Evening star., 1916-09-30
BRITISH REPU[SE
COUNTER ATTACKS
Hold Own in Fierce Fighting
Around Stuff Redoubt and
Hessian Trench.
TRENCHES NEGOTIATED
TO EAST OF LESB0EUFS
Heavy Losses Suffered by Gen. Haig
During Past Month-French
Troops Progress.


lighting has been in progress along the
northern end of the somme front,
where the British recently have made
important inroads upon German posi-
tions south of the Ancre.
Heavy counter attacks by the Ger
mans near the Stuff redoubt and the
Hessian trench have been checked. A
division of the new British army ac-
quilted itself most creditably.
East of Lesboeufs on the Somme
front British troops have occupied 500
yards of German trenches. There has
been heavy fighting near Thiepval.
The British were forced from sec
tion of the "Hessian trench but re-
adds that more than 500 prisoners
were taken in this fighting.
Aeros Attack Reinforcements.
I'm spite of the weather. British
aeroplanes have done useful work at
tacking German reinforcements on the
move One German machine was de-
stroyed. One British machine has not
returned"
The British lost heavily in the fight
ing on the Somme front during Sep
tember This is indicated by the cas-
| ualty lists. which show the casualties
on all fronts during the month to have
| been nearly 10000 officers and men,
or at the rate of more than $500
day.
British Official Report.
| The latest British official account Of
Yesterdays operations follows:
During the night the enemy shelled
heavily our battle front south Of the
Ancre. We consolidated the ground
won yesterday morning at Destremont
farm, northwest of LIE Sars. and i'm
| proved our position in the Thiepval
area.
! Enemy counter attacks were beaten
off in the neighborhood of Stun redoubt
| and Hessian trench. The fighting in
| this section yesterday was very severe
| and our troops engaged division of
| the new army-Showed great endur-
ance and resolution
| "A successful raid was made by q
London territorial battalion south of
| Neuville St. Vast. where the enemy's
trenches were entered and prisoners
| were taken
French Push Wedge Farther.
| Farther down the line toward the
| Somme the French have resumed their
| attacks. pushing farther the wedge
| into the German lines in the region of
Rancourt. The new French advance
according to Paris, was scored by
means of hand grenade operations
north of Rancourt.
Germans Still Confident.
! BERLIN. September 30.-The fight
ing on the Somme evidently has not
shaken the confidence of the German
military leaders in their ability to
prevent a breach in their lines The
Berliner Tageblatts special war corre-
spondent interviewed Crown Prince
| Rupprecht of Bavaria, commander of
the German forces on the Somme.
| Tuesday, and the crown princes utter
| ances expressed complete confidence in
the situation for the present and the
| future.
The crown prince is quoted as hav-
gan the entente allies had gained
some ground, but there could be no
thought of this decisively changing
| the situation.
"It is impossible to predict how
things will go hereafter" said Prince
Rupprecht, but one thing is certain
namely, that we have everything so
thoroughly prepared that We are able
| to contemplate the situation with
| equanimity, whatever comes. The
offensive will certainly not reach an
| early end.
Have Taken Precautions.
I'VE can reckon upon an offensive of
great persistence and with heavy at
tacks, accompanied by an enormous
| expenditure of ammunition. But we
have taken precautions. Our artillery
| has been reinforced, and likewise our
| Aeroplane Corps, and our hiers have
| had fine successes in the last few days,
although they have had hard fighting
against increased numbers. Our artil-
| lery derives advantages from the sue
cessful work of the aeroplanes after
having formerly been much exposed
| to observation by hostile aviators
Our troops have been striking with
the utmost strength. and the enemy
has found the nut too hard to crack.
| 1t is my distinct opinion that the
enemy is trying to force decision at
J this spot and during this year, and
he has not yet succeeded. He will have
| to put up with winter campaign and
| continue his fighting next year"