WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 August 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

THE BATTLE OF POZIERES. GERMANS TAKEN BY SURPRISE. COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED. ENEMIES' LOSSES OX BOTH FRONTS ESTIMATED AT 750,000. Renter Service. Received August 0, 5.5 p.m. London, August 5. A correspondent at headquarters, describing the battle on Friday evening, nays the British and Australasians rapidly advanced beyond Pozieres, with high ly successful results. The heavy -bombardment throughout Thursday evening appeared to have taken by surprise the German second line system, which was pulverised out of recognition. The attackers crossed on a front exceeding a mile. The enemy's three counter-attacks during the night were repulsed with heavy .'oases. Owing to the intc-sity and accuracy of our artillery, many Germans surrendered freely. Already four hundred have been brought in and there are others to fellow. The clear aryi cooler weather favored operations. Fantastic reports have been published in German papers' as to the extent of the Anglo-French casualties on the Somme. Meanwhile a significant silence is maintained regarding the Central Empires 1 losses, which are conservatively estimated on the Eastern and Western fronts at 750,000, whereof 220,000 are ■dead or disabled permanently, and .'580,000 taken prisoner, whilst 000 guns :md 1500 machine-guns were captured. The losses against Italy are not included. POZIERES FRONT EXTENDED. GAINS CONSOLIDATED. EFFECTIVE ARTILLERY WORK. Beuter Service. . Received August 6, 11.5 p.m. London, August S. General Sir Douglas flaig states that, including the capture of trenches reported to-day, our line north and west of Pozieres has been pushed forward from 400 to 800 yards on a '3OOO yards front. During the last two days the Australian, Kent. Surrey, and Sussex troops participated in the operations and consolidated the ground won, despite heavy shell lire. Our artillery .shelled Courcelette and Meraumont, destroying ten ■ gun emplacements and three munitions stores. HEAVY FIGHTING AT THIAUMONT. , ENEMY REPULSED WITH HEAVY LOSSES. SEVENTEEN AERIAL COMBATS. FIVE GERMAN MACHINES SETTLED. Received August 6, 5.5 p.m. ■ ' . Paris, August 5. A communique states: The Germans ' attempted furious counter-attacks to drive us out of the Thiaumont works, which are now solidly occupied. The fighting lasted from nine o'clock in the evening until next morning, causing heavy losses to the enemy, who were repulsed at each attempt without gaining ', the slightest advantage. , Fighting is also lively in the village of Fleury, -where there is no appreciable change. Aeroplanes in the neighborhood of the Somme had seventeen combats. Two German machines i'ell headlong,' and . three others were brought down elsei where, , "/ h- ■-: :■* [ AUSTRALIANS TAKE PART. COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED, Received August 6, 5.9 p.nt. London, August 5. General Sir Douglas Haig states that the Australian troops and the new army partook in a local attack during the tight which resulted in the capture of the German second line system on a front of over 2000 yards. Repeated counter-attacks were made against the captured positions, but they were re- , pulsed with very heavy losses. There is only mining activity elsewhere, . OFFICIAL 'REPORT. £sfs The High Commissioner reports under date London, August 5, 12.30 a.m.:—■ A British official message says it has been a quiet day in the trenches which we captured last night. We are in very close touch with the enemy. Large numbers of German dead are lying all round these trenches. We took 100 prisoners. The enemy's artillery maintained a barrage south of Pozieres most of the day, and shelled a portion of Ma--1 metz wood. The enemy exploded a mine at Auchy, on our side of the crater, inJ dicating the nervousness of the miners. Four British aeroplanes engaged seven 1 of tile enemy for 45 minutes. Three German machines were brought doivn, and two of the British are missing.