SPLENDID PROGRESS ALONG THE WHOLE FRONT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 278, 13 August 1918, Page 5

SPLENDID PROGRESS ALONG THE WHOLE FRONT

GRIM STRUGGLE AT ROYE BIG GERMAN RETREAT IMMINENT , By Telegraph-Press ißßoclation-Oopyrlght. j London, August 11 ■ The Canadians and the Australians took Chaulnes. It is reported that both Eoye and. Chaulnes have Ibeeu taken. The French field guns command the important railway junction at .Chaulnes, compelling the Germans to abandon ite use and depend on the roads and light railways, which are inaderi late for their needs. Tho Canadian cavalry, operating near Chaulnes, report that strong enemy rearguards are covering the evacuation of the stores. The whole situation'offers great possibilities. It is expected that thß enemy will bo compelled to retire to the Somme line, seven miles distant. The guns captured pre variously estimated at from 350 to 400, including a 15-inch gun, previously used in ■bombarding Amiens. The British turned it round and bombarded Ham. Th« ■war news stimulated the Stock Exchange. All gilt-edged securities are harden-inff—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn, Y 1 NEARLY 60,000 PRISONERS AND 900 GUNS . STATEMENT BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE. / London, August 11 jlt. Lloyd George, speaking' at Newport, said that the Allied victories on the Marne and tho Somme had Tesulted in the capture of nearly CO,OOO. prisoners and 900 guns. One of the greatest factors in these victories had been the combined command. He specially appealed to the owners to produce more coal, which "was" oho of'the greatest' munitions of war. Ho also urged the coal owners and aliippera tq hasten the dispatch of coal to Franiie and Italy — Aus.-k.Z. Cable Assn. ' ANOTHER ESTIMATE OF PRISONERS (Eec. August 12, 7.40 p.m.) . Paris, August 11. The Franco-British forces up to last night had taken prisoner 35,000, including several thousand officers. The number of captured guns exceeds five hundred.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ENEMY REINFORCEMENTS EN ROUTE BY FORCED MARCHES FROM CAMBRAI, PERONNE, AND ST.. • QUENTIN. "■ 1 Paris, .August 11. The Paris "Jourtfal" states that strong enemy columns are advancing 'by forced marches from Cambrai, l'eronne, and St. Quentin. Apparently the enemy contemplates a violent counter-offensive in order to save Eoye, the fall of which has not yet been confirmed. —Aus.-N Z. Cable Assn. ■ V THE FALL OF MONTDIDIER ■ ' ' Paris, August 11. A semi-official report states: "Montriidier fell owing to a combined movement by the right wing and tho Third French Army, under the command of General Humbert."—Reute:-. • THE FIGHT FOR CHIPILLY . SCENE OF HARD FIGHTING. (Rec. August 12, 7.40 p.m.) London, August 11, 11 p.m. . Tho battle in which (he Anglo-Americans cleared up the Chipilly triangle was a remarkable feat. Tho Americans arrived 'by forced march, and without baiting a moment fixed bayonets, followed the barrage, and cleared the ground for a fuirtlier advance, taking over five hundred prisoners. The British, who captured Chipilly, had some of the hardest fighting in this offensive, carrying their objectives in less than three-quarters of an, hour. Prisoners stato that the Seventh Bavarian Division, which arrived at Lihons in time to receive the full woight of the Australian assault, is incapable of further fighting at present. We are pushing forward towards Proyal along the Fait,court Road, and ill moro than ono place are back to the old Somme positions at Fransart. Beyond these points tho retreating enemy continues to fire the villagea and blow up the dumps a long ■way back.—Router. • THE BATTLEFIELD REVIEWED (Rec August 12, 7.10' p.m.) . London. August 11, 9.20 p.m. The Allies are making splendid progress on the whole front between tho south of Arras and the Oise. Thero is a fiorce struggle at Chaulnes with strong enemy forces which are covering the German retireat. The enemy lias made a great effort during the preceding forty-eidit' hours to remove vast stores from Chaulnes, with only moderate success, the British offering fierce opposition. North of the Somme they are advancing down the long slope towards Bray, which they havo. now probably reached. The Germans are contesting every inch of the ground on tho Veslo against the Americans, who are fighting with s|tperb heroism. A German retreat to the Aisne orfieyond is clearly imminent. The enemy is showing signs of anxiety between Anras and Albert, where no material advance has been made. South of the Somme there has beon a slight retirement at some places, and desperate fighting, the enemy throwing in reserves and fiercely coun-ter-attacking. Largo fires and long transport columns in tho enemy's irear indicate that lie is counter-attacking in order to gain timo to save liugo quantities of munitions lie has accumulated in this area. Our casualties wore extremely light during tho first two days, while wo were over-running the enemy's positions, but thoy aro now heavier, owing io tho soverer fighting. Tho enemy's available reserves cannot exceed twenty divisions, and no apprehension is felt that we will bo unable to hold our gains >' nd resumo tho advance when opportunity offers. Immediate interest centres in the fight by the French for tho massif of Lassigny, commanding a considerable extent of country. If this be captured tho enemy's hold round Roye and Nesle will 'be difficult. The _ French Third Army lias advanced in this neighbourhood ftrom three to fivo miles sinco yesterday morning ever difficult undulating lownli'y, intersected by volleys. Interesting developments aro oxpectcd here—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. HEAVY FIGHTING ROUND ROYE BRITISH CAVALRY IN ACT-lON (Rec. August 12, 11.40 p.m.) London, August 12. The "Morning Post's" correspondent at British Head(|uarte.-s states-. —"Tho region fronting Roye litis become tho scono of heavy and.most stubborn lighting. It was expected that t'lio Germans here would mnko a determined effort to etcm our advance when thoy reached tho old defences. These are largely derelict, but masses of rusted wiro encumber the ground. Tho trenches tire in Fairly good condition, and tho vast -underground galleries nro still serviceable. Several concrete redoubts remain intact. The fighting on Sunday contrcd on this old battlefield. . Many reserve divisions have been concentrated, and every availablo man, including non-combatante, was impressed for defence. The Germans brought up guns of all calibres from Pero'nne, putting up a hasty barrage in the middle'of Saturday afternoon. One of the moat thrilling 6ights of tho camnnurn was witnessed at fcrur o'clock, when largo masses of British caTalry rodo

