The sun., 1916-09-09
ALLIES PREPARE
new SOMME DRIVE
German Line IS Miles Long
Is Hammered by Big
Guns.
ACTIVE IN THE NORTH
Work Of Artillery Presages
a Move Against La Bassee
in New Operation.
ACTIVE IN THE NORTH

LONDON. Sept. s.-An along the
somme front Of thirty-fve miles French
and British batteries are preparing for
fresh attacks. German dashes to regain
captured trenches were beaten back
this morning.
The new allied positions. were bonn
barded only by German heavy guns to-
day and yesterday. Reuters correspond
ent at the British front telegraphs that
this may mean the Germans intend a
general withdrawal and have taken their
field artillery to the real as its final step.
The French had some success In the
nerce fighting that goes on amid the
ruins OF Nermandovillers. They took bits
OF German trenches in the eastern part
OF the town. which the Germans hold.
and captured fifty prisoners. This is
the only gain OF trenches reported IN II
day OF ounter attacks urd artillery fire.
French troops withstood the most VIC
lent OF the German attacks to-day and
last night. Strong forces OF Germans at
tackled south OF the Somme, between
Berry and Chaulnes. where the French
hold IVA and a half miles of the inn
portant Roye-Chaulnes hallway. which
serves G,iman positions for twenty-five
miles. The French held firm under the
Intense boinbardment with which the
Germans tried to prepare the way for
their infantry and then beat of the in
fantry dashes.
Fail At Verdua.
The Germans also tried to get back
the mile OF first lire trenches on the
Nerdun front between N~aux-Chapitrc
wood and Daupierre. which the French
took yesterday. They failed here also.
A new british offensive aimed ind
rcctly at Lille may be- forecast by opera
tons about Cuinchy. north 81 the Somme
sector. which nave been going on for
some days. Last night the British
raided the German trenches southeast OF
Cuinchy and near R~ichebourg IAvoue.
south and north respectively of the rail-
road from Be.hune to La Bassee. The,
inflicted severe losses on the Germans in
the raided trenches. The British pref
dced their attack on the Soinme by
trench raids Of this kind.
The terrible effects Of the British bom-
bardment Of the German trenches at
Guillsmont are described by "A corre-
%spondent at the front. who says that
the ground east Of the ruined village
-a: s!-c"n w!.h dad.
The corpsee in many cases were
stark naked" he said. every stitch OF
clothing having been blasted of them.
A very large proportion Of these bodies
showed no sign Of wounds and there is
little CUB that they were killed by the
intense conclusion. Even in the dug
outs with which the place was warreUcd
few men escaped the bombardment. and
those who did said that their nerves
were destroyed by the terrific pounding
Of the British guns"
Eyewitness of Fighting.
Tie correspondent OF la Libcrtr AZ
French army headquarters describes a.
follows the great bonbardment that is
now going on along the Somme 'front.'.
Prom one end TO the other OF the
attacking front the cannonade ragged
yesterday evening, reaching o degree OF
intensity hitherto without precedent
Each day IL seems as II the extreme
limit possible had been reached, and
each day the bombardment still grows
IN violence and fury. The French and
British batteries along the whole front
never cease TO pour out a deluge of
thousands and thousands OF shells OF
every calibre. Never before nave ! Wit
messed such a spectacle said an officer
who had Just arrived AZ the front near
Nermandovillers.
The German positions az the close of
Yesterday evening were surrounded with
clouds Of dust and smoke. through which
objects could be DISTINGUISHED family
one frightful explosion followed another
from time 10 time one saw enormous
masses 81 earth and material thrown
up. and among II all the bodies of the
dead. torn 10 fragments.
when night came the sky stretched
out like one vast furnace. so that as
far as one could see there was nothing
bW a horizon OF fire