FURTHER SUCCESSFUL ADVANCE
GERMAN RETREAT ON MONTDIDIER FRONT
BRITISH PRESSURE ON THE ANCRE
\ By Tclegraph-Presa ißsoclation-Copyright. London, August 3. The /advance continues. Fismes and two villages to the northwest: are' on fire, while fourteen others in the area between Mui/.on and St. Thierry are also bunting, indicating that the enemy intends to stand not on tho Vesle but behind tho Aisne, possibly even on the Chemiii ties Dames. He will probably fight a delaying action on the plateau between tho Vesle and (he Aisne. Tho French apparently occupy the whole of Soissons, and have advanced their troops to the northern edge of the plateau. French cavalry aro 011 the Vesle between Chainpgny and Jonchery, but ail the bridges over (he river are broken, and no French troops are across the river. The enemy retired rapidly; then; lias not been a great deal of fighting, and large captures of prisoners aro unlikely. The French, co-operating with the British and Americans, 011 Friday advanced on a front of thirty miles, attain ng a depth of more than eight miles in soma places. The enemy continued to retreat 011 Saturday, and General Jlangin followed up his successes, and maintained hustling tactics between Soissons and Reims. On Saturday night the Allies ivere holding the whole line of tho Aisne and the Vesle between Soissons and Fisraes. Progress cast of Fismes has not yet reached the Vesle, but Frencli cavalry patrols aro operating along tho Soissons-fteims railway. A later message states that the on*my continues in full retreat. Tho British aro advancing between tho Ardre and the Aisne, following as nearly as possible the lino of tho Vesle. General Mangin's troops in tho meantime imvo crossed tho south bank of the Aisro, and have reached Venizel village, five miles cast of Soissons. The Germans are hastily rctroating behind the Vesle, and aro hard pressed. Judging by tho speed <n" tho Allied cavalry and infantry it is doubtful whether the enemy will be able to make a stand on the Vesle.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.
"A TRIUMPH OF MANOEUVRE." > Paris, August 4. The battle up to the present has been a triumph of manoeuvre. General Foch is absolutely certain that the enemy intended to defend the Vesle from the southern banlc, for our men, in their advance, came upon a series of works either just finished or' in courso of construction, which the enemy worked upon to the last moment. The fierce rearguard fighting added heavily to the already enormous German losses, and Soissons is a veritable cenietery. The houses have been pillaged, though not much damaged. The French troops, on entering the city, met no living creature except an old woman who went mad during the battle. Two German divisions were terribly mauled in the defence of tho town.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.
STUBBORN RESISTANCE ON THE VESLE. London, August 4. The Germans are stubbornly resisting along the north bank of the Veslo from Soissons towards Roims. Six thousand inoro prisoners have been taken.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. EFFECTIVE "NIBBLING" BY THE BRITISH
London, August 3. The enemy in tho neighbourhood of Albe.'t, at Aveluy Wood, retired to tho cast biink of "tho Ancrc. It was only a small retirement on a front of four miles, but it is significant, as the former positions were good for offensive and no good for deienc The British advance on the Albert sector follows the harassing policy which the Australians had persistently carried out at Morlancourt and Villers Bretonneux. This series of recent Australian pushes on the Somme, apart from strengthening the defence of Amiens, enabled tho British to compel the enemy to tarry out a considerable readjustment of his line.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.
GERMAN RETIREMENT AT MONTDIDIER (Keo. August 5, 7.50 p.m.) New York, August 4. The Germans retired on a ten-niile front at Montdidior. , Both the enemyte flanks liavo been turned between Soissons and Keims.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.
THE LATEST NEWS-LULL IN THE ADVANCE FATIGUED TROOPS RESTING: BAD WEATHER AND HEAVY ROADS. (Rec. August G, 1.20 a.m.) London, August 4. Renter's correspondent at Frenoh Headquarters states: "Tho pause in the battle along the Vesle is largely duo to the fatigue of the troops -who havo been fighting and advancing continuously for several days, and also to soaking rains and the consequent heavy roads. Only light advanced columns at present aro in contact with tlie enemy along the Vesle. These aro awaiting the main body oi' infantry and guns before attempting to drive tho Germans behind tho Vesle. The fact that tho enemy has installed heavy artillery on the plateau behind tho Veslo indicates tho likelihood of his decision to establish his line on tho Ve3le. The Gormwis aro still close to Rcim6 on the west, north, and east,sides—Router.
