The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-03
ALLIED TROOPS ARE
 HOLDING POSITIONS German Official Report Con-
 firms the Allied Victory BRITAIN DETERMINED Expect Nothing Sensational
 as the Russian Drive CONSOLIDATING GAINS
BRITAIN DETERMINED
CONSOLIDATING GAINS
Germans Fought Fiercely North of Ancre and Are Attempting to Pro- tect the Main Road to the Rear.
 Ambulance Transport Swift

London, July 2.-The official British
 dispatches today report the continued success of the Anglo-F'rernch offensive The Germans made desperate counter
 fsh troops have occupied Fricourt and the French have captured Curlu and
 have seemingly nowhere had to yield the ground gained.
 The German lines in some places have been penetrated to depth of two miles
 and many thousands of prisoners have been taken.
 North of the Somme. where the
 French and British armies make con-
 tact, various points of tactical value
 have been taken. The allied struggle is to extend their hold over the rolling
 plateau around Albert. At Frlcourf,
 Coltmaisson and Gommecourt, the Ger
 mans fought desperately to defend the high road from Arras to Bapaume and Peronne. one of the main arteries of the western operations. The German official report generally confirms the success of the first days British operations, admitting the with drawal of the Germans from the first l line trenches and the abandonment of heavy material
 REGRET FOR KITCHENER 1 The British public still displays the same quiet determination and confi- dence, fully understanding that no ;aI r,f txr the Russian General Brussiloff is pos- sible against the formidably organ ized German front and that great sacri- fees and possible setbacks must be prepared for. Many regrets are heard that Kitchiner had not lived to see the results of his work This is the first great battle in which artillery legions 1 he created are being put to the test. Kitchener's armies have virtually re-
 placed the first small expeditionary
 force sent out under Field Marshal French. It is also the first time that a great offensive has been carried out under we'll organized. co-ordinated strategy over the whole field of opera tions and confidence is felt that the al. lied commanders have no intention to risk reckless sacrifices for a mere spec tacular advance. As one correspondent writes: There is no longer an attempt to pierce as with knife. but slow, continuous, methodical push, leading to the day when the enemy's resistance will crumbIe at some point" ARE CONSOLIDATING GAINS British Headquarters in France, Sat urday, July 1.--(via London, July 2) The close of the first days offensive over the longest front the entente all lies have attempted and the most ex- tensive action of the war for the Brit ish, finds both the British and French consolidating their gains.
 South of the Ancre river. where the infantry swept forward, Curlu was captured by the French and Montau- ban and Mametz were taken by the British with almost unbroken success, though against heavy curtains of fire and delays due to stubborn resistance at some points, and particularly for the British from a German trench called Dancing Alley"
 Word came back that the destruction by artillery of the first line trench was so complete that one British bat talion occupied 1t with the loss of a single man.
 The Germans in their defensive tac- (Continued on Page Two)