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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance, 1916-07-06, Page 7e, 1 ILL SWIM AT LAST En. EgiOpis Results in Two Days 14'4, 'of e Advance. • ar 10,000 Prison40, 1.....,•••••••••=•••••••=1••• PRISONERS CAPTUBHD. Ily the French .. .......... 6,000 By the 13ritiele ..............3,500 VILLAGIe.S CATITURED. By the Frolic's .. 6 By the British ................0 TERRAIN CAPTURED. Fifty square utiles. • London, July great allied of - Pensive was inaugurated Saturday ru.orning on both irides of the River Somme. British and French launched their ansaults simultaneouely on tt, front of about 25 miles and captured the first eine of German positIons on the entire front attacked. The Battle of the Semitic) learns the opening of the Franco -British offer -l- inen long expected as a critical if not the decisive stage of the war. The 'Entente allied forces are sweeping forward along a 25-m1le tront, The French already have taken about 0,000 prisoners and the Brinell over 4,000, while the allied lines have enveloped' within the last 24 eours nein villages and 60 square miles of French territory held until now by the Germans. The fighting lines extend between a great number of Mall villages which are usually devoted to textile indus- tries, while the outlying agricultural tseetions are level fields chiefly devot- ed to beet culture for the extensive sugar production of Prance. The intenee tiontharament of the last four days was the signal for an. Enhance over these level rields, begin- ning at 7.30 o'clock westerday morn- ing. The allied artillery then length- ened the range so as to shut off all communication between the first: Ger- man line and the German reservee in the rear. This made it impossible for the Teutons to utilize their perfect or- ganization for the shifting of troops aud for the bringing up of reinforce- znentset is thought by French mill. tary observers that the Germ:aeon's- chiculated the intentions "of ' tee En- tente allies and expected the attacks further to the north. TIm CAPTURED VILLAGE'S, The villages which the French cap- tured in the first sweep include Dom- -pierre, Becquineourt, Busses and Fay, and these and towns taken by the British-arricourt, Montauban and ala,metz—were an found to have been strongly fortified by the Germans. The allies, profiting from their ex- perience in the war, quickly threw up strong .earthworks around the villages thus taken in order to protect them against counter-attacks. It was not be- fore night, however; that the Ger- mans were able to deliver any. coun- ter-attack. Tele wag centred against the French position on the outskirts of Itardecourt, and it was repulsed with heavy losses, ending. in a preci- pitate retreat. South of the Somme the French have forced their way into the second line of German entrenchments •at a number of peaces and have captured the village of Prise and the Mereau- coure Wood, According to an official statement issued by the French War Office to -night In addition to the military stecesses the terrain overrun by the Entente al- lied troops has an exceptional strateg- ic importance. Four of the towns cap- tured by the French are only seven miles west of Peronne, the chief rail highway from the German centre at Cologne to the German front in the region of Noyon and Soissons. The German headquarters is at St. Quentin, 2t5 miles south-east of Per- onne. Already the French forces threaten Perone with the evident purpose of cutting the trunk railway there, which is an indispensable 'ar- tery for German military reinforce- ments, Two regiments eovered themselves with glory in the fight forDompierre, which tract been- transformed by the Germans into a veritable fortress. In the fare of a fire from the machine guns that had survived the bombard- ment intact they rushed the posts with such impetuosity that the gun- ners were captured ,before they had time to, put their quick -firers into action. HAND-TO-HANI) FIGHTING. the battle of the Yser, the British had advanced from two to six miles be- yond the Gorman advanced line, and the Prenchliad moved up from one to two miles along a combined front of approxlmately 35 miles, Tee drive is distinetly a British un- eertaking, the French, operations tak- ing the form of a supporting move - recut to make mere the British right flank, which any considerable advance weuld lay open to attack. Britaia has been preparing for it for nine months. Nearly a million and a half men are engaged im it, and an inconceivable number of guns, large and small, whit enormous reserves of ammunition of all kinds, have raade it possible. Beginning at 6 o'clock yesterday morning, the bombardment, which had been incessant for five days from Ypres to the Somme, was concentrated with unprecedented intensity on the tweuty miles from a point just 'above Hebuterne to the River Somme. Bat- tery after battery of all calibres joined hi a devastating fire that covered every toot of ground from the Ger- man wire entanglements to their second line- of defence. The advance works were levelled, their protecting wires blown away and their communi- cation trenches destroyed. THE CURTAIN OF FIRE. At half -past seven oclook to the minute the range of all the guns was extended beyond the first line, and the most impenetrable certain of fire yet seen on a battlefield fell in front of the second line. .At the same minute the infantry, which had been held in readiness for the assault for most of the night, jumped over the parapets and with wild cheers dashed across "No Man's Land," and in wave after wave crossed the demolished earth- works which had opposed them in this region for more than a year and a half. They stopped