OFFICIAL REPORTS "GLORIOUS MARCH" CONTINUED. London, August 4. A French official communique stales: "During tlio day our troops, driving back tlio enemy rearguards, continued their glorious march on a front of about fifty kilometres (thirty miles), in the direction of tlio Ycsle. Oil our left wo readied tlio southern bank of tlio Aisne and the Vcsle from Soissons to Fismes, tlio outskirts of which tlio Americans hold. East of Fismes wo have readied a general lino north of Courville, Branscuurt, Courallcs, and Chanipigny. Our cavalry reconnaissances nro operating along tho Soissons-Keims railway. At certain points our progress 6ince yesterday lias been more than ten kilometres (over nix miles). Over fifty villages were liberated in a single day."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Keuter. A. later communiquo states: "Tlio battlcfront is UDolianged, and there is nothing to report."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Keutcr.
Tho High Commissioned' reports:— London, August 4, 0.30 a.m. A French official report states: "We reached tho Veslo at several points eastwards of Fismes, in spito of lively rcsistnnw. Our light elements got a footing on tho north bank. Wo captured 1 ismes and reached Neuvillettee. On the left of tho Avro, between Caste! and Mesnil-St. (Icorges, the Germans were forced to abandon part of their positions. Wo occupy l?rachcs and Hargicourt, and have reached Courtemanche."
THE AMERICAN REPORT London, August 4. An American official report states: "The enoiny has been driven in confusion beyond tho lino of tho Veslo. In the course of the operations since July 18 8400 prisonors and 133 guns have been captured by lie. —A113.-N.Z. Cftblo Assn.' Eouter.
(Rcc. August 5, 7.50 p.m.) Washington, August 4. General Pershing's communique states: "The Americans captured Fismes by assault, and hold tho south bank of the Vesle on that ecctor."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.
ON THE BRITISH FRONT London, August 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Our patrols have reached the Ancro between ])ernancourt and Ilnme!, and are in contact with tho enemy on this line. Tho hostilo artillery was activo at night north of Bcthuno and south of Ypres. Tho progress of our patrols in the Albert sector continues. Wo hold the greater part of tlio ground previously in the enemy's possession west of tho Ancre, and are closely following up tho enemy in his withdrawal, the indications of which wore previously observed. We repulsed strong raiding parties south-east of Hobuterno and east of Fiobecrj. There is increased hostile artillery activity about Kernmel." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Heuter.
ON THE NEW ZEALAND FRONT
(Special Dispatch from the N.Z. Official War Correspondent.) London, August 4. _ Except for occasional harassing shell-fire, our sector remains quiet. The officers anil men of the Cyclist Corps have been fighting gallantly in the Marno Battle. They were largely instrumental in iho capture of one village. Some of the Otago mounted men did valuable scout work in the same battle.
GERMAN LEADERS AND GERMAN PUBLIC
FAILURE OF GENERAL OFFENSIVE SCHEME ADMITTED. Copenhagen, August 4. Von Hindonburg and von Ludendorff, receiving the correspondents of Berlin newspapers, admitted that tho general scheiuo of the attack had failed, but they asserted that tho Germans remain masters of the situation, and that tho Allied progress on the llarne is unimportant Von Hindenburp said: "The German soldiers will become just as easily accustomcd to dealing with the Americans as they havo to dealing with black troops."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.. '
FACING UNPLEASANT FACTS. Amsterdam, August 4. German newspapers, commenting on tlie anniversary of August 4, declare that last week's success l.as strengthened the British monl at homo owl in the Army.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable A6sn. The "Frankfurter Zeituug" says: "We must givo up Hie hope that thesummor campaign will end the war. The enemy will certainly strike additional blows. We must reconcilo ourselves to another winter of fighting, and probably another summer, when the Americans' will make tho struggle difficult for us." It significantly adds: "The desire for peace increases in Germany week by week."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.
THE WAR IN THE AIR London, Aumist 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "The weather interfere-! with air work. We dropped thirteen tons of bombs during the day, ihreo tons of which fell on the Brugea docks. Night flying was impossible."— Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Eeuter.
GENERAL PERSHING DECORATED
Paris, August L General Pershing lias been awarded the Grand Cross of tlio Legion of Honour.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.
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Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 272, 6 August 1918, Page 5
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1,493FURTHER SUCCESSFUL ADVANCE Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 272, 6 August 1918, Page 5
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