ON THE FRENCH FRONT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 283, 19 August 1918, Page 5

ON THE FRENCH FRONT

A -,-, , ; London August 16. ■ A. .trench communique sLatcs: "Our troops progressed in tho region of Villers-les-ltoye and bt. Aurin. Kast of ArmancouA wo occupied our former first lines, in tbo Champagne wo took somo prisoners in tho I'erthes-les-Burlus sector, and Asm a " CUCmy raitl cast of M;,isons <1° Chiuupagne."-Aus.-N.Z. Cablo (lice. August 18, 5.5 p.m.) ■ ~ , London, August 17. A l'ronch communique states: "In tho region west of Royc- we pressed back lliis enemy by a- series of local attacks. North of Ihe 'Avre, 'the Canadians coopiraiing, we advanced our line in Goycncourt and to St. Mard,l.es-Troi and Lauwi'V?! i° -I>° '' Wl ' e, ,U1(1 Penclrfitcd deeply in the-Bois diw Logos."-Aus.-iS./j. Cable Assn.-Heutcr. * nrKii" COmn f•"•i l,l,e i is ? Uo(l ,, ou August 17 at US p.m. states: "There was great arli leiy activity during the night-time west of Hove. Wo havo continued, south °~v 3 T' t0 l , ™^ s * »i. tho Hois des Loges, reaching the eastern edge. Wo reputed a strong attack against tho Monolith Farm and Carnoy Farm, between tho Jiatz and tho Oise."-Aus.-N.Z. Gable Assn.-Bontcr. (Hec. August 13, 11.50 p.m.) a w , i • , , London, August ISA I;icniili communique states: "Wo liavecontimied to progress north and oouth ot tho Avre We captured the strongly-held Caesar's Camp and trenches, west nli,. V P™ ehed . ow hn(,? So 'iH' of tho Avre to tho vicinity of Benuvraifmes. W, L tlo " a f ud vvmnm, numerous machine-guns, and much material havo inn ~vpf r \ ?1 d So " !h ? f tl,O Avro einco yesterday. ■ Further south we ™~T«] v ,U ;i" S "f"^ at7 ';- A B . h, ° nß encmy counter-attack at Carnoy .Farm was repulsed. North of tho Aisne, in the region of Autreches, wo captured positions ZZ , ° VOr tllree i im] f, >. a (leptk of ' 150 ° yards.- Two hundred and forty prisoners were captured."-Aus.-N.7,. Cablo Assn.-Reuter. THE ENEMY'S REPORT ' (Bee. August 18, 5.5 p.iu.) . . • i 'n „. . , London, August 17. A wireless bermanofiicial report states: ''Southward of Thiescourt the enemy captured the Athches Farm. The.enemy suffered heavily in the fighting for Lasw g 7 y, n u ? rove ' un ; ha(ik 61X tlmes during' ten hour's' heavy fighting."-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Beuter. .'be, (Rec. August 19, 0.50 a.m.) , . , ~, „. , '' London, August 18, 0.30 a.m. A wireless German official report ;tales:--''Wc repulsed repeated attacks on both sides of ft/ye extending northward, and as far south-wejiward as Chaalixes, and southward and as far north-westward as Lassi-nv. The enemy new_ Goyenconrt. giuned ground in tho direction of Boyo. Our" counter-attack the lost ground Bepeated French attacks south-westward of the Avro coiiapsed.'-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-TJeuter. VICTORIANS FACE A FEARFUL FIRE A GALLANT NEW SOUTH WALES OFFICER. (Rec, August 18, 5.5 p.m.) «,J fr f K ?, ith f M " rd J ch . correspondent at Australian Headquarters, "lesiriWng f 7 f "V .°i fiTe u CC . d by , *? e Vrton*™ in * Ballant but ineffective attempt o cu off a larao body of, the enemy, says :-"Aeroplanes, flying low, ma-chine-gunned and bombed them, while the .rattle of the machine-guns on the ground rose to the intensity of a shrieking wind.. Anti-tank guns added to the lnterno. Iwo land mines exploded, hurling some of the men into the air. Never since the Lone Pine and the Nek has a considerable body of Australians met such an intense maclnne-gun fire. It was sudi a; short range that some bullets/hit inrqugu rno kuiks, kilting, and wounding the inm-itos. Our men w*re in a semi-circle of heavy fire, with the hoavi,»t barrage fw.t the more distant ma-chine-guns beating across the line of retreat. Tho t;.;:Vs, as thc-v crawled homeward, were like ships with rainstorms of bullets htsimt- neainst fheir side?, making tens of thousands of sparks, so that they moK-d'iiko dazzling patches of brilliant colours. . _ The corresiwnde-nt, describing tho gy,i work by tho v New South Wales mun in the recent .fighting, gives en instano-: of a promiiunt cricketer and footballer, who, when his lnen were under heavy Jiuchiue-gnn fi:.t>, look charge of the whole operation of hu section. He reorpimwd the .ticu- nvi nifhod two machineguns, smgle-haiHied, ahead of our objective. He was wounded in the leg, but hobbled with the aid of a stick for thr- hours. 11-. wo.s again wounded in Uio lliigli, but carried on for an hou.-. The fire was 'heavier than ever previously, experienced. An Australian graphical \y declared that v/hilo tho machine-guns were gonlg ono could r.ot havo placed ,i t'.roepsmiy-picM between the bnlMs Thii otiicor sustained forty-six shrapnel v.mnds 'in the Ypros battle. T!w oorrespondent adds:'"After tho Australian-, final objective had been reached'lliev came across several cows calmly, grazing in an orchard, and proniptly milked them.'—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

DEATH-TRAPS LEFT BY THE RETREATING HUNS,

(Rcc. August 18, 5.5 p.m.)

