WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

BRITISH PROGRESS CONTINUED. LOSSES AXEi PRISONERS. • MALINGERING GERMAN OFFICERS. London, Sept. 2S. Sir Douglas Haig report-?: We advanced at points between l.'artinpuich and Gucudeeourt and established posts west and south-west of Eaucourt l'Abbaye, within SOO yards of the village. We consolidated our position? on the ridge north-east of Thiepval. We successfully shelled a inarching enemy battalion with- transport. In the recent fighting our looses were small relatively and absolutely. D-ur casualties were not more than twice the number of prisoners we took. One division, which had a difficult task, captured as many prisoners as it sustained casualties.

A correspondent at headquarters -,eports that prisoners stated most of the officers in some German regiments had been killed, and the others safd they were suffering from stomach ache, in jrder to get away. When 1l:e trenches .vqre taken the British found only noncommissioned officers and privates. This is reported because it is true, but one must not draw too large an inference from the behaviour of particular units. The air is full of uumors owing to the intoxicating atmosphere of victory, but it is foolish to attempt to guess how far-reaching the results will be. We must await what is behind the immediate Feebleness of the resistance.

Barring exceptions, tlic story of the last day's fighting is the mo.it disereditable to the Germans there has been since the beginning of the battle.

THE INEVITABLE PAUSE. NEW POSITIONS OF GERMANS. London, Sept. 28. Experts point out that it is a mistake to regard the Germans as routed: nevertheless, each step forward means a. diminution of Orman tenacity and fighting value, and brings tV: day nearer when Generals Foc-h and Haig will consider it possible to break the German line.

A pause in the operation, is inevitable. Tho Germans are frantically diggingl in on the new line. The position Is still doubtful.

Cavalry patrols, pushing beyond Combles and Gueudecourt, discovered the next trench lines of the enomy. They hold two considerable hills, marked 148 and 153 on the French st-iff map, one lying west of Combles, in front of the extensive Bois St. Pierre Vatst, and the other opposite Morval, being part of a winding ridge on which the twin villages of Sailly and" Sallisel are built. The Itapaume road crosses the ridge before it dips to Lo Transloy.

DOING MORE THAN ASKED

THE NEW ZEALANDERS IN ACTION. Wellington, Sept. 20. The following special despatch has been received from the New Zealand o Tidal war correspondent (Mr. Malcolm Ross), dated September 25: The veteran brigade of the New Zealand Force had its chance in to-day's renewal of the offensive, which was commenced on Pcptember 15. The men advanced as if on parade on a front of 1800 y 3 rds, taking a line- of trenches and penetrating to a depth of 800 yards. Owing largely to the excellent work of the artillery the enemy's resistance was not great, but tlia brigade killed and t.ok prisoner a considerable number of 'Germans, and captured an important •trong point north of Flers, known as "Factory Corner." The casualties were slight. To-night the brigr.de is digging m on a new line Up to the present the New Zealand troop; have reached their •.Mectives on every occasion, doins .ill they were asked U do, and sonvt'olng more.

GERMANY'S UNSHAREARLE TROOPS London, Sept. 23. A German communique states: There were strong Anglo-French attacks between the Ancre and the Swnme, after artillery preparation surpassing any previous experience on the greater part of the battle front, •which our unshakeablp, troops victoriously renih'seil. The battle lias not con ■aided .it Thiepval and east of Eaucourt r'Abbayc. Attacks on the Morval-Bouchavesnes line failed ■with loss. The enemy maintained 'his hold on small trench sections northeast of Rancourt and east of Bouchavesnes.

Enemy aviators appeared over Dutch territory 'and attacked without result. An English bomb atta:i: on Brussels destroyed fifteen houses, killed 13 and injured 2S. Belgians.

Amsterdam, Sept. 28.

-Hitherto no one has ventured to introduce the new German war loan on the Amsterdam Exchange, v herons ilie French loan has been successfully introduced.

INTERNATIONAL COURTESIES. Pari?. Sept. 28. President Poincaire, welcoming the new Belgian Minister, paid a tribute to King Albert, who, lie said, ivus the personification of honor. Unless Belgium recovered her full independence and satisfaction nn ineffaceable si-fane would soil the annuls of Euro'ie.

