WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

GERMANY'S SERIOUS PLIGHT.

THE BRITISH ADVANCE. STRONG POSITIONS TAKEN. . BEST GERMAN TROOPS BROKEN. AXZACS' GOOD WORK. 'Received August 21, 9.40 p.m. „. London., Augnst'gl. the rimes' correspondent at.headquarters states that the Germans lately have repeatedly said the British offensive is dead, but we have again Jut hard and advanced a depth of 300 to 500 yards, and captured trenches which put an end to a stretch of several miles. We only failed at the top of the High Wood westwardly, where we cleared out the furthest trenches, Our position became untenable and we fell back to the old ground. Elsewhere we drove the enemy from their trendies at strong points, and hold the captured ground. Our advance covers live-sixths of the f ground on the front attacked. We attacked in full daylight in the afternoon and early evening on the extreme left, where the gain is perhaps largest and most important. We cleared the whole elaborate front line, till our front is now some 1500 yards north of OviMers and La Boiselle, and due west of Pozieres cemetery. There lias been no smarter action since the commencement of the -battle.

The push of the Australians carried them 300 yards. The average for the whole circuit, from the quarry to AlbertBapaume «oad and beyond the windmill, makes a width of more than 2COO yards. It must be understood tliat the windmill at Mouquet Farm is a mere name. There is no farm or windmill, it being I a mere hummock on the sky line. Beginning with the capture of 0?o----zieres, the Australians have done extremely well. On this front now, just about a mile north of the centre of the village, we have taken over a mile of the German second line system, with minor trenches artd innumerable strong j points. Every road and ground is honeycombed with every kind of defence German industry and ingenuity can invent. It was perfect, yet nothing stopped our men, except temporarily. The number of their prisoners is not yet known. East of the' Bapaume road, in the Munstalley region, we again thrust on towards .Martinpuich, breaking through another stretch of the German line, and adding new ground on the right of iMun-

ster Alley. One of the most notable of Friday's gains is that all the land east of Waterlot Farm is now in our possession. Southwards we forced our way to Guillemont, I am not inclined to attach much importance to the stories that Germans show increasing .war sickness, though it is true many'are willing to surrender and thero are large numbers of deserters. I presume the total is over 15,000 prisoners since the beginning of the battle, but it is not safe to argue from local symptoms. It is amazing, though, that we can daily break the best German troops. Perhaps we never proved our superiority better than on Friday. FURTHER PROGRESS. \ I DESPITE ENEMY COUNTER- ' ATTACKS, \"; Received August 21, 10 p.m. Ji London, August 21. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: We gained further trenches northwards of Bazentin-le-Petit. A French official communique states: We captured a strong wood between Guillemont and Maurepas, wijh important stores.

ENEMY STRONG ATTACKS. BRITISH BREAK THEM Received August 21, 0.30 p.m. London, August 21. General Sir Douglas Haig states that tlie enemy strongly attacked our new line on the west corner of the High Wood, and reached our line at certain points. Our infantry drove them out. Subsequent enemy attacks broke down. The enemy heavily shelled portions of our front, especially the High Wood Hamel and Mailly.

ALLIES' SUCCESS. ENEMY BADLY SHAKEN. London, August 21. A correspondent at 'headquarters in France says that the week-end fighting developed into one of the most important and successful battles of the Western offensive. Besides satisfactorily pro> grossing towards the complete mastery of _ tho ridge, wo captured a thousand prisoners and much material, several formidable strong points were destroyed, and the way prepared for 'urther progress. We were most successful in the neighborhood of the Leipzig redoubt and Martinpuicli. The enemy morale was badly shaken under the incessant punishment. A whole squad of Saxons deserted, being unable to face the music. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: There were bombarding encounters last night at some points between the Somme and tho Ancre. The Germans liava not made a serious attempt to recover the ground we captured on Friday. We successfully raided other parts of the line and inflicted considerable casualties. A German communique says: Activity on the Somme lias gradually decreased. Isolated British attacks north-west of the Pozieres-Fourncanx road weie repulsed. Eight British and four French divisions participated in the attack on the lSth. The loss of Floury li tfm'.tM.

ATTRITION BEGINNING TO TELL. FRENCH HAVE THE INITIATIVE. Received August 22, 1 a.m. Loudon, August 21. Tile New York American's correspondent at Paris states that the Germans arc- vainly endeavoring to disguise their serious plight by re-grouping their forces. General Jofl're's staff possessed mathematical evidenee_that the Germans are stopping the gaps at the expense ol tne depletion of another part of the line." The : French have thorough command: of;, the initiative'.at:.Verdun.; ' ... . . DESPERATE BO JIBING. 'London, August 20. A Belgian communique says: There is n daily bombardment and desperate bombing encounters between , Dixmude and Boesiughe. Our aeroplanes dropped many bombs on the military works in the Praetbosch region, and at Zarren produced violent fires.