It : WAB NOTES. - HEAVY COUNTER-ATTACKS . The storm along the British front north of the Somme still eentres round the Australians and Territorials outside Posleres. General Hair's latest measaae la almost entirely con fined 'to the renewed German counter-attacks delivered against positions north and nortn-east of this vlllaae. where, as we know, the Australians are at present engaged. Five of: these counter-attacks failed to seoure any permanent advantage for the enemy. In spite of: the German army order, reported to have been found on a prisoner, urging tbe recapture of Posierea plateau at all. costs. in is army order Is said to have concluded with the sen' tence: "Any officer or man not resisting to the death will be Immediately court-martial-led." It hss a remarkable similarity to Gen eral Joffre's famous order regarding tho de fence of Verdun, wblch read as follows: fYesterdar I ordered that the right bank of the Meuse, north of Verdun, should bo held. Any commander giving the order of retreat will be brought before court-martial. Whether the positions on the high land north of the Somme, occupied bV the Australians and Territorials, aro so vital aa the German army order makes them out to bo time alone will tell. That the Germans themselves really believed them to be so Is evident from the violent nature of the counter-attacks, which must have cost them particularly heavy losses, The only other fresh attack reported from the Artols-Somme region up to a late hour last night was that which resulted In the cap ture by the French, between the British right flank and the Somme, of a trench between Hem Wood and the river. This has Increased the French hold on that important point In their lino wbere the main road and railway be tween Peronm and Albert and another road leading to Maurepaa all cross each other. This position should greatly assist them when they commence to move further eastward on to ciery.