only longeenough to gather up what few ,Gernums, stunned and ,unresisting, remCiaed in their shelters and puill ether& back to the year, then, sped on Into the death struggle, which is still raging thfs morning about the strong points of • support in the German second lines. The battle above the Somme is the greatest conflict ever fought by British arms. In its numbers it equals, If it does not surpass, the battle of the Marne; which extended over a frout of more ,than 150 miles. The only bat- tle to which it may be aptly compared is that of the Donajee, since the frott attacked by the Austrians ane Ger- mans on May 1 of last year was about 20 miles in width, and virtually the same number ot men were engaged on both sides as are fighting over the rolling country of trrance tine morn- ing. The struggle marks the high water of British effort and it is the acid test of Britain's great volunteer soldiery. That this soldiery was equal to the test is simply indicated by the events ot yesterday. It was an army of the Empire whieh united in the 'great blow, although only the veteran units which had seen long service on the Continent were used in the first as- saults, and it was a union of the Etre pire and a close and effective union of all the Entente powers which made the blow possible. GENERALS IN ACCORD. In the streets of the ruined village there was furious hand-to-hand fight - erg, Of the German garrison defending the town not one man got away. When it was over 140 -bodies lay on the ground. The survivors were prisoners. The battle flag of one regiment, rid. died with bullets, was carried Into the village at the head of the first cone pany. Two Scotch regiments in the re- -glen north of the Somme went over three 'lees of German trenches with- out it halt; %topping only inside the village of Meeitauban, where they put several hundrea Germans to the bay - emit and took the entire staff of a regiment prisoner. VERDUN INCLUDED IN PLAN. Desperate fighting continues around Verdun, and although this field of ac. tion is separated by nearly • one hun- dred miles from the fighting in the. north, Verdun le •considered part of the vast military plan now unteilding, The French havtt now taken the ag- e:es:rive at Verdun, to -day's report Phowing au .attanic on Dena Ideree 11111 with heavy -German loses and tlie taking of prisoners. The Terence are thug Iteeping the Germans fully °en- vied at Verdun,' and are preventing teem from mentling reinforcements to relieve their weakened ifne in the north. X• DISTINCTLY IMITISIL London, July 2.;:--4riie eine, push" talked of be military writers and dreamed of by the Irma In the trOlieWS bat; come. Last night, after 12 hour uf fightir teuch ma the Country from the Aim elle nee hag not seen sinee General Joffre and the French gen- eral staff, in conference 'with General eir Douglas Haig, (funeral Sir William Robertson and the British staff, ee- cided more than sec weeks ago the point on the 80 mites of eine held by the British at which the supreme attack should be launched. The front trom Heouterne to the Somme was selected and Canibrai was to be the objective point. Preparations, were. made at ouce for the concentration of men and guns on the sector which was to be involved. Taking a lesson irom the Germans, no particular at- tempt was made to conceal the plans Lor attack except that as much secrecy as possible was made to surround the ateual point to be attacked. A second lesson in offensive was taught by the combined Anglo-Feench etiorts in Artois and Champagne last September. At that time a general bombardment of tlie entire line from the sea to the Swiss frontier was maintained for a full month before nhe day set for the advance. Enor- moue quantities of ammunition were expended, but it was physically im- pessible to keep the fire at it height, (luring the four weeks, which would prevent at leaat a partial reconstruc- tion of the demolished German de- fences. Csenoral Haig, In organizing his preeent attack, adopted the German theory of it comparatively ehort but persistent and heavy bombardment, Beginning last Monday morning, he put his guns to work along his whole front, but with their greatest pressure on the sector in front of Albert. Day and night, in the time intervening, the Artillery had not a moment's respite. With ttils he Combined new field the- nce in the sending of raiding parties end patrols against the opposing nett - line positons. These parties not only 'helped in the demoralization of the Germans holding the advanced poet - Hens, but they brought back accurate and first -baud infer:notion of the en feet of the artillery work. In the five days of the preliminarY bombardment the British guris ttee- pended more shells than were fine In the month preceding the Septernher of- fensive, ,The Germane had no op. portueity, in the lulls of. it bornbrItent bent, to repalr damages and reeoner from the effeetn of the constant Oc- elot:ions in close proximity to their shelters, for there were no lune. Every Moment of the day and night was filled with the dealer of guns reports 1 and shell eXplosions. If the American mind ean grasp the figure, 'more than 5,000,000 shells ',Pero spent heteteen Mouday morning and Friday night, at a cost in excess of $120,000,000. THE MEN ALL IMAM, Early on Friday it becAme known to tbe men in the trenches and tee Mete back of the that they Would be ordered in soon to cerapielte the Work begen try the artilleey. An undercurrent tif tense excitement ran nit Anti down the countryside.' Leto ill the Afternoon the first activeprePara- tiellesfor tee nttack were begun by the despatch of reserve units further to'warci" the front, These men left their billets with popular songs