AS IN MAY, 1917

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 293, 30 August 1918, Page 5

AS IN MAY, 1917

(Rec. August 30, 1.45 a.m.) London, August 29. • Mr. Perry Robinson states: , "The position on the. Scarpe ou Tuesday morning almost exactly reproduced tho situation in May, 1917. The afternoon saw our troops advancing over the rolling country and valleys south of Cojuel and Sensee, well beyond tho furthest east of 1917, and Holding positions north of Pelves with tho same Scots who battered the way to Eoeux in 1917. Below tho river tho Canadians have reached the edge of Boiry Notre Dame. Tho Canadians and Scots aro now fighting on ground not reached since 1914, within two miles of Drocourt and Queant. This extension is in spite of the German High Command's desperate efforts to mako their troops fight, holding every point with considerable troops. It is believed that our troops ars now in Bullecourt, which is only two miles from Queant, the main hinge of tho Hindenburg line, and the so-called switch extension. Therefore are now against tho very faco and chiaT bulwark of tho enemy's defence. "I don't protend to know whether it, is intended to break the great defence line, but the Germans aro distinctly uneasy at our rapid advance: The position is full of possibiiitios as dramatic as anything in the war. During the fighting at Croisilles a body of troops was cut off, and escape- warned impossible, but the artillery put' down a skilful smoko barrage, under cover of which the-soldiers regained the lino."—"The Times." OFFICIAL REPORTS SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S DISPATCHES. London, August 28. ' Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Wo captured Foucancourt, south of the Somme, on Tuesday. The enemy had held the place strongly with machine-guns. North of_ the Somnio we captured the bulk of Troues Wood, taking a number of prisoners from a Prussian Guard division. South of tho Soarpe the First Army improved its positions astride tho Arras-Cambrai Road, and reached the outskirts of Haucourt and Boiry Notre Damo. North of the Scarpc-, strong counter-attacks along the Arras-Douai railway forced back our advanced troops a few hundred yards to the old German trenches on Greenland Hill, where the attack broke down under our fire. South of Bapaumo the. English and Welsh troops gained ground in the face of strong opposition. We reached the western outskirts of Flers and drove the enemy from Longueval, Dolville Wood, and Bernafay Wood, and repulsed counter-attacks by the Prussian Guards. Astride the Somme, the. Australians, English, and Scots drove back the enemy on the whole front of our attack. Wβ gained the high ground eastward of Maricourt, and captured Fontaine-les-Cappy and the woods between that place and the Somme, taking hundreds of prisoners. We, also captured Verinandovillers (two miles north of Ohaulnes). ,, —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutcr. POSITION AFTER POSITION CAPTURED (llec. August 29, 11,20 p.m.) London, August 29. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "The Australians vigorously advanced and reached a general line from Frcsnes to Herbecourt, the enemy stubbornly resisting before the passages of the Somme at Bris and Peronne. On the north bank of the Somme we captured Curlu and Hardcourt after hard fighting, advancing in tho direction of Maurepas. Between Bapaume and the Scarpe wo attacked all day and made progress at all points, the Londonors gradually outflanking the enemy, who obstinately resisted. We captured Croisilles. Tho English fought their way towards Vraucourt and south-east of Fontaine-lcs-Croisilles. After, severe day-long fighting tho Canadians drove the onomy out of several defended localities ami important trench systems, and captured Boiry-Notre Dame and Pelves, .We took prisoners in theso operation; and also advanced our line northward of Locon."—Aus.-N.Z, Cahlo Assn.-lleuter. • FRENCH PRESSURE ON THE AVRE London, August 28. A French official communique states: "Yielding to our continued pressure, the onemy was to-day_ compelled to increase his withdrawal on both sides of tho Avre front to a width of twelve miles. Our troops, overcoming _ all opposition, realised an advance exceeding two and a half miles at certain points. We hold a- general line running immediately west of Chaulnes, Punchy, Liancourt, Verpilliers; wo occupy Hallu, Fransart, Cromcry, Gruny, Carropuits, Roye, Lancourt, and Craps-au-Mesnil. Wo took prisoners. Thero is a lively artillery duel in the region of Lassingny, and between ' tho Oise and tho 'Aisne." ' , A later report states: "We are maintaining contact with tho enemy's rearguards. Wβ continued to advanco during the night north and south of the Avre, and occupied Chaulnes, Omiecourt, Balatre, Roiglise, and Verpilliers. Further south we penetrated Crape-au-Mesnil Wood, and captured Dives. This morning we continued our progress towards tho Sommo. reached north of the Avre the general line of Licourt Potte, Mesnil-le-Petit, and Nesles. Since yesterday wo have retaken about thirty villages and advanced twelve kilometres (seven and a half miles) at certain points."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.-R«uter. SUCCESSFUL ATTACK BY THE BELGIANS ALL OBJECTIVES REACHED AND MAINTAINED. ■ London, .August 28. A Belgian communique states: "After short artillery action, we attacked yesterday evening on a front of nearly two miles, north and south of tho Langemarck railway, and penetrated tho enemy positions despite stubborn resistance and counter-attack, and reached and maintained all our objectives." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE ENEMY'S REPORTS London, August 28. * A German official report states: "We arrested enemy attacks north of the Scarp? before our lino, which bent back on Roeux. South of tho Searpo we withdrew to tho Monchy boights. After a bitter figjit tho enemy crossed tho Monchy and Guemnppo heights. The enemy took Thilloy and Martinpuich. Tho French captured St. .Ward and Fresnoy."A German , evening official report states: "We stemmed an English thrust south of the Scnrpo in positions astrido the Arras-Cambrai Road."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuier.