~ . , , , - London, August 17. Correspondents record that the retro.iting Huns left many death-traps, mostly ordinary objects, which they expected tha advancing Allied soldiers to take as souvenirs. These articles wero electrica'ly attached; to mines and bmn.bs. Ono chateau was completely wired with dea. h-trnps.—Ans.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.

STATISTICS OF THE GERMAN CASUALTIES,

(Bee. August 18, 5.5 p.m.)

. Iho latest statistics of the German casualties prior to the March"offensive give them at six millions, including 1,400,000 killed. Between March 27 and June 17 tho Germans lost 120,000 in killed alone.—Renter.

RAPID SHIPMENT OF UNITED STATES TROOPS

MADE POSSIBLE BY BRITAIN'S GREAT ASSISTANCE

(Rec. August 18, 5.5 p.m.)

Washington, August IG. Rofemng to the shipment of America n troops to France, Mr. Newton D. Baker, Secretary of "War. made the following statement: "The War Department's programme lias been adjusted so as to bo able to continue- tho most rapid shipment of troops to France This is mado'possible by reason of the great assistance of the British Government in placing a large amount of shipping at our <Ms-posal."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Aseu.

THREE MILLION AMERICANS UNDER ARMS,

v (Rcc. August IS, 5.5 p.m.)

Washington, August 17. General March, conferring with tho Senate/Committee, said: "Tnc United States now has three million men under arms, of whom 1,400,000 aro overseas." General March anticipated !i further German retirement on the West front, though he did not know its possible extent. Reports received stale that the United States soldiers are singled out for maltreatment in German prison umiws. It is impossible io establish an eastern front in Russia owing to the complexity of tho problems of transport and supplies—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

ALLIES' RECENT OPERATIONS A "TELLING VICTORY."

(Rcc. August 18, 11 p.m.)

Washington, August 17. General March states that the Alhes have retaken one-third of the territory the Germans have taken since March. The Germans' losses have been severe. Tho Allies are entitled to look u[,on the reoent operations as a telling victory.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

A WEEK. OF UNPARALLELED AIR ACTIVITY

THE BIGGEST BATTLE OF THE WAR.

(Rec. August IS, 5.5 p.m.)

London, August 17. The past week has been unparalleled as regards air activity. The results were disastrous to Germany and encouraging to us. The battle begun on the evo of the Soinme ofl'ciioive was tho btesest during the war period in number of machiues.engage'd, the: intensity o! the fighting, and the magnitude of the enemy's losses during fighting, especially on the first day between Albert and AmiensRoye road. An important feature is the effect on the enemy. Though tho enemy was largely reinforced on the. first day, his resistance subsequently was markedly weaker. His scouts operated in larger formations, probably owing to the losses, but the British attacked with undiminished determination,"inflicting even heavier losses. The total for the week is 339 destroyed and 123 driven down out of control. There has been an enormous amount of other activity behind the enemy's lines. ;C0 tons of bom]*; being dropped with notable success, which consisted of the continuous bombarding of tho Somme bridges day and night, in which the lessons tho British airmen learned on the Piave wero, applied with signal effectiveness. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE ADMIRALTY REPORT. i ( (Rec August IS, 5.5 p.m.) 1 „„ , London, August 17, 1 a.m. The Admiralty reports: Between August S and 15 nur air force dropped sixty tons of bombs on Zeebrugge, the Ostcnd docks, the Varssenacre aerodrome, ■La Briißi'oisc works, Bruges docks, Blankcnliergh, and MiddcUccrkc, also on many enemy batteries and billets. As a. result of the Varssenaore attack, we set fire to eix aeroplanes and hanga,rs. We hit two Gotiia hangars, one of which was demolished, and also fired large petrol dumps. AYo successfully attacked enemy shipping, directly hitting a destroyer. A big explosion was ' observed. Later wo destroyed fibleen aeroplanes an d drovo down fiftoen. Three British machines have not returned.—Aus.-N.Z. Cubic Assn.-Eoulcr. GOOD WORK BY FRENCH AIRMEN. London, August 18. A French.aviation communique slates:—"Our bombing Miuadrons dropped U2 tons of projectiles in Die battle ssono and also behind tho, front, Several railway .stations wero hit, notably at Torgnier, Noyon, Morzicrcs, and Thionville."—Aus.N./j. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rcc. August 18, 5.5 p.m.) London, August' 17. A French communique states:—"Twnnly-Uuee enemy aeroplanes were brought down on August 15."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable (Hec. August IS, 11.50 p.m.) London, August 18. A French communique states:—"Twive German aeroplanes wero brought down yesterday. , ';—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. Ix'eutei-. HI It. DOUGLAS HATG'S REPORT (Kpi. , . August Is, 5.5 p.m.) London, August 17. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"Wo destroyed four aeroplanes and drovo down five. We dropped i!2i talis of bombs, and heavily attacked two aerodromes, several idumps, and railway connections."-Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assii.-Eeuter. ' (Rec. August 18, 11.50 p.m.) i London, August IS, 0.30 a.m. Sir Douglas I-laig reports:—"Fifteen enemy aeroplanes have .boon brought down. Six British machines are missing. Aerodromes at IFauboiirdin and Lonime were heavily attacked on August 1C and'l7 by a large number of our machines. Six hangars at Haubourdin and two machines standing in the open were destroyed at Lomme. Fires wero noticed at both places."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Keuter. "