Norwich bulletin., 1916-07-12

The British gains in the battle of the SOmme after ten days continuous fighting, cover a front of nearly eight miles and include the entire German first system of defence, according to the official report forwarded by Gen eral Haig, the British COmmander-in- chief on the French front The ad- Vances include a number of small towns or villages and positions which are considered of great strategic i'm portance. The British advance ex- tended into the German positions for a depth of two thousand to four thOuS- and yards. Many of the villages were strongly fortified, the woods were full of trenches and surrounded by barbed wire, and what General Haig describes as immensely strong redOubts,' had to be carried by storm.
 French Hold Hills Around Peronne.
 At the same time the French army under General FOch has moved up in the southern section of the SOmme until it now holds the dominating hills around Peronne, a town which has been strongly fortified by the Germans and the possession of which they are likely to contest with the ut most determination.
 British Again Have ContaImaison.
 The British have re-taken ContaI- maison and are again in control of nearly the entire extent of TrOnes Wood and Memetz wood There has been desperate fighting in both of these sectors for several days past
 French Now Waiting for British
 The French along the Somme car ried out some minor detached opera tions which enabled them to strength en their position at La Maisonnette and apparently the French are wait ing for the British to straighten out their line before making the attempt to drive the Germans out of Peronne
 In this great battle about 22 900 pris- oners have been taken by the Franco British forces, of whom the British announce they have captured 7,5O0.
 German Footing in DamIoup Battery.
 In the Verdun sector. the Germans, unmOved by the attacks north andI south of the SOmme, have succeeded in gaining a foOthold in the Damloup battery which has been a bone of contention for days past, and in the French line in the F'umm Wood on the right bank of the Mouse. At other points the Germans are carrying out a strong offensive.
 Russians 20 Miles from Kovel.
 On the Russian front the stokhod sector is the central point of the Rus sian advance. The Germans have brought up strong endorsements and artillery to oppose the Russians who are now within twenty miles of KoveI. | The defenses of this town are believ- ed to be powerful although there are now no natural barriers between Brus- 1 silOn's army and their objective Fighting along this line is of a furious nature, as it was while the Russians were crossing the river at various points.
 Enemy Put to Flight.
 Tn southern BUlzOWina. Petrograd reports that considerable enemy forces have been put to flight northwest of KimpOlung. Vienna does not refer to the fighting in Bukowina and Galicia, | but asserts that Russian attacks near Sokul and along the Stokhod have been repulsed.
 Up to July 10 the drive of General BrussilOff had resulted in the capture of 271, ,620 prisoners, it is officially an nounced. Austrians Recalled to Italian Front.
 The Italians have captured addition al positions from Austrians, particu- larly on the Pasubio front. Rome as- serts that because of the Italian of fensive in the Trentino several divis- ions of Austrian troops, already on their way to the Russian front, have been recalled.