OCR Text |
Show Haig's Troops Strike to the East Against Combles and Bapaume; Appreciably Advance Their Lines at Various Points. BRITISH COPY VERDUN TACTICS Strong Infantry Attacks Are Launched Only When the Artillery Has Wiped Out Trenches and Leveled Fortifications. Fortifica-tions. ..Mil.. I (Special Cablo by Arrangement with London Dally Telegraph and International News Servlc.) LONDON, July 13. The British have made a further advance north of the Sommc, according to a report received tonight from General Haig. With Contalmaison and the entire German first line of defense on that and adjoining sectors firmly in their hands, the English troops are striking to the eastward against Combles and Bapaume. Longueval, a junction point on the high road system and the heights of Martin-puchi, Martin-puchi, two and a half miles northeast of Contalmaison, which command the battle ground for miles around are the immediate objects of their campaign. British Advance Lines. Tonight's statement from headquarters headquar-ters in France follows: "Artiller- on both sides was active throughout the day and as a result of sharp i ufa n try attacks we maintained pressure ou the enemy and appreciably advanced our line at various points of the front. "On one sector we captured a German Ger-man Howitzer and a quantity of ammunition. am-munition. These will be used against tho enemy at a suitable opportunity.'1 General Haig is not relaxing for a moment the pressure by which it is hoped eventually to drive the invaders from France. Taking a leaf from their own book, the British are directing against the Germans in the field the same sort of campaign the Germans are attempting to carry out against the fortress of Verdun. Strong infantry assaults, as-saults, each prepared by artillery tire which wipes out trenches and levels fortifications, for-tifications, are being launched by the British at many points on the front and so far satisfactory headway has been gained in all of these. Costly Counter-Attacks. The Germans are reported to have concentrated S0,000 men on a short front to resist the British advance on the dominating heights of Martinpuchi. These troops are being hurled forward in savage and costly counter attacks. Berlin today, admitting the complete loss of Contalmaison, claims success in breaking up French attacks south of the Somme during the preceding afternoon. On that front calm rested today. |