on their lips, which were stilled only when they got he the zone wince le general- ly described as "beeind the front," Here they lay on their arms all night, to be brought to their feet soon after (ewe by the perceptiele increase in the volume of the big gun fire, welch if :egg' es le s 0.t less stream across tee woods and vil- lages, fl eamh elite that at eriloaNsv prefatorytinginanend- less The princinAl direction of the at- tack, once the infantry was in motion, was sputhwest from a- point just north of Albert. The Germans hero had solidly laeld a strong supporting Positiou in the village of Fricourt, three miles east of the town, and all the villages had been turned into re- markable strong fortification works. It was necessary, before any consider- able advauce could be made, however, to either capture or isolate the Fri - court position. As a result, the heav- Jest part of the.attack fell here. Fir - court bold, but the line to the Mirth crumpled under the first onrush. Two hours after the infantry went in- to action Pricourt was left a salient sharp, pointing into the British front. The British had passed it a mile and a half and were fighting for Mienetz, almost due east, and columns extend- ing to the north had even passed Ma- metz in an advance bearing more to tell southeast, until they were near tbe village of Montauban. TIIE SWING OF THE LINE. In the Hebuterne section, where the Artois ridge ends, the attank carried up the slopes of the hill and into the Village, passed beyond after some sharp house to house fighting, and centred around the Gommencourt sal- ient and. the tile works a halt mile to the northeast. Just south of Heb,u- terne village Serre was carried and., a strategic point of einsiderable import- ance fell into the British hands. The Germans held at Beaumont -Hamel, and last night were still there, consti- tuting a pronounced wedge in the new- ly -established front. In the two miles from Beaumont to Thiepval little advance was recorded, the Germans, having taken advantage of the cross roads at the latter village to construct an unusually strong ser- ies of. field works, which up to late last night was withstanding all ef- forts to batter it down. Just south of ThiepvaI, however; they gave way and the British got into La Boisel- le, swung eoutheast to Contalamison and thence to Montalban. From Montalban the line bends abruptly back through Mametz, and around Bricourt to swing southeast again to the Somme at Curlu, which the French had occupied on their first dash. The last reports from the front in- dicate that the lericourt garrison is doomed to or capture. For re- treating from the salient it had a gap from one-fourth to a mile in width between the termer lines which bend around the position. From both sides. the British are bearing on it, and at the rate of progress made by the attack here this morning it was expected to see Pricourt in British hands and the front extending straight from Montauban through Maricourt to Curlu. • Simultaneous with the British ad- vance, the French who link up with them in the velley of the Somme, left their trenches. Securely holding the loop of the Somme at Prise, they cut across the marsh land which rules back on both sides of the river, which here is eat into many little stream - lets, and fell on Curlu, south of Prise they stormed Dompierre, Becquin- court and Fay, and thoroughly con- solidated their •new line. ARTILLERy LOSSES SLIGHT. Paris, .Iuly 2.—"An artillery prep- aration, the violence of which never has been equalled, marked the attack .of the Franco -British troops in the joint offensive yesTerday," says a seini-official note. "For more than a, week, in fact, the 'continued prep- aration from the North Sea to Chem- pa-gns gave an inkling of it. The 13ritish in particular in the entire sector they occupy had been meth- odically continuing an alternative system of intense bombardments and sounding operations here and there. "According to the preliminary in- formation, the Allied losses were slight by reason of the efficiency of the preliminary work, while those of the Germans were said to be quite heavy." The first day of the offensive is cousidered to have been fully sans-, faetory, although not as overwhelm- ing as has happened before in simi- lar operations, but it was extensive and is itimortant, says the note, whin adds: "It is especially important, beenuse it is rieh in promise that the effort men Is not a doubtful attempt to pierce tho line, but rather long- ,eontinued drive, which win be meth- odical and which will economize life. It will be exercised from line to line until the lino when the enenly resist- ance, On tinually hammered, will break at some point." • ) 41 Montaubaa OA the ralletetY farther eaet, Andeltreentwen from the iterthl afolrcelerew14:04411 *at"tempinteadtingtotieleeneti:t: re -g on tee the itentheast, GerMan the derence of the Frieriurt sector would seon. be cut at from the reSt of the Gernlan line, The village a CItria, the patentee of which Marked the teethed point reachee by the French north a the Somme in the firet day of the effete. Sive, was taken by them early to-daY after heave fighting, and leter in the otl day they stormed a, quarry eget of poeition. • a town,nlz edtivulttiocit tipteoweGrefrun? edit:teasel% In the first two daya of the drive the allieS have tat= in the neighbor- hood ofs 10,000 prisoners, if they have not eXtmeded that number. The French .W;ar Oefiee.anuounced tenniget that 'the reeneh Irops alone had tanen Over 0,000 prisoners, inclueing 150 ()Mere. Early last night the Germans along the greater part of the front of the drive launchedcounter-attacks in an effort to recover sent() of the .greund they had lest. These