, the Daily Mail's special representative on the llritish \\ estern front describes the methodical attack. ''Columns of smoke," he says, ''protected the advancing troops and savid the lives of many. The highest tribute that can be paid to the Germans is that the attack was not unexpected. Prisoners say that they knew of it for several days, and were sure on Friday that it would take place on Saturday. The bulk of the enemy reserves were certainly brought up, and the men in the front trenches were ordered to hold out to the death. ''Great, efforts were made to transmit a plentiful supply of ammunition to the lire trenches, but the unceasing lire of the Liritish artillery frustrated this work. ''The Germans chiefly lived on iron rations. The strain was too much. Some jumped out 01 the trenches .simultaneously with our men moving from theirs, and stood up in a row holding up their hands. "The Germans stronglv resisted in the villages and lie Id forts, where they hj". 1 organised their defences with tiie highest skill and obstinacy. "The evacuation oi the wounded was perfectly organised. Some of the lighter-wounded men journeyed from the third trenches to tile clearing station within one or two hours. "Many of the battle incidents prove that Britain was properly urnicd, manned and munitioned for the first time during the war. A continuous offensive, hitherto never remotely possible, is possible now. We have the means of victory, which were ably and bravely used. But the people in England must not forget that a European battle is not over in '!! hour-—or a week." ("Iron rations" are the emergency rations issued to the armies in tins). AUSTRO-GEBMANY. i'OOD RIOTS. London, July 31. Home letters found on German prisoners describe the riots in Berlin, Breslau, Windau, anil Kiel. The troops suppressed them. One letter states that there i? almost a revolution on account of potatoes. SHORTAGE OF MILK DENIED, Berlin, July 31. Mr. Taylor, of the American Embassy, after investigation, denies tiie German stories of shortage of milk for babies. INCREASING THE INDEMNITY BILL. Times Service. Received August 1, 9.10 p.m.- " ! London, August 1. The German Government has paid 24J million' as compensation for the Russiuu invasion oi East Prussia,