THE WAR IN THE AIR

Sill DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPORT. London, August '28. Sir Douglas Haig , reports: "In spite of the clouds and rainstorms, a great amount of aerial work was accomplished. , ' Our aeroplanes dropped ammunition, by parachute, to our machine-gunners. Low-fliers used bombs and uiaohin'e-guns against tho enemy troops and transports. We dropped 26 J tons of bombs."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. > (Bcc. August 30, 1.40 a.m.) London, August 29. Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report states: "Despite clouds and rainstorms our low-flyers constantly bombed and lnachino-guimcd tho enemy's troops and transports. There was much air fighting. AVo destroyed ten aeroplanes, and drove down live out of control. Seven British machines are missing. Wo dropped twenty-two tons of bombs bv day. Night flying was impossible."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Renter.

COMMENT ON THE SITUATION THE ENEMY'S MISTAKES REVIEWED. ■ " London, August. 28; General Maurice, in his review in the "Daily Chronicle" of tho military situation, after a visit to the front, states: "Amiens must havo fallen after tho enemy's attack on Villers Bretonneux on April 24 if the Germans had pushed on. Fortunately, General Rawlinson, who realised that the enemy must not be given time to dig in, counter-attacked with a, small force, mainly Australians, and the Germans were driven oast of Villers Bretonncux. Equally fortunately, the enemy made the mistake of embarking on the Flanders offensive and diverted forces which if used on the Amiens front would almost certainly have resulted in the separation of tho Allied forces. Hindenburg and Ludendorff made exactly the mistake Moltko mado in 1914, when his force was frittered away on side issues. Wo are now witnessing the consequences. It took too long'to shape tho E-eims offensive. Tho American forces grew, and wo were allowed time to recover. The turn of tho tide dates from General Gourand's repulso of the Crown Prince's Champagne attack, where h'fteon of tho best German divisions, which had been carefully nursed and trained, wero .smashed. General Poch took a chance by one of the great masterpieces of generalship. The German policy of selecting storm troops has enfeebled the German defence, for tho 'corps d'elite' was formed at .the expense of the whole army. We captured numerous orders signed by Ludondorlf, adverting in strong language to the weakening of the discipline of the troops, as tho slackness in the rigid Prussian discipline would not stand tho strain. > Prisoners wero taken more easily than evor. Parts of tho German Army wero fighting slackly. This was shown by tho state of their trench defences. That thoy had been content with a single front tronch, without support lines or communication trenches, indicates great slackness or scarcity of labour. Tho commanders wero moving reserves about in a mannor betraying nervousness. General Maurine does not wish to convoy the impression tlvit tho German armies in the West are within measurable distance of collapse. They are still well fed and equipped, and are formidable. We havo not yet that superiority of force necessary to crush him, but if we play our cards properly the German decline will become a collapse."—'Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.

NEW LlNl| PREDICTED (Roc. August L' 9, 7.30 p.m.) Paris, Aucnst ?.?. Frond) oritifs predict an intensification of the nttnek towards Npslp, nnd tho parly cstablishnie.nt of ii line embracing Pcronnc, Ham, Guisoard, and Noj'on.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.