counter-attacns were repeated time and again all threugh the night, at various pointe along tlie line. Particular violence was shown in these ettacits against tlie new Preuch positionat the Inn preaches to HArdecourt, whice is only emir Itilometree (23/3 mace) south- east of the raiievey town O Combles. The railway, the Albert-Peronne line, takes,a sharp bend to the southwest after passing Combles and passes dose to Hardecourt and Curlu, Thus the French at these two points are very nearly astride the railway at pointer considerably more than half the dis- taece between, Albert *and Peronne, The German, attempts to throw back the French at Hardecourt failed .ut- terly under the French berrage fire an rifle fire, the Germans after Insing eeavily retreating in dieorder. In the course of these vain efforts to cheek tee Prench•advance, the Germans lost 200 prisoners, nouth of the Somme the French repulsed a number of .determinea counterattaaks, maintained their new portitions in their entitety, and in taking the village of Curlu, the quar- ries east of the village, the village of Prize and the /VIerecourt wood, still further east, obtaiaed a footing in the second German line of defence. On the British section of the front, the adva.n.eing troops- pushed beyond terleourt for some distance and .are continuing their progresth beyond La 13oiselle in spite'of stubborn resistance. Earlier reports sent by correspond- ents to the effect thee the allies were suffering comparatively sinall losses aro corroborated by the °Moire com- muniques issued in Paris to -night, welch attributes the smallness of the French losses to the complete efficaci- ous artillery preparation and to the elan of the infantry. The attacicing troops have captured some cannon and a large quantity of other war materials. SAME QUIET CONFIDENCH. Teo British public still displays the Sit3110 quiet enthusiasm, determieation. and confidence, tidily understandtng that no great drive like that carried out by the Russian commander, Gen. Brusilott, is possible against the depth, strength and rail power of the formidably organized German front and that great sacrifices and possible setbacks must be prepared for. Many regrets are heard that Kitchener ead not lived to see the result of his work. Tide is the first great battle in which the military legions be created are being put to the test. Ientheners armies' have virthally replaced the first small expeditionary force sent out under Field Marshal French which had to sustain the earlier 'battles of the war. It is else the first time that a great offensive has been carried out under well organ- ized, co-ordinated alllecl strategy, not on the western front alone, but over tee whole field of operations, and confidence is felt that the allied com- manders have no intention to Halt reckless sacrifices of life for a neere spectacular advance. As one eorre- spendent writes: • SLOW, METHODICAL PUSH. "There is no longer any attempt to pierce as with a knife, but 'a slow, continuous, methodical push, leading to the day when the enemy's resist- ance will crumble at some point." Reuter's correspondent at British headquarters in Preece suggests that the comparative feebleness of the German artillery response to the British bombardment arose from the same cause of the ehortane of food in the German trenches, namely, the deadly character of the almost cease- less British barrage fire, which for the past Week has hampered the Ger- mem' transport service. He warns the British people that although the situa- tion looks promising, too Inueti chould not be expected, and adds: . "We are fighting a determined, re- sourceful foe, and though he has now been smitten harder than ever before by the British army, it would be un- tvise to under -rate his poWers •of resistanee in the face of a highly menacing position." • DAME IN OPEN COUNTRY. London, July re—The night bulletin from Pritish headquarters, indicating the resistance of the Germans, is thought here to give an exact measure of Franco -British offensive in the Somme -Arras sector. The British line of attack extends Toughly from the outskirts of Arras to the British point of junction with the Preach on the River Somme. The battlefront along which the French etre operating is ndt .deseribecl, but 'may go -dawn as far as Itoye or "A- ttend. This is an open and undulating countryside well cultivated and weed- ed, with only the usual roads and rail- roads of an agricultural district. There is no large city or great Strategic junction of railways that Might be described as an immediate anteater, English offteers who know the dis- trict In which the offenSine is taking place say that the first day's renults augur very well. The French capture of Curlu Is held to be important, and the British advance north-east ef Pre- eourt is thought to presage the event- ful surrender of elle Germans holding that village. At this point of tele front the average diStante between the op- tioning trenches Was between a mile and Refine And it half. • This is We finettime in die War that any serious fighting has takeu plate on the front sottth of Arras, The Ger- mans have neglected it, doubtless be- cause, unlike Ypres, Which offend theMtelle ettre of the channel ports,- it presented nen abjeetien pf aey valee. eust neeittise of 'the comparative ab- sence of large centres am roads ata railways, the Getrhen defences 11 13 are lees advantageottsly placed thu hi any other scoter between the Aisee and the North Sea, . I Although art immediate geograpilfr tat obiective, tnay be lacking, a eete * ions Waren otestee Oerniste front ett this Otter nnoeld affeet- the ,Wholift ; • s scete4:.! ' SUNDAY'S FIGHTING. London, July 2. --In the face