WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1916, Page 911

WESTERN ATTACK.

BRITISH SJILL PROGRESSING SOME FIERCE FIGHTING l",u : U0 PRISONERS IN A FORTNIGHT. Eeceiveil Sept. 28, 7.25 p.in,-

London, Sept. 28. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Wo are making excellent progress. Wc carried the' trenches oi. a front of 2000 yards northward of Flers. There was fierce fighting north-east of Thiepval. where we stormed and hold the Stull redoubt. We have taken ten thousand prisoners in a fortnight. Received Sept. 28, 10.35 p.nu

London, Sept. 28. Northward of Flers we are now level with the east side of Eaucourt l'A'bbe. The Stuff redoubt is on the main ridge 2000 yards north-eastward of Thicpval. Upwards of ISflO rifles, many thousands of rounds of artillery ammunition, and a quantity of grenades were taken by us at Oombles, where our allies also made large captures of material. We destroyed two aeroplanes and two kite balloons on Tuesday. Two of our machines are missing.

GERMAN COUNTER ATTACKS

THROWN BACK BY FRENCH Received Sept. 28, 7.30 p.m. Paris, Sept. 28. A states: The enemy strcr.gly attacked our new positions at Buuciiiivesnes to southward of Bois I'Abbo fane. The French, in a brilliant counteroffensive, threw back the assaulting waves in disorder, with heavy losses. We appreciably progressed eastward and south-eastward *>i Rancourt, and penetrated St. Pierrevast wood.

GERMAN MORALE BROKEN. BY CONTINUED BRITISH SUCCESSES PREFER SURRENDER TO FIGHTING. Received Sept. 28, 8.25 p.m. London, "Sept. 28. Mr. ißiilip Qibbs says: In the night the enemy troops between Morval and Sailly melted,away. Our ea.valrv patrols were out trying to find the rearguard. Our gunners were quick to find the target. CloMs of shell burst over masses of men, which threw them into a panic-stricken rout. They flung down their rifles and packs and fled to Le Transloy, leaving many dead and wounded in their wake.

The worst thing that is happening to the enemy is the breaking of his morale. The enemy fought well, but saw that if he held on longer he must die or be taken prisoner. As soon as our men swept across the trendies and, sunken roads and entered the villages, the garrisons came from underground and surrendered in heaps. They could have fought longer and harder, perhaps, but only with their backs against the walls, asking death, and they had not the spirit to do that.

They were done, dazed by the appalling intensity of the shell fire and disheartened by the unfailing regularity wherewith the British have captured their strongholds since July.. Their confidence and faith in the German war maehino is destroyed. They are stupefied by the grim way we attacked and the reckless loss.

I saw twelve hundred prisoners brought in, mostly Prussians. Many confessed it was a givat British victory. These men as a. whole have none of the braggart confidence that characterised prisoners of a year ago.

THE ATTACK ON THIEPVAL,

WONDERFULLY STRONG FORTRESS. GARRISON BECOMES PANICSTRICKEN. EIGHT GERMAN BATTALIONS WIPED OUT

Received Sept. 20, I a.m. Paris, Sept. 28. The itfcack at Thiepval began at noon. A regiment advancing northward from Ovil'.e-s struck thr .-nutbern side and carried a portion of the Leipzig redoubt. Otj.ir contingents came from Mouquot Farm rind the hill mar Albert high road.

Our men, with irresistible impetuosity, plunged into the rr.ined village hy the Pczi'Tcs Read, a heavy curtain of fire preventing the enemy from bringing up reinforcements from Bcaucourt.

The fortified system of Thiepval covered a square mile. The attackers found that the underground galleries had resisted the bombardment of our heaviest guns and howitzers. Each cellar was strengthened by steel armour and erncrele until it was a small fortress. Many of the galleries were fitted with lifts whereby machine-guns could be instantly lifted into position.

Fortunately the defence was less deter mined than expected. Thirteen hundred prisoners have already come to the base. They confirm the n ports that the garrison were surprised by the, force of the attack and were thown into a state of panic, Their officers vainly tried to raily the men, but many surrenderee? without firing a shot. Prisoners state that eight German batt.'iiio"? were practically wiped out in Tuesday's lighting.

RELATIVELY SMALL LOSSES.

DUE TO ALLIES' ARTILLERY. A PLUCKY AVIATOR'S SUCCESS. NEW POSITIONS CONSOLIDATED. ENEMY LOSING HIS KEENNESS. London, Sept. 27. vorrespondents .at the British Headquarters opine -that the verv small cost anil the great success of the attack was due to the excellence of the artillery and the real collapse of the defence. The fighting of the German infantry on Tuesday was markedly weaker than on Monday, and the artillery fire was spasmodic. The British and French attacks did not fail anywhere, and several important point's were iaken without opposition. The whining tone of the German communique emphasises the impression of failure.

In'addition to the capture of Thiepval and Combles, the French in the south reached the canal running north-east of the Somme along the Tortillc valley, coming into direct touch with the defence works of Mont St. Quentin. Thus Mont St. Quentin is' receiving the treatment which has proved so successful at Combles, and the break across the Uapaume-Peronne road has been considerably enlarged. The British cavalry were in action beyond Gueudccourt.