London, August 11

out against the village of Damery, north-east of Roye. They rodo superbly through a hail of bullets; whilo the infantry cheered them. Scaring the village) the cavalry encountered many machine-gun nests, whilo shelUholes, overgrown with weeds, increased tho difficulties, and tho cavalry was obliged to leave the task to.tho tanks. Meanwhile other units began to outflank Damery from tho north Tanks Move Out to the Attack. , "Fighting proceeded all night long, the British, Australian, and Canadian patrols continuing the outflanking movement. In spite of the £ok. the battle was resumed with redoubled vigour at daybreak. The tanks took up the task, attacking Damery, which had been abandoned by the cavalry. A long lino of tanks omorged from their hiding places, crawling up the slopo which hid them from tho enomy, whilo at least a hundred aeroplanes established iin impassablo barrier overhead. Thus, tho tanks completely surprised the machine-gunners who lined the woods surmounting tho slope. The air observers clearly saw somo five, hundred Germans trying to bolt to tho rear, but staggering under the weight of their machine-guns. The infantry, following the tanks, skirted Damery, moving eastward in the direction of Oioyencourt. The battlo for Eoye has become desperate. The enemy has filled every village and every house with troops and machine-guns. Evidently Eoye has been ordered to bo defended at all costs. Elsewhere on tho front, though progress since Friday has been slower, it has been sure. Tho advance continued methodically almost by timetable." . ■ Later accounts of the enemy's resistance at Chipilly state that the Germans allowed an Australian patrol to traverse the village unmolested. The patrol reported that tho village had beon deserted, but tho .enemy was merely hiding, hoping thus to ambush the main body, which encountered a heavy fire, but a determined attack later demolished tho defence.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

RETIRING OVER THEIR OWN WILDERNESS

(Rec. 'August 13, 1.55 a.m.)