THE CAPTURE OF THIEPVAL. '•TANKS" DO USEFUL WORK. SUBTERRANEAN FIGHTING. Received Sept. 29, 8.30 pm. London, Sept. 28. Mr. Philip fiibbs, who witnessed . the capture of Thiepval, pays a tribute to the invaluable help of the Australians' work at Mouquet Farm, compelling the ultimate .surrender of the Thiepval garrison.

The British loss was amazingly liaht. considering the long and stubborn fighting and the gallantry and desperation wherewith the garrison defended themselves. Twenty-four hours' continuous bombardment preceded the assault. When it ended there were only thirtyfour black broken tree trunks and a mass of reddish brickwork, which was once Thiepval chateau. Not a German was i>iive above ground, but many were hidden in a long series of vaults and tunnels. The Germans also made! many exits from which they could pop up rifle's and machine-guns.

The British right wing advanced from Mouquct, but the left had a harder time. The battalion leading the assault dashed to the chateau. Prom the cellars beneath came savage machine-gun fire. The Britishers were also raked by the enfilade fire from machine-guns. Fo a long time it was impossible to get near the chateau, but the cry was raised, "Bring the tanks!" The very idea acted as a fine tonic upon the attackers, Soon the tank lumbered along, lurching ever shell craters, momentarily sitting u;;on broken parapets, and then waddling forward towards the infantry, when it opened fire It resembled a dragon with indigestion. It got over the enemy's trench, and trudged down the whole, length, sweeping it with fire. Soort the German machine-puns were silenced/ The Britishers, cheering and shouting, accepted their surrender, bat, unfortut atcly the mysterious anatomy of the tank got out of order, and the Britishers had to face the rest of the machine-gun fire alone. They had to dive into dark burrows for Germans. The search often resulted in hand-to-hand fighting, where in the Britishers and Germans strove to throttle each other in the darkness. The Germans were forced to come out ui the other side. Our men smoked out others. It was like rat hunting. One party of sixteen Germans treacherously turned upon their escort of two Englishmen and wounded them, but they received no mercy from the other T'inglishmen, who came up a moment later,

Perhaps the most remarkable tank adventure was at Gnedeeonrt, where the Britishers were held up by the raking fire of the machine-guns. The tank strolled down and rolled jver the t'-ench with fire flashing from both flanks and delivered it into the hands of the infantry with four hundred prisoners, who waved white handkerchiefs above the parapet. Exalted by its success, tiie tank followed along alone in search o f more adversaries. Suddenly a horde of Germans rushed and tried to capture it, and flung bombs and clambered over its back, and tried to smash it with the butt-ends of their rifles. Tlieic was pandemonium when the British infantry arrived and found three hundred killei. and wounded Germans around the tank.

BRITISH GAIN STRONG REDOUBT.

REVELATIONS OF A GERMAN REPORT. Received Sept. 20, 5.30 p.m. London, Sept. 28. General Sir Douglas Haig reports; We captured the bulk of Schwaben redoubt on the crest five hundred yards northward ~of Thiepval. Schwaben redoubt is on the highest ground of the Thiepval spur, with a full view of the northern valley of the Ancre. We elsewhere umsolidated our ground and advanced our line north and north-east of Coureelette.

Aeroplanes greatly damaged the enemy batteries and also attacked the troops' transport by machine-gun fire. A captured copy of a report of the fighting on the Somme has been issued by the commander of a German corps. It says that the British infantry are smart in attack, largely because of their immense confidence in their great artillery uperiority. One must admit the skiil wherewith ,t' lc y consolidate their new positions and that they show .great tenacity in defence. Small parties once established with machine-guns in the cornel of a wood or in a group of houses are very difficult to dislodge. Sir Douglas Haig continues; The following sentence shows the effects of our artillery: "Hitherto Dur instructions from the experience of defence attack were passed upon the carefully constructed trench system. Troops on the Somme front have found no trenches whatever." Paris, Sept. 20. A communique states that the only feature to report is violent cannonading on the Somme front.