WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

IMPORTANT TRENCH WON. GREAT ARTILLERY BATTLE. FRENCH HONORS FOR BRITISH. ' Received Oct. i, 9.25 p.m. Paris, Oct. 4. . A communique states: The localised i attack on each side of the Pc.ronne- ! Bapnume road gained us an important . trench north of Raiioourt. , There is great reciprocal artillery firo going on south of the Sominc. I London, Oct. 4. ■General Sir Douglas Haig reportsHeavy rain fell Inst night and during the en.rly part of this morning. The lighting near Kaucourt l'Abbaye is proceeding satisfactorily. Paris, Oct. 4. President Poincare visited General Haig and complimented him upon the magnificent successes of the British, and r.andod a Star of the Grand Order of the Legion of Honor to General Gough nnd a commander's sash to General Butler. AN AWFUL ORDEAL. : . TERRIFIC BRITISH ARTILLERY. A PRISONER'S STORY. Received October 5, 12.20 a.m. London, Oct. 4. The Daily Chronicle's Paris corres-. poudent states that a German non-com-missioned officer, ivho was taken prisoner at Combles, relates that his battalion's losses were heavy before reaching Combles, the only road thither being swept by shells. Once inside the fortress they were reassured, as it seemed to be absolutely impregnable. The subterranean defences included circular chambers capable of holding 200 men. The subterranean passages had j only two exits, and/the British artillery, 1 with devilish precision, shelled these exists. "We were," he said, "practically. ' buried alive for the two days that the deluge .of projectiles continued. ] Nothing" could describe it. The earth trembled and our men were- in a fear- ' ful state of nervous excitement, half ; .of them being unable to do anything 1 but weep, A few tried to escape but were never seen again. Our officers afl'ected to be calm, but were more terrified at heart than we were. Soon the provisions ceased to arrive, and for two days a more awful bombardment continued. Above us, everything was ablaze, and the heat was suffocating. Ten of my comrades were already dead from nervous shock, and then the assault came. We defended ourselves to the end, but couldn't withstand the British fury. Wo crashed into the bloody hand-to-hand fighting and then surrendered." ) THE GERMAN PLANS. 1 ■ IS HE WITHDRAWING? FEARSOME ENEMY LOSSES, Received Oct. 4, 8.5 p.m. London, Oct. 4. Mr. Philip GibGs states that the German plana on the Sommc are puzzling. It looks as if t'ley are making a gradual withdrawal, masked by sharp counterblows to cheek the quickness of our advance. There were many Germans left alive in the first and second trenches. The old monastery of Eaucourt was heaped with corpses, killed during the twelve hours' bombardment. Most of the enemy ran at the approach of the British bayonets. The Germans appear to be strong at Le Sars and the little quadrilateral redoubt near 'by. The enemy's losses are fearsome. The men cry out against the massacre, blaming their 'commanders, the air service and the artillery for the awful state. Le Sars is north-east of Courcelette.) ; A GERMAN REPORT. ' Received Oct. 4, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 3. A German communique states; North of Thiepval and north-west of Courcelette we -recovered trenches from tho English, .Who won ground on -both sides of Eaucourt l'Abbaye by the heaviest sacrifices. Between Gueudeeonrt and Morval we repulsed four enemy attacks. The French penetrated our first line west of the Sailly-Rancourt road and the St. Pierre Vaast wood but were driven out. GERMANS DRIVEN BACKtf London, Oct. 3. A French communique states: There is violent artillery action in the region of Eancourt. Our fire immediately drove back the Germans to their trenches in the wood of St. Pierre Vaast. EPIDEMICS AMONG GERMA? TROOPS Amsterdam, Oct. 3. The Telegraph declares that there isa renewed outbreak of typhus 'and cholera amongst the exhausted troops who are arriving from the Somme front. A large number are isolated. HEROIC NEW ZEALANDERS London, Oct. 3. Renter's correspondent at 'headquarters states that a New Zealand officer v>ho was lending the Otago Regiment at Flers on the loth was wounded, and a sergeant assumed command of the party, carried the trench, and consolidated the position. During ihe same fight an, Auckland sergeant led a bombing party it a Getman sap, and despite the loss of most of the party, and the fact that 'he himself was blown off his feet, ultimately won the trench. An Auckland private, seeing his comrades hard pressed, took up reinforcements and, though himself wounded in the trench, ran along deliberately bombing the Germans nnd permitting the Canterbury men to press 'home a counterattack. GERMAN! TRENCHES RAIDED London, Oct. 3. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The night was quiet south of the Ancre. We successfully raWed German trenches southward of Loop.