London, August 12. Mr. Percival Phillips writes: "Although the pace has somewhat slackened, we have continued to advance without any widely organised resistance. The Germans, broken and bewildered, continue to retire in /disorder, endeavouring to reach a line to reorganise and recover from the staggering blow. They have attempted to do so on a lino covering Pcronne and Eoye, but our cavalry and in-fantrysma-shed tho attempt. They are now retiring across the wilderness they themselves created. Princo Rupprecht is playing a desperate game to gain time, leaving local garrisons to fight .to the last against the gallant/ British, Australians, and Canadians, and endeavonring meanwhile to create a new line behind the ragged rearguard."—United Service.

OFFICIAL REPORTS

SUCCESSFUL NIGHT OPERATION.

\ ' London, August 11. Sir Douglas Haig reports: _ 'By a successful operation at night wo advanced tho lino northward of tho Somme on the high ground between Etinehem and Dernancourt. Fighting south of the river is reported at different points. The French progressed along the south hank of the Avro, and reached the outskirts of l'Echelle-St. Aurin,. Wo repulsed a local attack this morning on positions north of Kemmel, taking prisoners. Wo slightly improved our positions east of Robecq."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. August 12, 7 50 p.m.) ' London, August 11, 11.30 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Fresh enemy divisions from the reserves strongly attacked our positions at Lihons and south and north thereof. All attacks were repulsed after severe fighting, in which we inflicted great losses upon tho advancing lines. At one point immediately north of Lihons the assault troops broke into our positions and penetrated the western side of the village. Wo counter-attacked with determination, and in tho course of fierce fighting over difficult ground drove back the enemy to tho eastward and northward of tho village. Our line was completely restored. On our right, tho French co-operating with us, wo continued to attack and made progress south-west and south of Roye. Our patrols took prisoners on the remainder of the British front."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn -Router.

STRONG GERMAN ATTACKS ON LIHONS REPULSED

Tho High Commissioner reports:—

. _ London, August 11, 10.20 p.m. A British official report states: "This morning the enemy with fresh divisions strongly attacked our positions at Lihons, anil were repulsed with great- loss. At ono point north of Lihons the Germans broke into our positions, but our coun-ter-attack restored the line.' On the right the French mado progress south-west and.6outh of Roye."

INTENSE AIR BATTLES

SIXTY-ONE GERMAN MACHINES ACCOUNTED FOR.

(Rec. August 12, 7.50 p.m.) London, August 11.

Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report states: "During intenso air fighting on August 10 we destroyed forty-one machines and drove down twenty out of control. Twelve of ours are missing. Wo dvo'ped 23i tons of bombs in the day-time, and thirty-one tons, principally on bridges and stations in the Somme valley, at night-time. The amount of small-arm ammunition fired from the air upon the retreating enemy breko all recent records. We brought down two night-bombers, ono being a giant German machine with five engines and'a heavy load of bombs. Anti-aircraft guns brought down two others recently." The Air Ministry reports: "Our squadrons on the morning of August 11, attacked the, rail way "station at Karlsruhe nnd one aerodrome. Clouds hindered observation, but « large bomb was seen to hit the station, causing an explosion. Wo drove down tluco 'planes out of control, and one of ours was driven down." Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. '

