ATTACK ON FIFTEEN MILES OF FRONT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 286, 22 August 1918, Page 5

ATTACK ON FIFTEEN MILES OF FRONT

LINE PUSHED FORWARD OVER TWO MILES SEVERAL THOUSAND PRISONERS : ' GERMAN RETREAT FROM THE LYS The quality of the news from the war .theatres more, than com-' pen6ates for ils comparative scarcity. The French army under Goneral Mangin has launched an effective attack on a fifteen-mile front in the region of Vailly, on the Aisne, anil achieved along the wholo of their attacking l front an average gain of over two miles, in addition to which soveral thousand prisoners were taken. As tho result of this latest stroko tho German positions in the neighbourhood of Soissoris are in danger, and may bo turned, involving a possible retirement by the enemy to tin# Chemin dea Dames. Attacks by the French armies under Gen- , erals Humbert an<T De Beny were also successful, Humbert's army attacked on a twelve-mile front, and advanced a mile down tho elopes >of the massif of Lassigny.' Do Beny's anrfy, captured Beauvraignes. Tho British, in contact with tho retreating enemy on the Lys salient, are reported to have advanced four mile ß, ________ i BRILLIANT ADVANCE ON THE AISNE NEW ATTACK BY MANGIN'S ARMY OBJECTIVES GAINED AFTER DESPERATE FIGHTING By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright. London, August 20. General Mangin attacked between tho Oise and the Aisne on a front of fifteen kilometres (ten miles) at 7 o'clock this morning, and reached a depth of two mile?. Fivo hundred prisoners woro taken in tho first two hours. The new attack is on practically tho samo front as his previous attack.' In spite of stubborn resistance tho offensive is going well on the wholo front. The maximum i depth of two miles was reached at a point north-east of Vassens. The line now runs about five miles from Noyon. Tho advance is valuable, as tho French are now endangering tho German positions in tho neighbourhood of Soissons, with a good chance of turning them, and- possibly forcing tho enemy to fall back to the Chemin des Dames. General Mangin captured Nampcel and took Vassens after severe fighting. Simultaneous Attacksby Humbert and de Beney. The Third Army, under General Humbert, yesterday afternoon attacked on twelve miles of front from Fresnieres to tho Oise, and at 6 o'clock last night, in the face of heavy resistance, advanced a milo down tho further slopes of the Lassigny massif into the densely wooded valley of tho Oise. This lino is now between five and six miles from Noyon. Tho First Army, under. General de Honey, slightly advanced yesterday after lively fighting uorth v of Eoye, and took the Bracqueiuont and Sendn Woods, and the greater part of Beuvraignes, and also mado progress south-east of Beuv-raignes.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. » I ENEMY'S POSITION NOW PRECARIOUS •n i . iii i tt i , ,London, August 20. Kouters, correspondent at French Headquarters, writing on Monday evening says: 'Simultaneously with General Mangin's attack east of tho Oise, General Humbert attacked from Lo Hamcl, on tho right bank of tho Oise, north of Eibecourt, to tho Bois des Loges, midway between Eoye and Lassigny. Thus tho enemy, who had hitherto been fronting west, towards the armies of Humbert, do Beney, and Rawlinson, is' now menaced on tho southern flank. Mangin's two attacks on Saturday and Sunday brought {lis troops at ono' point wftlrin barely two miles from General Humbert's, and tho conjoined attacks of tho two armies secured the line, which is advancing on both banks' of the river, and on our left is causing tho enemy serious anxiety for his positions between ..the Bois des Loges and Lassigny. Tho German resistance is desperately hard. Wo have reached a stage corresponding to that of the Germans at tlio end of March and tho beginning of June, when our reserves began to arrive and restored tho advantage of the initiative by successful flank attacks. Tho enemy is now using his reserves, however much ho may grudge the necessity of having to waste them in a defensive battle which in tho end is only' the prelude to a retreat. He still possesses some thirty fresh reserve divisions, in addition to four hundred thousand youngsters of the 1920 class."—Keuter. ' ~ I THE GERMAN RETREAT FROM THE LYS SALIENT BRITISH ADVANCE FOUR MILES. ' , „ . , , ' Now Y ° rk > August 20. Sir Douglas'Haig has advanced four miles in the Lys salient.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn, UNPALATABLE EXPERIENCE FOR BERNHARDI. Ottawa, August 20. Tho Sixth Gorman Army, which is retreating in tho Lys region, includes an army corps commanded by tlio famous General von Bernhardi.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ■ ' fßernhiirdi's writings did much to stimulate tho appetite of the German war party for world conquest by force of arms.] \ .' A ' GERMAN PLANS FOR RETIREMENT COMPLICATED (Eec. August 22, 1.20 a.m.) ' 1 _ London, August 20. Reuter's corrosnondent at British Headquarters, writing on tho evening of August 20, says: "If the German retirement is according to plan, they now "confront a situation which must complicate their calculations. Their hasty abandonment of Mervillo on August 18 was doubtless due to our unexpectedly obtaining possession of a dominating contour east of Morris."—Reuter. GERMAN PRESS "EXPLANATION" OF RETREAT. Berne, August 20. Tho "Frankfurter Gazette explains tho retreat by saying that the General Staff proposes to resume the offensive in the autumn. ' German strategy has not stopped; it has merely been interrupted.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. OFFICIAL REPORTS ON THE FRENCH FRONT. , _ , . iii. , „„ , London, August 20. A French communique, dated August 20, i p.m., stales: "There have been reciprocal bombardments in tho regions of Lassigny and Dreslincourt, and be- 1 tweon tho Oise and Ihe Aisue. Wo occupied yesterday evening tho 'village of Vassens, north-west of Morsain. Tho enemy mado an abortivo raid west of tho Mnison do Champagne. Gorman aeroplanes bombarded Nancy yesterday evening, and six civilians woro killed and twenty wounded."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.lteuter. Tho High Commissioner reports:— , ~ ~ London, August 20, 12 a.m. A French official report states:— Southward of (ho Avro we captured Beauvraignes after desperate fighting. East of tho Oise we attacked (lie Gorman front for a distance of 25 kiloniclres (15 miles in the region of Claill.v (? Vailly), on the Aisno, realising along the whole front an average advance of four kilometres (over two miles). Several thousand prisoners wero taken," BRITISH PATROLS ADVANCING , . London, August 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports: 'We advanced our lino to the neighbourhood of tho Vieux Berquin-Ottersteen road. We repulsed four attacks on posts northeast of Chilly, and successfully raided a post, west of Bray. Our patrols mado further progress lwtwcon tho Lawe and (ho Lys Rivers, and aro now eastward of tho Faradie-Mervillo road."—Aus,-N,Z, Cable Aeen.-Eeutor. j