of a, dogged resistance and of frequeUt counter-attacks of great violence, the 13ritish and Prench forces engaged in the great offensive north erten opine of the Soniree, continued Untie advance to -day, and held RIF tlibe. ground gain.ed. • Pricourt, three miles east of Al. bert, which was practically.surroun -NI by the British in the first battle', of the drive, fell into their hande . an! 2 o'clock title afternoon. Iteeperattto fighting had been in progress here since almost the beginning of the ofe fensive, The town is on the railway front Albert to PerOnne, via Combles, and is ttleo on the Albert-Peronne highroad. Its ca.pture was regard4d as only a Matter of tittle sinee, With the 13ritIsh holding Vametz awl poeltiott Nentletlegrallete. The Oar-iritici or Mau line in Frigibe forms a Mat ma., lient with. its Apt); nlar Cone/Selene, UO0 I pointing toward'Patio. A. break in that salient endangers the whole. It is expeoted that the offensive will he conducted with the same tireless energy ane after eollieWelat the same method as the German offensive against Verdun—blow after blow be- ing delbrerea Alen the whole front and et one sector after another. It is pointed out that sotaggers.ted expectations must not be built upon Czar's Forces Are Trying a the feet stroke, It lutist be regarded . only as the beginnitig, • Move Which Would Oost Enemy an Army. FOR LEMBERG DRIVES AHEAD SHORT ITEMS OF THE NEWS OF THE DAT Germany Said to be Prepar- ing for a Great Offensive in the .Baltic Sea. GREECE BACKS DOWN Serious Outbreak of Infan- tile Paralysis Worries New York. The Hydro -Electric current was turned. on at Harristone Dougal McNaughtore a Harwich farmer, hanged himself in a fit of de- spondence. The citizens of Collingwood contri- buted $20,000 for patriotic purposes in a two -days' eampaign. The Provincial and Toronto police will cooperate in an effort to check the speeding menace, ' Edward Meredith, a Mimic° asylum guard, hies been dismissed for abuse of as escaped patient. A brown pelican, a native of the Southern States, was shot on Rice Lake by Jack O'Brien, . James Farmer, ex -M. P. P, for North Perth, was sworn in as collec- tor of Customs at Stratford. Halifax is now under the operation of the prohibition act, passed at the last session of the Legislature. R. W. Turp, district superintendent of the Hydro -Electric System for Bea- verton and Breehin, died suddenly. Fine returned soldiers-- were injured, one of them serieusly, when their car turned turtle dn the KIngston road, near Toronto. The Russiari. Duma adopted a bill according to peasants the same civil rights as are given to other classes of the population. An eighteen -months -old child of Mr. and Mrs. Hoy, of Grey township, was drowned in it watering tank in his fathers' barnyard. Northumberland County branch of the Dominion Alliance decided to di- vide, organizing Separately for East and West Northumberland. Mr. W. J. Lowe, M.P.P. for Peel was operated on for appendicitin Mr. LoWe has not been well since his at- tack of typhoid fever in 1914. The National, Bank of Greece has authorized an increase in its paper currency of 50,000,000 drachmas with- out further gold cover than exists at present. Infantile paralysis caused 12 more deaths in Greater New York in 24 houre. leifty-three new cases were reported. The scourge has claimod 59 lives since June 23rd. Dr. Thomas W. Vardon; an ex -May- or of Galt, and prominent in various activities there, was stricken with heartfailure while playing. golf. He was seventy-three years of age. Earl Kitchener's autograph letter, calling for 30,000 recruits for the new army, was sold in London at atiction for the benefit of the Red Cross to Thomas Fenwick Harrison for 46,- 000. Mr. hearrisOn will preeent the letter to the nation. Capt. James Rahn, of Stratford, aheut whose appointment in the Can- adian Intelligence Staff headquarters in France there was criticism on ac- count of his nationality, has been de- corated by the King at Bucking- ham Palace with the Military CTCAS, behig twice mentioned in despatches by Sir John Prench for gallantry. BEYOND KOLOMEA Several Towns South of Recently Captured Strate- gic Point Are Now Taken ••••••••.•,•••••=••••••••••• London, July 2.—Thet Russien of- fensive continues to make progress in Galicia, Petrograd claiees the cap- ture of several towns south a low - lima, the important railway junction, which is the key to Lemberg. It also reports the occupation of fortified posts in the foothills of the Carpath- ians following the repulse ot an Aus- Ulan, counter-attack norteivest of Kimpolung. The capture of 14,574 more prisoners is recorded, bringing the total number uow up to 217,000. • Berlin claims that the battle In Progress west of Lutslc for the last week is now developing favorably for the Germans. The capture of Russian Positions on the Styr southwest of Solon is also claimed. Troops tot Cos- sacks already harassing the flanks of General von Bothmer's army have been repulsed. Semi-official reports from Vienna deny indignantly the Russian claims of the capture of 214,000 men and great numbers of cannon. They point out that had the losses been as Pet- rograd Maims the Austrians would not have it single man left on the Galician front; deaths and wounds would have• accounted for the rest. Instead, it is claimed that the Aus- trian losses amounted to between 10 and 20 per cent., instead of the 25 per cent., which has been not an un- usual figure in other operations, of the war. GETTING BEHIND TEUTONS. The advance of the Russians from Obertyn, which was captured Friday, indicates that their plan is to cap- ture the important town of Stanislau, about fifteen miles west and slightly north of Thuntacz, and