WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

A DARING THRUST. THE GINCHY STRONGHOLD.' HARD AND BLOODY FIGHTING, GERMANS KILLED IN MASSES. Received Sept. !), 7.30 p.m. London, Sept. 8. Mr. Philip Gibbs, writing on September 5, refers to the capture of Guillemont and Kalfcmont farm as a daring thrust forward into Leuze, or. what the Tommies call "Lousy wood." The assault on Ginchy lias'givcn this, sector of the battle line an atmosphere of exultation unequalled since July 14th, when our men broke the German second line at Longueval, The men are now fighting with a sense of, victory. They feel the Germans are on the run, and believe that by taking, risks they will keep them running. The rapid progress of the French is helping our men. The progress not only acts as a moral tonic, but shows that the Gorman strength has begun to crack. We got all round Ginehy after hard and bloody fighting. Many men took the last hazard in trying to force their" way to the stronghold where the enemy was entrenched and covered with weil placed machine-guns. No message has come back. Possibly they are still a living wedge in the enemy's gate. One party of thirty fought their way along a sap, and established a bombing place north of Ginchy, which they held against all odds. The rations' gave out, and the men suffered horribly from thirst . The ammunition was nearly spent, but they refused to give up. A sergeant came back with the requisite bombs. Tlie Germans meanwhile were suffering terribly. Only twenty were left out of a company at one spot. Other British troops forced their way to Ginchy stronghold, which doubtless will soon fall to our repeated assaults. This will give us the end of the ridge, and link up the line with "Lousy wood," where we are still exposed to flanking attacks. Our bombardment of Guillemont was extraordinarily effective. The Germans were killed in masses. It was a frightful sight. Many were quit.naked, their clothes being stripped off by the blasting force of our high explosives. Some were untouched by shells, being killed by air concussion or heart shocks. j The success of the bombardment will give the infantry a comparatively easy task. The last Germans in Guillemont were dazed and done. Of forty lying in a single, deep dug-out only three were alive. There were many dead in other dug-outs. We suffered heavy losses too. --Thank God, the spirit of our . mi in these hideous places and during these frightful hours was always the same—indomitable and unbroken by the worst ordeal/ -

'RIVERS OF FIRE. GUNS THUNDERING DAY ANT NIGHT. 3ERMANY AMAZED. Received Sept. 10, 5.0 p.m. Paris, Sept. 9. The Daily. Express' correspondent throws a light on the Anglo-French communiques which are brief and unvarnished allusions to artillery activity. He says: "On a front of over thirty miles, north and south of- the river, the Allies guns are pounding the enemy's positions with a most terrific bombardment, firing all day, without intermission, shells of all calibres. The German lines arc hidden in dust and amoks, but now and again above the crash of bursting shells a louder note is heard marking the explosion of munition depots. The guns thunder all night too, until the German trenches appear to be running rivers of fire." Other correspondents relate that German prisoners are amazed at the persistence of the Allied offensive. They had nO idea that the British army, at any rate, was able to continue so long. The possibility that we might still be hammering tbem, after two months, with the same merciless persistence as the first week was never taken into the enemy's calculations. Official: Aeroplanes again raided E!nazor, and bombed the enemy camps. ENEMY OBTAIN A FOOTING. OUT BY COUNTER-ATTACK Receive.. Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m, Paris, Sept. 9. A communique states: Several attacks were made on our positions at Vaux, Chapitre and Leclienvis. The enemy obtained a foothold in a trench, but a counter-attack drove them out. INTENSE ARTILLERY ACTIVITY.

IRISH REGIMENTS PRAISED. Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 9. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: There is intense artillery bombardment on both sides. The general situation is unchanged. The Irish regiments participating in the capture of Guillemont on Sunday, behaved with the greatest dash and success (achieved. Our aeroplanes bombed ten aerodromes with good effect. j BRITISH SUCCESSES I Received Sept. 10, 3.5 p.m. London, Sept. 9. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: We captured a trench at High wood on Friday night, and repulsed a small infantry attack near Mouquet farm. We entered the enemy trenches in the neighbourhood of Arras, and the Hohenzollern redoubt, north of Neuve Chapelle, inflicting losses and taking prisoners. Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. For Chronic Chest Complaints, Every home can afford to drink Desert Gold, the Queen' of Teas, Family blend, 1/9 j special, gradesi 1/10 and 2/i' 2

AERODROMES BOMBED. REMAINDER OF GIXOUY TAKES'. FURTHER ADVANCE. FRENCH CAPTURE TRENCHES. Received Sept. 10, 11.30 p.m, London, Sept. 10. Official; Naval aeroplanes bombed the aerodromes at (ihistelles and Haudzuoe, wiOii satisfactory results. General Sir Douglas Huig is attacking on a front of six thousand yards from High Wood to Lcuze Wood. We captured the remainder of Gincliy, aftur severe fighting, also the ground between Giiurhy and Leuze Wood. We advanced eastward of High Wood :)(>() yards on a 500 yards front, '"lie enemy casualties were very heavy. We gained GOO yards of trenches northward of Pozieres, and bombarded the trenches on the Vimy ridge, opposite Souc'hcz. Tains, Sept. 9. A communique states that there is vigorous mutual artillery activity on the Sonime. We captured a portion of a trench eastward of Bellov. The enemy attempt to recapture the position at Berny was repulsed with heavy losses. We carried eastward of Fleury village the whole system of trenches. MR. ASQUITH VISITS THE FRONT. SATISFIED WITH PROSPECTS'" FRENCH CAPTURE Wellingtons Last Night. The High Commissioner reports from London under date Sept. 19, 7.35 a.m.:— The Hon. H. H. Asquith has returned from his visit to the front, and is satisfied with the conditions and prospects. A French official report states that between Floury and Douauiiiont we captured all the systems of German trendies, taking many prisoneis, also material, with brilliant success. COLONEL MORAHT AP PROPHET. GERMAN PROTEST AGAINST GAS. Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 9. Colonel Moraht writes: The present Sonime battles are decisive, and will show the enemy the impossibility of either breaking through or breaking down our cleverly-placed elastic retreating movement.

The Vossiche Zeitung's correspondent at the Somme complains of the horrid nuisance of gas wherewith the AngtoFrench appear enamoured. Explosives no longer suffice, but they must make the air foul even the far-back billets receiving their full share. Only a spirit of comradesship would enable the Germans to bear the immense burden and tortures.

FRENCH PROGRESS AT THIAUMONT. Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Sept. 9. A communique states; The artillery struggle continues throughout the Somme front. We progressed southeast of Thiaumont. FRENCH SUCCESSES. Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Sept. 9. A communique states: We captured a small wood, east of Belloy-en-Santerre, and progressed east of Denieourt. South of the Somme we have taken prisoner 100 officers, and 7000 men since Sept, 3. - THE WAR BILL OF FRANCE Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Sept. 9. M. Ribot, is asking for a credit o'i £334,000,000, for, the last quarter of K'lfl. The total war expenditure to the end of 1010 was £2,430.000,000 whereof £880,000,000 was for last year and £1,320,000 for the current year/