WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

I ENEMY'S GREATEST BLOW. i ALL THE lIIGIT GROUND GAINED. GREAT WORK BY ARMORED CARS. 2j GEVdIAN DitVISIOXP DEFEATED. deceived !?ept. 19, 5.40 p.m London, Sept. is General Sir 'Douglas Haig reports: Friday's attack wa- launched at (i.20 in the morning, on the front from Leuse Wood to l'oziercs, against a treble line of trenches connected by strong subsidiary trenches. The enemy, besides, held some advanced positions with machineguns in the trenches, works, and shell ■holes. Behind 'iliese, at a distance of seven thousand yards from our front, the enemy had recently constructed and wired a fourth mine, and had a line of trenches fronting the Le TransloyBapaume road. Their defences were formidable, 'being supported. by upwards of a, thousand guns of all calibres. THE ADVANCE.

Punctually, the infantry, accompanied by 'heavy armored cars, advanced in dose order, under cover of a field artillery barrage, and everywhere carried the first line, except at two points, namely, the high ground Ginchy and Leuze wood, and at Fouveau:; wood. Neglecting these, the infantry swept forward and round them, and i t ten o'clock captured the whole of iKlers with its strong points, and advanced beyond it. The outskirts of Martinpuieh and Courcelette were reached at the same time, these villages being captured in the afternoon. 'The Northumbrians, London Territorials, Scottish and English new army divisions, with troops from Canada and New Zealand, shared our Guards' credit iu these successes. On the right, the enemy maintained his hold of the high ground north-westward of Leuze wood, our efforts to dislodge him being unsuccessful. The enemy at Foureaux wood, however, surrendered iwhen the flanks were turned, and at 11 o'clock the whole of the woods were, purs. HIGH GROUND GAINED. We thus gained practically the whole of the high grovlnd between Combles valley and Ancre, and are., now well dow'.i the forward slopes. Thanks to the excellent artillery observation thus afforded we are able to inflict a heavy punishment on the enemy. Armored cars 'gallantly led the action, knocking out the machine-guns and inflicting heavy losses. By machine-gun fire thev enfiladed the German trenches, causing indescribable demoralisation in the enemy's ranks. On the night of the 15-10 the enemy made counter-attacks with forces hastily brought from all directions, and continued the attacks throughout Saturday. All were repulsed 'with heavy enemy loss. NEW ZEALANDERS TO THE FORE. The New Zcalnnders, after gaining their objective on Friday, were particularly heavily counter-attacked. Besides standing to their ground the) punished the enemy severely and even progressed. We further progressed on Saturday, especially towards Los Boeufs. During the above operations, and in close connection therewith, the new army troops skilfully and gallantly extended their gains southward of Thiepval, seizing the trenches and taking 'hundreds of prisoners. The result of the fighting on the 15th and 16th. -jvas of great importance. It was probably the most effective blow yet dealt the enemy by British troops. The damage to his morale was probably greater in consequence than the seizure of the dominating positions. We 'have captured between 4000 and .5000 prisoners since July 1.

23 DIVISIONS KNOCKED OUT. i Tlie British forces alone on the Somme battle front engaged thirty-five German divisions, whereof twenty-five have already been defeat«d and withdrawn exhausted. 1 (During the week only fourteen hostile aeroplanes crossed our lines. Ours made between two and three thousand flights across the enemy lines. Received Sept. lfl, 8.1"> p.m. •(' i London, Sept. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We captured a strongly fortified ivork, called tiie quadrilateral, between Bouieaux wood and Gincliy, and advanced oui lines to a deptli of a thousand yards witli a one mile front. We took 500 prisoners in twenty-foul- hours. The Evening Star states that the crews of tlie tanks are selected bantams, owiny to the lack of head-room. PROGRESS CONTINUED GERMANS MASSED FORCES | CAUGHT BY OUR FIRE, \ \S-

' V Ktceivci Sept. 19, 11 p,m, T |j? : * " London, Sept. 10. General Sir Eouglas Ha iff states: Today's -idvance ivas important. We took numerous prisoners as the result of the highly successful operation at the Quadrilateral. Coi:ntcr-at lacks northward of Tiers were repulsed, with loss, and we progressed. Hostile troops, massing for a counterattack at Lea Boras and Morval were. caugK by our artillery fire and dispersed. Five heavy howitzers, two field guns, three ncavy and three light trench morta>o wer; captured, in addition to Ihose reported since Friday. Several enemy aeroplanes were downed and f-ur of ours arc missing. FURTHER FRENCH SUCCESSES. 1 I!eceive;l Sept. If), 5.30 p.m. f r ~~ ! ' Paris, Sepi. 10. A communique states: Simultaneous operations to those southward of Deniecourt enabled lis to seize a trench westward ot Homy, expel the enemy from three woods southwestward of Deniecourt, and occupy several trenches to .Hie south 'Westward,/