WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

COMMANDING HEIGHTS,

WHAT THREE MONTHS .HAVE GIVEN THE BRITISH THE NEXT STAGES MUCH EASTER. Received Oct. 17, !bw p.m. London, Oct. 17. The Press Bureau issues the following . authoritative statement regarding the results of the three months' battle on the Sommc: The goal was n, nine mile range of low hills, on which were 'Pnnpr.il and C'oinbles. This we won. It is tlic main watershed of the whole range of hills stretching from the Sonune valley to a tract of low ground between I oils and Canrbrai, beyond which lie the dead Hats round Douai. We now look past Bapaume to a rid«e fledged with woods. These have not vet hern shelled, but none are, 500 feet above the sea like those captured. The worst came first. We arc over it. Moreover, the captured ridge was much eroded by water and full 0 f tortuous little valley's and minor ridges. The slopes before us are much smoother. The 'chief advantage of the' high ground is that it gives superior power of observation. While we were fighting up V,r slopes of Mamet/., Montaubin, and Thiqwa] the enemy had observation. We have the observation now, and won't lose it, even when the Germans are driven northwards across ,thc upper valley of the Am-re.

The whole of fiie opposite slop? beyond tile Alien: Ims si comparatively rt'Hiiliir surface. Tile even gradient is commanded by the higher ground at Martinpuieli. Tlie Germans in 1914 definitely chose this front as the line of the highest ground between the French plain and the Belgian plain. The ridge was happily valuable, because the rear was served by n vitally important system of railway transport. The flermans have been beaten on the line their commanders chose as the [best possible. They must now fight upon a line which is weal; itself, the fall of which must bring other disasters.

FORMIDABLE REDOUBTS,

CAPTOBED BY THE BRITISH. Received Oct. 17, 8.15 p.m.." London, Oct. 17. _ The. Daily Chronicle states that Schwnben .rc-dombt was one of the main buttresses at Thiepval. The difficulties of capture were immense. ' It was strengthened bv everv conceivable means. The British crept up by inches until the defenders, consisting of two regiments, only held the crown of tin hill. When the a-.sault was made on Friday, the excellent British barrage completely cut oil reinforcements. Largo numbers surrendered.

'Stuff redoubt, further east, was less important tactically, but scarcely less formidable. One British company captured it at less cost than anyone anticipated. It was one of the most notable individual feats of the war. The total casualties were one third the number of prisoners we captured.

ENEMY'S COUNTER-ATTACKS. REPULSED WITH CHEAT LOSS. Received Oct. 17, 0.20 -p.m. London, Oct. 17. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy's losses in attacking the Schwaben re.lonht on Sunday night were exceedingly heavy. Our losses were very light. Our heavy artillery and trench mortars successfully carried out an organised bombardment of the enemy's lines in the neighborhood of Neuville St. Vaast. Our aeroplanes droppsd bombs witl< excellent effect on the railway station, also on the transport movifig" behind the enemy's lines. Paris, Oct. 10.

A communique states: We repulsed a violent counter-attack eastward of Berny, and captured a small wood between Genermont and Ablaincourt.

GERMAN MACHINE GUNS BUNCHED THICKER THAN EVER. London, Oct. 16. The Daily Express' correspondent at headquarters states that General von Arnim's appeal for more machine-guns has evidently been heard, because they are now bunched thicker than ever ill the new hidden emplacements whieli are dotted about the defences to 300 yards behind the front trendies, but tliey are so thick that they have neeessarilv suffered more under our arti'.lerv.

STRONG ATTACKS REPULSED. TRENCHES RAIDED. London, Oct. hii. General Haig reports that heavy enemy shelling occurred -south of the Ancrc. We- repulsed, with heavy losses, strong enemy attacks on the Selnvabon Redoubt, which were preceded by artillery fire ;nd flamonwerfers. We raided trenches in the Ypres, St. Eloi, and Ploegsteert areas. A GARBLED REPORT. London, Oct. IC. A German communique says: We completely recaptured the portion of the tieiicli north-east of Gueudeeouvt taken by the English. We drove back the French attack west of Sailly. DMP'OUTAITOX OF UNEMPLOYED. ■ Received Oct. 18, 1.20 a.m. Amsterdam, Oct. 17. Two thousand unemployed :>t Ghent have been deported, to Germany, FRENCH SUCCESSES. London, Oct. 10. A French communique states; We penetrated Sailly and Saillisal, and occupied houses along the Eapaumo Road as tar as the central cross-roads. Fighting continues. We repulsed attacks on St. Eloi Wood and south-east of Belloy-on-Santerre-