(Rcc. August 22, 1.40 a.m.) London, August 20. bir Douglas Haig reports: "Local fighting occurred on both banks of tho Scarpc. 'Wo repulsed attacks south of tho river against posts wo established to tho eastward of tho enemy's former lino. Wo advanced a short distance east of Fampoux, after sharp lighting, in which we took prisoners. Wo also gained further ground astride tho Lys, and also took Lo l'inette. Wo aro eastward of Mervillo. Wo also took Vierhook and La Couronnc, northward of Morville. We repulsed a raid north-east of Locre. "Early on tho morning of August II) wo successfully attacked the Phalcmpin aerodrome, south of Lille. Wo dropped mauy Iwmbs from a low height, and machine-gunned ground targets. W« Sdt several arcoplano sheds and started big fires. We drove off enemy machines which attempted to interfere with us. All our machines returned. We also bombed Bruges docks, railway, and a number of dumps. Wo brought down fourteen aoro planes and drovo down seven out of control. Seven British 'planes aro missing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Kcuter. PRAISE FOR THE BRITISH FOURTH ARMY London, August 20. Tho Press Bureau reports: Sir Douglas Haig has telegraphed to General Eawlinson as follows: "Warmest congratulations and thanks to yourself,' your staff, and all ranks, on the magnificent success recently gained by the Fourth Army. Tho brilliant manner in which the operation was prepared and successfully carried out with comparatively small tosses by the Third Australian and Canadian Corps, in conjunction with the Cavalry Corps, Air Force, and Tank Corjis, is a striking tribute to tho skill of tho leaders and tho bravery of tho individual soldiers, as well as- to tho high state of efficiency of the staffs and dopartmontal sorvices concerned. The gallant and skilful co-operation of the armoured cars and motor machine-gun batteries is worthy of tho highest praise." —Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. FOUR MILLION AMERICANS NEXT YEAR WILL MEAN VICTORY ~ Washington, -August 20. General March (Chief of Staff) told tho Military AJTairs Commilteo that tho war can bo won in 1019 with an Ainorican army of four millions in France. This would necessitate tho calling out of all available men beiweeu eighteen and forty-five.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. ' "KAMERAD" TREACHERY mi xt ,r , ,„r ,„„ , . New York, August 20. Tho Now York "Herald's correspondent on tho American front states that German machine-gunners threw up their hands, crying "Jinmerad." but when the Americans came closo the Germans opened fire with a device for firing tho machine-guns with their feet— Aus.-N.Z. Gable Aesn.