FURTHER ANGLO-FRENCH CAINS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1916, Page 5

FURTHER ANGLO-FRENCH CAINS.

VIOLENT ARTILLERY DUELS. Eeuter Service. Rceivtd Oct. 8, 11.50 p.m. Paris, Oct. 8. , A communique states: North of the Somme our infantry, in conjunction with the Jirit'sh, stacked from the front of .Morval :.nd liouchavesnes, and carried the line ioiward twelve hundred metres north-east of Morval. The new French line crowns llie western slopes of Sailley and Saillisci ridge, the whole of the Bapaume I oad to two hundred metres from Sailley, thence over tlie hill 130 metres to the south of Boiichavesncs. A great gathering of the enemy troops north of cailliscl were caught in the concentration fire of our batteries. Violent artillery duels continue south of the Somme and on the right of the Meuse. GERMAN OFFICER'S REPORT. , FAILURE OF TEUTON WAR, ' ! -Bf—- , London, October fi. ! Mr. P. Gibbs states that a report by General von Arnin, commanding the 4th i German Corps, which was against the British front on the Somme in July, has fallen into our hands. It analyses with impartial candor our qualities and the weaknesses and failures of bis own organisation and leadership. General von Arnin confesses the utter failure of his war machine, and acknowledges the British superiority and the ever-increasing strain upoh the German organisation. The effect of our artillery, the mastery of the Flying Corps, and the demoralisation of the enemy command are admitted as the bitter fruit of experience. The General says that the British infantry has learnt much by the autumn offensive of 1915. It shows great dash in attack, to which the great confidence caused by overwhelming artillery contributes. The English have showed great tenacity in defence, while the artillery registration and fire control is assisted by well-organised aerial observation. He recounts 'how the far-reaching guns brought the German battle headquarters under fire, causing the officers to 'be panic-stricken. The German artillery is much hampered by the steady intensity of tho British fire, which also renders enormously difficult the bringing up of reserves. ' Von Arnim confesses the utter failure of the German counter-attacks which are without method or weight. The numerical superiority of the enemy's airmen, and the fact that their machines are better, is disagreeably apparent, as they are able successfully to fire at German troops from a low elevation. He admits that German equipment anil ammunition reserves are very faulty, that the German machine-guns are too lieavy, and that there is an insufficient supply of grenades. General von Arnim does not suggest that the food supply of the army is insufficient, but says it is difficult to get food to the front trenches. All other departments of the German organisation are found wanting, and the war machine has been thrown out of gear bv the ferocity and continuance of the British assault, OFFICIAL REPORTS* BRITISH ADVANCE. Paris, October G. A communique says:—Our reconnaissance penetrated a support trench bombarded with grenades. There is> great artillery activity at Verdun. Our aviators are successfully active despite the weather. The British forced the enemy to retreat on the Struma front. There is lively fighting on the whole Cerna front. Our aviators report great traffic on the enemy railways. London, October 6, -Sir Douglas Haig states: We discharged gas eastward of Loos and Arinenterfes, and advanted north-east of Eaucourt l'Abhaye. We made three successful raids at Loos and two at Arras, RfLFORT BOMBED. Received Oct. 8, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Oct. 7. A communique states: The night was calm. Bombs were dropped on Belfort, but the damage was insignificant.