Evening star., 1916-07-31
British and French Press
Fiqht on the River Somme,
Despite the Terrible Heat

WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE
FIELD, July 80, via London. July Sl.-
wrench and British soldiers made to-
DAVIS attack in sweltering midsummer
heat. The first real hot wave OF the
season struck northern France last
night. and this morning British ana
French infantry co-operated In an
action north of the Somme in front OF
Cuillemont and Maurepas-
For the last few days the one Woro
a., ererybody.s tongue has been wis
fbility," which has come into universal
use since Admiral Jellicoe'S first meet
dispatch. Formerly artillerymen SPOKE
Of good and bad light Persistent oao
light or low visibility. which dio not
permit the gunners to register their
targets, had delayed any Important IN
fantry action. Yesterday the hght De
came better as the heat grew troplc
and Offensive operations were renewed.
Germans Pile Up Guns.
Every day the Germans have been in
creasing the number Of guns and men
In the Guiliemont sector, which Is
among the last portions of high ground
they hold By prisoners taken ten Ger
man battalions. or 10000 men. have been
where the Germans still are in their old
sscond-line fortifications, with maze
trenches and deep dugouts, built long
ago and strengthened since the ouen-
sive began. The Germans appear to re-
gard this sector of critical importance
since the British broke the second line
ON the adjoining front for a length of
two miles July IA.
Part of the British attack struck
from the bloody Trones wood. and the
hA AoTa
mans tried to man machine guns. as
usual after a British bombardment. The
Germans resisted the British bitterly.
fighting under the broiling sun as II
every inch Of ground were precious
The British got possession of the rail-
road station. which they had reached
in q previous attack. and this time. ac-
cording to last reports. still were hold
ing IT,
Some of the attackers got into Guile
mont and reached the church. where
the Germans. swarming from dugouts.
outnumbered the advance party which
fought against their foe on all sides
Fight at Close Quarters.
II was one of those hand-to-hand and
hide -and seek conflicts in the village
ruins of indescribable ferocity. The
British had to retire from the edge of
1uilleulOnt. Dut Hiduc BVOu CoHBluSI-
able advance southwark on the flank
Of the town. where. fighting through
the hot night. they continued to main
tain their gain.
Perspiration made white water courses
In the dust of the mems faces today
ana their eyes looked out through
masks 50 thick that their faces seemed
to be covered with some kind of armor.
Motor trucks passed like phantoms in
thick clouds on the road. Gunners.
stripped to their skin. kept on serving
their guns at top speed. Breathing
came hard in the mixture Of dust and
she'll smoke.
Soldiers who reached Guillemont
speak of the fearful carnage among
the Germans from the British gunfire,
owing to the masses of Germans con-
centrated under the British lombard
ment before the infantry attacks. They
said they could hear the means of the
German wounded for water above the
bombing and rife and machine gun
IRE With the news Of the shooting OF
Capt Fryatt fresh in their minds the
British went into the charge with a
fury. swearing they would ayenge his
death.