Lieutenant Ball has Rained' the Military ("ross, the D.5.0., and a special bar, for an extraordinary series of air exploits. Observing seven enemy machines in formation lie attacked and'shot down one at fifteen yards' range, The remaining machines fled. Seeing five others directly afterwards Ball attacked one at ten yards' range and shot it down in flame?. He attacked a second when it was firing at him, and shot it down over a village, where it landed on a housetop. Ball went to the aerodrome for ammunition and then returned and attacked three machines, causing a.ll to dive under control. Being short of petrol he returned h»me with his own machine badly damaged. Later, when acting as escort, during a. bombing iraid, he saw four enemy machines, dived upon them, brcke "their formation, and shot the nearest, which fell. He also observed twelve enemy machines in formation, dived amongst them, and fired a drum at the nearest machine, which fell out of control. Several other hostile machines approaching. Rail fired three drums, driving another down out of control. He then returned to the British lines with his aeroplane much riddled.

Sir Douglas Haig says: The prisoners number between 3000 and 4000 during the past 4S hours, the new positions have been consolidated, and we have progressed in the direction of Kauoourt I'Abbnye. Patrols and detachments have gone forward in 'close touch with' the enemy. We made successful raids* at Beaumont-Hamel and Loos. We brought down nine aeroplanes. A French communique says: We captured a strongly-fortified wood east of Vermandovillcrs, and are consolidating the conquered positions ready for counter-attacks. There have been numerous air combats. We bombed enemy railways. A correspondent at headquarters says: We learned from prisoners that the Germans proposed to evacuate Comblcs at night, so our artillery barraged intensely all night across the line of retreat to prevent a German withdrawal. Hence the enormous bootv we took.

A German officer who was taken prisoner said that officers could not get the men to fight. The men. would 'retort that the officers were shirking and going to hospital on the smallest pretext. The correspondent adds that the enemy is showing less and less stomach for the light, while the spirit of our men beggars all description. A German communique says: We lost the projecting angle at Thiepval and the enemy gained ground on hoth sides of Conrcelette. Except by the occupation oE Guedecourfc the enemy will he. unable to profit by his success on Monday. We repulsed attacks on Les Boeuffs, and from Morval to Bouchavesnes. Wrench attacks on Vermandovillers &nd Chaulnes failed.

Paris, Sept. 27. Fifteei.' hundred of the enemy dead were counted in the streets of Combles, and hundreds' of wounded were extricated from the cellars of the houses. The Germans left two battalions in fortified houses, with orders to hold out to the last. The British, in • order to avoid losses, ry.rried out a big fresh bombardment, and the enemy could not continue the struggle.

THE NEW ZEALANDERS AT FLERS.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE ACTION (Special from the New Zealand War Correspondent, Captain Malcolm lloss.) September 24 Further details of the fighting show that though it was not included in their area, the New Zeialanders greatly assisted in the capture of Flers. After charging through the village they advanced in tlie open, and a subaltern with seven men fought a German Held battery, knocking out one gun before they were shelled back from their position. The ■Rifle Brigade, in making a splendid effort in the offensive, succeeded in penetrating 3-201) yards into the enemy territory. The Wellington Battalion, coming up, held (luring the night the whole line in front of Flers, thus greatly helping the division on their right. A Killc Brigade captain who was killed greatly distinguished himself. The Canterbury Battalion has continued fighting with dash and great gallantry. After the bitter night fighting described in previous messages, in which they were victorious, they smashed a furtliei attack led by German bombers from three directions. Owing to a difficulty in the supply of om 'bombs, the (enemy succeeded in driving our bombers and riflemen back. While still being heavily pressed, the gallant captain referred to in the message of the 22nd, decided on counter-attacks in the open. Climbing out of the trenches the men charged forward with magnificent elan, and the Germans, seeing their onrush, turned and fled, pursued by the New Zealanders, who did not. stop till they had inflicted heavy casualties and captured a machfn.e gun. The .eaeasvMefi,

ALLIES' CAINS,

183,000 MUX PUT OUT. Times Service. Received Sept. 20, 1 a.m. Paris, Sept. US. Since the beginning of the offensive 45 villages and 117 square .miles of territory 'have been captured. Sixty-one German divisions have been gruelled, each losing about three thousand, or a total of 183,000 men.

STREAMS OF BLOOD. - CFPMAN CONSOLATION Beceivod Sept 29, 1.10 a.m Amsterdam, Sept. 28. The Frankfurter Zeitung admits that the enemy obtained a tactical advantage from Tuesday's fighting. It was terribly Moody work for tho attackers, and it kept tliem searching to the innermos'J In-art foi the defenders. Streams of blood flowed, mid an incalculable quantity of projectiles crashed into tho German positions, but Field Marshal von Kindenburfr took a quiet course, and was not forced from Jus pre-arranged path by n hair's breadth.. It is impossible for the enemy to break through.

FRENCH PRESIDENT'S CONGRATULATIONS. KING GEORGE'S FELICITOUS REPLY. Received Sept. 28, 10 p.m. London, Sept. 23. The King, replying to President Poiucaro's congratulations to the British army upon their twe days' successes slated that these could not have been achieved without the splendid support of the gallant 'French troops on our right in fighting for the one common obiective.