WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

WE Win ALL THE TIME# THE THIEPVAb-GINCIIY FORTRESS. ENORMOUS GERMAN FORCES. TJNPRECEDEXTT.Y TTFAVY -it LOSSES. Received August 27, 5.5 p.m..London, August 26. The Daily Moil's correspondent at Picardy states that there is an eight mile fortress extending from Thiepval to Ginchy, and it has a great bastion at either end. We stormed the outworks at both ends on Thursday. Germany has concentrated, especially at Thievpal and Giiillemont, enough men and guns to garrison 'eighty miles of trenches. The Germans also possess hundreds of cannon, indeed, a hundred batteries of all calibres. Troops are not reckoned by the hundred or thousand or ten thousand, but by corps. The intensity of the German effort to prevent the bastions falling came to a focus at Guillemont on- Wednesday night. Vain bloody counter-attacks are made but it is equally apparent that in massing men and guns at certain places behind the lines the Germans have never during the period of the war lost nearly sp many men in defensive fighting. The losses among supports, equally with attacking troops, was unpreceilently heavy. They were forced, despite machine-guns, to use more men and emjjjace more guns in vulnerable positions. Wlicn we gain, as we are doing almost daily, some hundred yards of trenches with small loss to ourselves, or high enemy loss, we are defeating the enemy's supreme endeavour, whereto he ' applies all his skill and energy. He cannot do more and wc win all the time. THE MAUREPAS BATTLE. KAISER'S SON IN COMMAND. FRENCH VICTORY EASY. Received August 20, 7.30 p.m. Paris, August 26. Tt is understood that the Germans at Maurepas comprised the First Division of the Prussian Guards, personally commanded hv the Raiser's son, Prince Eitel Frederick. The French victory was neither difficult nor costly. A communique states: Prisoners captured during Thursday's combats total six hundred. The Germans gained a footing in the advanced trenches at Ailly Wood, but were immediately expelled.

ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED. GOOD WORK BY AVIATORS. Received August 2fi, 7.30 p.m.. London, August 2(5. General Sir Douglas Ilaig states: We repulsed an attack on the trenches westward of Giiinchy. The enemy bombarded the captured trenches westward of Guinchy and at Delville Wood. Two of our aeroplanes raided some of the principal railway sidings on the lines of communication, several trains being hit, and considerable damage caused to rolling stock. CHECKMATED. GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. Received August 27, 5.5 p.m. Paris, August 20. A communique reports that after an intense bombardment south of Maurepas, the enemy attacked at two points .west of Tahure, and gained a footing in a small salier 1 but were bombed out. Several sharp attacks in the region of Thiaumont and Fleury were all repulsed, Aerial combats ensued on the whole front,' twelve of the enemy machines, including four Fokkers, being brought down at various points. Carelessness by women fusemakors fired the munition works at St. Denis; three workshops were destroyed, but no casualties are reported.

FURTHER BRITISH PROGRESS DESPITE SEVERE ENEMY ATTACKS. Received August 27, 5.5 p.m. London, August 26. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy bombarded the front line trendies ou tie greater portion of file front soutli of Autre. Attacks in the morning west of Guillemont, between the quarries of Montauban and Guillemont road, were repulsed. We further progressed easi'; and southwest of Moquet Farm, and also captured another four hundred yards of trenches I along the Courcelette-Thiepva.l road. ; Tho importance the enemy attaches to l'tlie Thiepval sector is shown by the great effort made to recover tho ground at the Leipzig salient. He recently effected a great concentration of guns in this area and iu support of last night's attacks also delivered an attack south of Thiepval village, wit'h the Prussian Guard. Tho attack was pressed determinedly," but was everywhere repulsed with very heavy loss. The success of our defence was largely due to the gallantry of the and Worcesters, who, despite a heavy bombardment, held on, MORE GERMAN" TRICKERY. " Received August 27, 5.5 pan, London, August 20. A correspondent at headquarters reports that an escaped British prisoner emphatically asserts that all the German lnachiiie-guuucrs ho saw wore Red Cros3 banili*

POUNDING THE ENEMY, . ! 4 GUN (POSITIONS DESTROYED 1 Ecuter Servioe.j Received August 27, 11.24 p.iai London, August 29. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: LaeV evening there was artillery activity at Mametz Wood, north of Delville Wood, Roulencourt, Laconture, and east of Zillebeke. Our counter-attacks destroyed many and damaged otJher gun positions on the Somme. Our aircraft attacks on points of miU« tary importance continue, ARTILLERY ACTIVE. IN VERDUN NEIGHBORHOOD. "■* Received August 27, 11.20 p.m. ' Paris, August 2f!« 'A communique states that there W very lively artillery Are nortihward of Maurepas, westward of Clery, and on the Thiaumont-Fleury sector.