FURTHER ADVANCE BY THE FRENCH

London, August 11. A French communique slates: "During yesterday evening and night we mado further progress on the whole front between tho Avro and the OWe. We carried the Boulogne-la-Grasso massif, and advanced east of Bus. Farther south we penetrated the wooded region between tho Matz and tho Oise, and reached the outskirts of La Berliere and Gury. We took MnTeu.il la Motte, and advanced about two miles north of Chavinconrt "— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. (Rec. August 12, 7.50 p.m.) v London, August 11. A French communique 6tates: "To-day wo continued to advance between the Avre and tho Oise, notwithstanding the enemy's resistance. South of the Avre wo occupied Marquevillars and Grivillors, and reached the ArmancourtThillsley line. Wo progressed aoout a mile and a half north of Eoys-sur-Matz to tlio outskirts of Canny-;ur-Matz. Further south we conquered and passed la Berliere. Our advance between the Matz and the Oise was accentuated north of Chavincourt. We hold Machemont and Cambroune."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Eeuter.' . THE ENEMY'S REPORT (Eec. August 12, 7.50 p.m.) London, August 11. A wireless German official report states: "Saturday's attacks were mainly against our front between Lihons and tho Avro. We repulsed repeated attacks eastward of Eosieres, astride! the Amiens Boad, and Eoye, in spite of the enemy's superiority and massed employment of armoured cars. Over forty of theso were destroyed in front of one division. Eastward of Montdidier we withdrew our fighting troops beyond the line of La Boisieno, Hainvillers, Eoequeboe and Marest."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter.

COMMENT ON THE SITUATION

IMPORTANT POSSIBILITIES REVIEWED.

London, August 11. General Maurice writes: "Tho British near Chaulnes should now 'bo able to 6trangio tbe enemy's communications in the Montdidier salient, in the same way as Focli's blow on the Somme upset the arrangements -for supplying the troops in tho Marne salient, and tliorcby eventually enforce a retreat. Our rapid advanco south of the Sommo lias begun to have that effect. The French liavo extended tho attack to the south as far as tho Matz, and are steadily pushing the enemy back from his. position on tho Avre. It is in this quarter that we may expect tho greatest progress in the, immediate future, becanso the enemy is certain to strivo desperately to check iho centre of tho attack in tho neighbourhood of Chaulnes, where our men are lighting, until he extricates his left flank, to prevent a dangerous position. Some of tho effects of the victory aro already apparont. The main railway line from Amiens to Clermont is in working order, and there is a possibility that within a day or .two we f-hall 'lie using the lino from Amiens along tho Avre Valley to Compiegne, thus improving our chances of developing the victory. The Germans aro now pressed everywhere along a forty-five mile front, and we may fairly hope, working from such a wide base? to force the enemy back as far as tho lino of tho Somme firom Poronne to Voyerines, and thence 'along the canal to Noyon. This will imply tho recapture of tho bulk of the ground lost in the great battle last March."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable i.6sn. "A GREAT DISASTER" TO GERMANY New York, August 11. Mr. Frank IT. Simouds, tho leading American military expert, writes: "Tho German defeat between the Sonmo and the Oiso has already attained the proportions of si great disaster. Within three days General Foch's second blow has dislocated more than a hundred miles of tho German front. There is reason to believe that the German withdrawal will (reach tho old Hindenburg line. Tho occupation of Chaulnes will paralyse tho railway lines within the collapsing salient, and the Germans west if tho lino from Chaulnes to Noyon will be in a desperate situation. They may escapo, but they will be forced to leave behind their guns and munitions. A great victory has been won,'but the consequences may not yet 'be measured."—Aus-N.Z. Cablo Assn, ENEMY PREPARING FOR DEFENSIVE STRATEGY (Eec. August 12, 10.10 p.m.) London, August 12. Lord Sydonhara thinks that tho Germans aro preparing to rcsumo their strategical defonco on the West front. Tho movement resembles tho retreat in tho snrin" of 1917. They will probably make the St. Quentin, Peronne, Noyon, T,a Fere, and Aisno lino 'the keys of tho defensive system, confining themselves lo local offensives while prosecuting a. peace offensive and military operations through Turkey in (ho East.—"The Times." , THE GREAT FLOW FROM AMERICA Washington, August 11. General Porshinq has cabled to the War Department that the I'rench Government has adopted elaborate plans for the improvement of the port facilities for handling tho steadily increasing numbers of American troops arriving in France undor tho expanding war programme. Members of tho Senato Military Committee have been told toy tho Wair Department that, the flow of Americans to Franco is being kept up to tho average.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Asm).