well behind the present Austro -German centre front on the Strypa, The capture of Stanislau would mean that this army must either retreat rapidly or be sur- rounded when the Ruselans push northward, cutting it off from its sup- ports in the rear. The fierceness of the Russian at- tacks near Thumacz indicate that their objective is to farce the retreat or enure the capture of this army, which has effectively barred the pro- gress of the Russian forces further north toward Lemberg. Further Russian repulses in the -re- gion of Lutsk, southeast of Kovel, are reported in the official German statement. Stilus Carpenter, Magistrate, form- erly Ghia of the Edmonton police, died at his home at Banff, Alta. Be- fore coming west he wao head of the Montreal detective force. The Greek Government has again, Yielded to the demands of the Allies, and has agreed that the complete de- mobilization of the army will be ef- fected by the end of July. William R. Stanton, son of Post- Inaeter Stanton, of Port Dalhousie, was instantly • killed when he fell through the hatchway of the barge Robbins at Lock 20, Welland. Canal. Wenn Procopopitz, a Russian em- ployed by the Dominion Dredging Company,. at St. Catharines, fell front a harbor trestle upon Which he was working, and was drowned. Malcolm McKenzie, the fifteen -year- old son a( Alex, McKenzie, -Stratford, fell against the curb While attempting to alight fent a motor truck and fractured his skull. He is now in the hottpital, uneetiOei0t1S, . A cheese factory situated in Hunt- ingdon Township, anti known as West Huntingdon Factory, I,Vas destroyed by fire, which originated abottt the boiler. The loss to building and machinery is estimatea at $6,000, partially covered by insurance. Three tinemand women took part io the Dominion Day proeeesion and service planned by the WOMen Of To- ronto ins a fitting observanee oe the day that should be regarded as the birthday of'the nation. bt thnesand five Muttered &Here wits the amount colleted by the 000 workers for the Toronto Humane So- ciety, and as there are a few more; • lenses to -0 Orne in, it is anticipated the • grand total will telech $0,800. A reunion itt honor a wininiti nen: ty ,SMith„ Who .has been tettchieg Wino' in Port Dever district for 51% Years, the last forty-four ,of Winch ha has •epent tde of Port Dover nubile School, 'Watt tined there Satur- day, • tereettrick-,Colletriey.StS10116,* thteeante Otte blg gaMO.,Ininter and explorer, whe-hae beell serving ander (len. • SMetts erre thettatepa4gn bit eleritItte • least Africaelitts been nrientitthed in glespatehes fee distinguished serVice in- thenfielte. • * ' .A 4 COSTLY LOSSES BY THE TURKS Russ Came From Rear in Dark On Caucasus Front, Bayonet Charge Drove Ene- my Over a Precipice. Petrograd, July 2.—The Russian official of Sunday reportB successee on the Cau- casus front. Ent of Plantana it chain cf. Mountains which bad been strongly fortified by the Turks was captured in a brilliant attack. The Russians also drove the enemy beyond the River Sam soon Dames'. The abandoned positions were found full of Turks corpses. In the direction ,of GumIschlor the. Turks in an attempt to advance to the nt.rth 'were repulsed and driven back to their thenche.s. In the direction of Baiburt the Russian advance guards took the Turks In the 'rear during the night on a height In the region of Var. tt,nis, and in it bayonet attack hurled them over a precipice. The Russians returned safely. Pressure by important enemy forces is recorded in the ICering region in the di., rection of Bagdad. The official report reads: "Caucasian front: East of `Plantana. 'we captured by a brilliant attack a cl.ain of mountains which had been for- tified by the Turks, The enemy was re- pulsed beyond the River Samsoon Da- rt ssi. He left behind many corpses on his :positions. "In the direction of Gumisohlor an at- tempt by the Turkato advance to the north was renulsed and the enetny driven back to their trenches. In the direc- tion of Baiburt ottr advanoe guards took the Turks In the rear during the night on it height in the region of Vartanls. In it bayonet attack our soldiers hurled the Turks from the, top of a mountain down it precipice and returned safely to their tr'e'Inne"g. the direction of Bagdad, in the Xt.ring region, pressure by important enenty forces continues." TURK CLAIMS. • Constantinople Says Russ Repulsed in Persia. Official Reports of Great Allied Drive • RRITIS/I REPORT, Loudon, July 2.—The War Office • gave out the following statement Sat- urday night: "An attach Was inturehed north ot the River Soralue Saturdey Morning at 7.30 o'cioelt, itt coniunction with the Freneh. British troope have broken into the German forward eystent of defence on a feetit of sixteen milee. "The newel attack on our immedi- ate right le proceeding equally frenetic- torilY. "Heavy figntinte continued all day, betweea the Rivers Sonerao and Amore, and north of Ancre to Gommecourt In- clusive. The fight on the wliole of this front still continues with in- tensity, "On the dight of our attack we have captured it 'German labyrinth of erenclaes on a front of seven miles to a depth of 1;000 yards, and have storm- ed and occupied the etrongly-fortifiea villages of Montauban and efametz. "Itt the centre of our attack on a front of four miles we leave gained many strong Points, while at others the enemy is still holeing out, and the struggle on this front is still severe. "North of the Ancre valley to Gom- mecourt, inclusive, the battle is equal- ly violent, and in this area we have. been unable to retain portions of the ground gained in our first attacks, while other portions remain in our Possession. "Up to the present, over two thou- sand German prisoners