WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

THE ADVANCE AT POZiERES. BRILLIANT WORK BY KENTS AXD ANZACS. GERMAN ARMY ORDER. PLATEAU MUST BE RECAPTURED. Received August S, 7.15 p.m. ■ London, August 7, The Anzacs and Kents brilliantly ramie their advance on the Pozieres plateau in the direction of Martinpuich (cabled yesterday), and splendidly carried two lines of trenches, and then advanced two hundred yards on the plateau. General von Bulow's army order, found on prisoners, said they must, at all costs, recapture die Pozieres plateau, as if the British retained the plateau it would give them a valuable advantage, so it must lie retaken forthwith. The troops first gaining a foothold must maintain Mine at whatever sacrifice, pending reinforcements. Any .officer or man not resisting to the death would he immediately courtmartialled. GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. Received August S, S.D.J p.m. London. August S. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: The German attacks north-east and north of Pozieres penetrated the new trendies at u few points, but the attackers were driven out, sustaining many casualties and losing many prisoners. The first two attacks were made at lour o'clock in the morning, and two others at 8..30 a.m., and a fifth at 4 in the afternoon. All the attacks were feeble and easily repulsed. ANZACS WIN FRESH GLORY. OPPOSED TO SAXONS AND BAVARIANS. HEAVY LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES. Central News Service Received August S, 9.40 p.m. Pari-, August S. The Anzacs won fresh glory at verierday's fighting north of Pozieres. Tliey firmly held the trenches skirting the Piapaume road against attacks by three Saxon and Bavarian regiments. Both sides lost heavily'by knife and revolver lighting, but thf colonials did not yield. Their magnificent resistance enabled the .British unit to attack the enemy on the left flank and drive them off northwesterly. ISXEMY HURLED FROM TRENCHES. The British :oiiiiti-r-:i Hacked west of Pozieres and then hurled the Germans from their trenches, thus enlarging the Ijains towards Tliiepval, ENEMY BATTALIONS MOWN DOWN. The German losses were heaviest between the Pozieres mill and Hill Hid. Three battalions that were advancing in liehelon were mown down by the British guns' oblique fire. The German remnants scurried back in disorder. AUSTRALIANS COMMENDED. SOLID FIGHTING. New York, August 7. The Evening World's dispatch from the British front commends the Australians, who for days had been holding grimly to the village of Pozieres under a tornado of German shells, for tlieir charge on a two-mile front, sweeping the Germans several hundred yards back. The opinion at headquarters is that the value of the gain is inestimable. A week of fighting with sap and bomb preceded the attack, the Australians, amidst a volcano of shells, under a blazing Mm and in steaming trenches, working towards the front with pick and spade. ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED, London, August 7. A French communique says: North of the Somme and in the region of Chaulnes there is intense mutual artillery fighting. On the right of the Meuse, after artillery preparation, the Germans launched an attack on the Thiaumont work. The attack was stopped by our curtain of fire, and the enemy, unable to debouch in this area, returned to his trendies. In the region of Vaux and the Cliapitre , Wood an enemy offensive action, which '. was preceded by a violent bombardment , about 7.30 in the evening, was broken by our artillery and machine-guns, and . the attack completely failed. [ CONFLICTING REPORTS. London, August 7. Sir Douglas Haig reports that there i 3 no change. German bombardments between the Ancre and Somme continue. [ We retain the ground won eastward of Pozieres. \ A French communique says: —We repulsed attacks on the Thiaumont Work ' and on Vaux and Chapitre. We bombed railway stations at Metz- ! Sablnus and Thionville, factories at Rambucli and bivouacs at Etain. A German communique says:—We > counter-attacked, retaining the trenches ' it Pozieres. We completely repulsed two ■' French attacks at Monacu Farm. Fighting on the Thiaumont ridge ceased without advantage to the enemy. I FRENCH AND GERMAN SOCIALISTS. RELATIONS SEVERED. Received August 8, 5.5 p.m. Paris, August 8, The French Socialistic Congress, by. 1524 votes to 1075, has decided not to- ' sunie relations with G»rman Socialists.