have passed through our collecting stations, in- cluding two regimental tommanders and the whole of one regimental staff. "The large number of enemy dead on the battlefield indicates that the German casualties have been very se- vere, especially in the vicinity of Fri - court, "Last night parties of our trooPs penetrated the German trenches at various points on the front between Souehez and Ypres, in each case in- flicting casualties on the garrisons before withdrawing. One raiding party captured 16 prisoners. "Yeecerday, in spite of a high wind, a large amount of successful work was done in the air. An important railway depot was attacked with powerful bombs. A large number of other bombs were dropped on depots, rail- way, junctions, batteries, trenches and other points cif military importance in the enemy's line: "Considerable aerial activity occur- hed to -den during the battle, but full details have not yet been collected. Our machines attacked a railway train on the line between Douai and Cam- brai. Ono. of our airmen descended to below 900 feet, and suceeeded in drop- ping a bomb on trucks, which explod- ed. Other pilots saw the whole train ire flames, and heard further explo- sions." Sunday night's report reads: "Heavy fighting has taken place to- day in the area between the Ancre and the Somme, especially about Pricourt and La Boisselle. "Fricourt was captured by our troops about 2 p.m., and remains in our hands, and some progress lute been made east of the village. "In the neighborhotd rof La Bois - sena Me enemy is offering stubborn resistance, but our troops are mak- ing, satisfactory progrets. A consid- erable quantity of war material has batten into our hands, but details are not 'available. "On either side of the valley of the Ancre, the situation is unchanged. The general situation may be regarded as favorable. Later information of .the enemy's loves shows that our first es- timates are too low. The total prison- eds already exceed 3,500. • "Yesterday our aeroplanes were very active in co-operation with our Constantipole, June t10—via London, 2 p.m.—Ruselan troops in Persia have withdrawa from their fortified posi- tions near Keret, after two desperate attacks, which were repulsed by the Turks, says the official announcement issued at the Turkish War Depart- ment to -day, The announcement fon loWs: "After two desperate Russian ' ate teas against our positions east of Serail June 27, which were' without result, but in which the ItussianS suffered great kisses, the Ituselans eett' their fortified positiopeneast of Serail 14 our bend's, Mid Withdrew In the direction of Wergild, isle miles southeast of -Serail. Our troops are Pursuing the enemy." OOLOONE TROOPS WITH neoPLE, Amsterdam, July 2,—A 'story is • printed here, bet without eollfirtna- tin, of a serious (ciod riot in Cologne, According to, thee story, tropes were ordered to fire oh the crowd all re- teused, whereufton the peele'e fined, killing and wounding sOVertn persens, troOpe„.ineignant, fired •on the 'Vence, the Story eentintreee li111ng 1.8 Policemen. 1111•11•011110111111111M11. attack north of the Somme, and af- forded valuable assistants() to our oper- ations. Ntieneroue enemy beaequarters and railway centrewere attacked with bombs. "In one of these rattle MU eScerting aeroplanes were attacked by 20 Pole - kers, which were drivers off, Two ens enly masthinee were eon to crash to earth and were destroyed. • "some long-distance reconnaisancett were carried out in spite ot numeroutt attempts by enemy Machineto frus- trate the enterprises. Three our our aeroplanes are Missing, Our kite bal- foons were in the air the whole day." • FRENCH RHPORT. Paris, July 2, --The Saturday night War Office stateraent referring to tho drive read: "North and eouth et the Somme, f011owing artillery preparation and re- eonnalsances carried out in the pre- ceding days, the Franco -British troops launched this morning an offensive on a front of about forty kilometres (26 miles). "In tbe morning and Miringthe course of the afternoon along the en- tire front attacked the allied troops gained poseesion a the German first position. "North of the Somme the French troops established themselves in the approaches to the village of Hard°. court and iu the outskirts of the vil- lage of Curlu, where the battle contin- ues. "South of the Somme the villages of Dompierre, Becquinceurt, Dwell. and Fay have fallen into our hands. "The number of unwoended Ger- man prisoners captured by the French troops alone during the course ot the day surpassed 3,600. Sunday afterneon's report read: "North of the Somme the fighting was fierte during the night. The Ger- mans launched 'violent counter-attacks against our new positions at the ap- proaches to Hardeeourt. Orxr curtains of artillery fire and infantry fire in- flicted important losses upon the en- emy, who was forced to retreat in dis- order, leaving in our hands 200 pre soners, of whom six were officers. . "Pursuing our adavutage upon the right bank of the Poviere River we captured after spirited fighting the village of Curlu, which we have en- tirely occupied. "South et the Somme we have main- tained all the positions conquered by us yesterday, and accomplished some progress between Hardecourt and As- sevilles during the night. "The receipt of new information brings the total number of unwounded Germans captured by French troops yesterday to more than 5,000. "Between the Oise and the Alpe we took prisoner a German patrol which attempted to reach our lines near Bailly. Sunday nights War Office report read; 'North of the Somme the battle con- tinued all day to our advantage in the region of Hardecourt and Curlu. East of this latter 'village we have carried a quarry which had been pow- erfully organized by the enemy. "South of the Somme we have ote tained a footing in the second line of time German trenches at numerous places. Between the river and Asse- 'tillers the village of Prise has fallen into our hands, and also the Mereau- court wood, farther east. "The number of unwounded prison- ers captured by the French soldiers during the two days' fighting, and who have been counted, is more than 6,000, of whom at least 150 were afft- cets. Some cannon and much other material has also fallen into our hands. Thanks to the very comPlete and very efficacious artillery prepare - tion and thanks also to the elan of our infantry our losses have been very -small." ENEMY UTTERLYFAI till T ()STOP THE BIG DRIVE BUNG 'WILL LOSE ON THE ANCRE. In the River Atter° Neter the reels- tance of the Germans was so stubborn and well conducted behind their con- crete machine gun emplacements, theie steel and concrete field works, and their skilfully constructed trench Wes- tern, teat they still retain • `parte of their first line, he smite of the forocit31 of the British attack. The development of the battle further south, toward the Somme, is regarded as almost certain to compel a retirement here, however, for, not only are then being hard preesed on the front, but their Commecourt position in particular is exposed to a three -sided fire. With the British pushing forward from. Fricourt, the French, who link Up with them two or three miles to the south, 'continued their advance in the Somme marshes and on the left of the river. They oceupied Prise yesterday, cotnpleted their ocesmation of Curlu, and east and southeast of Dompeirre made a net gain of more than a mile on it three-mile front. The day's operations brought tho number of prisoners up to -well above 7,000, and may reach ten thousane by the time they are passed to the clear- ing stations in the rear. Of thee° the French have taken more than 6,000. GERMAN BATTERIES GOT NO SUPPLY. The prisoners so far interviewed have commented on the extreme vio- lenee of the bombardment which pre- ceded Saturday's attack, and on the skill With which the artillery contri- buted to tho advance ohce the British infantry was in action. Prisoners take en in the raids all last -week, but es: Pettedly on Thursday and Friday, told of the barrier of fire erected between the fent line trenches ahd the suppotte Ing positions which for 'Aintree 'Ohm three days had prevented MC1110041: reinfotcements from being itneendellit to the front, It develops now.that vat OnlY Was the food service seriounlY .crippled, but the munitions transport was impedeil to such an extent that ethe light tbatterfee, veined . to - 'ward the front, were left Virtualry 'evitenat shells. 'Po the effectiveness of the British firo on these petite is atteibuted -the -feeble answer returned by the Ger- mans to, the Pretatery bombardment. The aerial service has its BMX%) ,of Credit for this situation, for the aye ^atom early obtained cOMplete anon of the air, and in their l'aitt3 011. • the German .bases neetroyed.antmuni- tion Convoys, depots end trains and aided mateeilly in• dierupting the en- intreasinglY aligarerif- tire supply organization.. LONDON CALM AND CONFTDENT. . While London remained keenly in- terested in the developments across the Chanel yesterday, the mithittiaem manifested when the first news of the drive arrived gave place to a feeling of confidence and determina- tion less audibly expressed, butt none the less unmistakable, The nation has learned it is unwise tp under -rate the German army and the defenceit has constructed and perfected thcough nearly two years of occupation of noethern France, so not great ad - vane& like that earried out by Gen- eral trusilofes Russian army is even hoped eon It is thoroughly under- stood now that the Beitiee army is engaged in an undertaking similer in many respects to that of the Germans at Verdun. • At no time has there been contemplated, or even consider- ed possible a sudden advance which would carry through and break the German front. •„sten the contrary, the schemes of the Anne:a-French leaders • provide etre a steady pressure, backed up by all the great resources of the British army in guns and ammunition. It slowly and methodically push back the front until the .Allied ibrees are within striking distance of one of the nlanY important railway centres in north- ern France, on 'which German field organization is based. Cambrai, to- ward which the present drive is di- rected, is one of the most important of these. Douai, Lens,, Valencieenes are similarly important points. Once any one of these cities is reached and held, a complete realignmetn of the German front in France, if not the evacUation of all of northern Prance to the line of the Meuse and the Scheldt, will be forced. To aecomplishe this task Within has Lord Kitchener's new aerates, numbering in all the services more than 4,000,000. This vast force has replaced ahnost entirely the original expeeitionuty force whieli won fame 'fifo retreat front Mons and in the 'battle of the Marne. Hacking this • army, nearly half of which to -day is on the continent, is enormous out- put of British aMmunition And atma• Ment Maine, and a large part of •the output for the last year.of thp Anter - lean netts hultultfies. ALLIS' WORIC Well ONE. • But observers here find ever More encouragement in the evidence of En- tente eceoperation„Por the, tirst time since ties war login negenbral • offensive 10 being earrieet out on all fronts .and under i weli-organixed etrdinatecl Allied strategy. There' Is the greatest* actord between Lentletn, Paris, Petrograd and 'Oren -Mid the results of that ettecOrd are beeothing • '