AN ADVANCE ON THE AISNE HEIGHTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 294, 31 August 1918, Page 7

AN ADVANCE ON THE AISNE HEIGHTS

Washington, August 29. General Pershing reports that the Americans were forced to retire from Bazoches and Fismette. The "United States troops are advancing with the French north-west of Juvigny (on the Aisne heights).—Ans.-N.Z. Cable Assu. (Rec. August 30, 11:20 p.m.) Washington, August 29. Tho Franco-American attack on Juvigny resulted in' gaining a thousand yards. The approaches to the railvny have- been seized—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. CAPTURE OF JUVIGNY. KEPORTED. (Rec. August 31, 0.25 a.m.) London, August ?9. It is reported that the French have captured Juvigny, north of Soissous. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FRENCH REACH THE SOMME.' London, August 20. Router' i correspondent at French Headquarters, writing on Wednesday, says: "The Germans are strongly holding the outskirts of Noyon, particularly with machine-guns concealed in the houses. General Humbert's army has crossed tho Rove-Noyon road near Sermaize and Catigny, and the Germans are energetically defending tho hills oast of Catigne. General Debenoy has reached the neighbourhoods of Cachy and Ramecourt, and has reached the Sommo between Roiiy-lc-Potit and Cizancourt."—Renter. OFFICIAL REPORTS SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S DISPATCHES. London, August 29. Sir •Douglas Haig reports: "South of the Somme we maintained pressure upon the enemy during the night, and advanced to the eastward. North of the Somme, as far as the neighbourhood of Fontainc-les-Croisillcs, the night was comparatively quiet. In the sector > astride the Searpe a strong enemy counter-attack, east and south-east of Vis-en-Artois and east of Boiry and in the vicinity of Gavrelle, was repulsed, with loss to the enemy. After heavy fighting, our advanced posts west of Oppy wero withdrawn slightly, as the result, of repeated hostile attacks. We have captured, since the morning of August 21, upwards of 20,000 prisoners and over 100 giins. Tanks took an active part in the fighting south and north of the Somme on all possible occasions, and rendered very valuable and gallant service in co-operation with the infantry and other arms."—Aus.-N.'Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ' . (Ree. -August 31, 1.20 a.m.) ■'■■•■ London, August 30. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Successful attacks since August 8, delivered by the Fourth, First, and Third British Armies,-rendered tho enemy's position on the old.Somme battlefield untenable.' Tho enemy has been forced on the whole front from Bapaumo southwards to abandon, with great loss in prisoners, guns, and material, as well as killed and wounded, the ground which he gained at such heavy cost during March and April of this year. We have reached the west bank of the Somme opposite Brie, and Peronne, and "captured Hem. Northward of Hem wo are advancing on a general line from Cdmjjlos, Morval, Batilincourt and Fremicourt. Sharp fighting has occurred on this front, where we inflicted many casualties on the enemy, who-attempted to delay our progress."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ■ The High Commissioner reports:—• - .'■_.,- London, August 29, 10.50 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "In successful attacks since. August 8 the Fourth and First Armies have rendered the enemy's positions on tho old Sommo battlefield untenable. On the whole front from Bapanme southwards tho enemy has been forced to abandon, with groat loss in prisoners, guns, and material, also in killed and wounded, the ground gained by him with such heavy cost in March and April of this-year. We havo reached the west hank of the Sommo opposite Brie and i.Vronne, and have taken Hem. This rocm-ingthe-New Zealanders captured Bapaume,"

FRENCH PURSUING THE ENEMY London, August 20. A.French communique states: "We continue to pursue the enemy, who ■ under our pressure precipitately retreated on. a front of thirty kilometres (nearly twenty miles).' We reached the heights on the left hank of the Somme from Oizancourt to as far as east of Nesle. Further south we reached .the western hank of the Canal du Nord for the greater part of its course Between Nesle and Noyon. .North of the Oise we carried Suzoy, Font l'Evcque, Vauchelles, and Porquericourt. Our advance to-day exceeds ten kilometres at some points. Forty villages have been recaptured. The vast quantities of material abandoned by the Germans • include. three heavily-laden trains. Five hundred prisoners were captured." V-.A later communique states: •'Thiire has been lively fighting between the Oise and the Aisne, In. the region. of Juvigny the Americans repulsed several counter-attacks. -They also frustrated a big German attempt to cross the Vesle south of Bazoches and Fismctte." - Another communique states: '.'There were violent bombardments during the' night.on .the Sommo front.' Enemy raids in Lorraine were without result. We made two raids in the Champagne. The front is calm elsewhere."— Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn.-Eeuter. ( ' . The High Commissioner reports:— .' ~ •' London, August 29, midnight. A French'official report states: "Noyon has been captured, and eastwards a footing has been gained on the slopes df Mont Saint Simon, capturing landrimont and Morlincourt. Progress has been mado on the Oiso and the Aisno fronts." THE ENEMY'S REPORTS . ,' London, August 29. Admiralty,-per Wireless Press.—A German official report states: "Wo held up the enemy's thrust after bitter fighting east of Pelves and near Vis-en-Artois and Croisilles. .Our counter-attack recaptured Flers and Longueval. Between the Somme and the Oiso we withdrew our lines, giving up C'haulhes and Eoye. Wo stormed Fismette and frustrated an attack at Bnisoches."— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ENEMY'S MORAL AND DISCIPLINE DECREASING

London. August 29. Silica-August 8 the British have taken 52,000 prisoners and captured 550 guns. The Allies, since July 18, have captured 120,000. prisoners and 2000 guns. It is expected that the Germans will attempt to "hold the line of the Ailette, the Oise, the Somme, and the Tortille until the campaigning season is finished, when they hope to retire to the Hindenburg line unmolested. Though the enemy is displaying considerable determination, his -moral- and discipline are decreasing and. disobedience of orders and the laxity of officers in punishing offences are increasing. Captured orders show refusals by new drafts to enter tho line. It would be unwise to form expectations of a German collapse, but the enemy's moral is very low in many divisions, which show a disposition to surrender freely. It is definitely known that the German dead considerably exceed two million.—"The Times." v ' GERMAN DEAD NUMBER WELL OVER TWO MILLION. (Rec. August 30, 8.10 p.m.) London, August 29. The published estimate in which the German authorities admit that the total German killed is 1,400,000 is greatly under the mark. The real figures are well ovx two million, and may be much greater.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE AUSTRALIANS' MEMORABLE BATTLE ENEMY CLAIMS A VICTORY BY MISQUOTING AN ARMY ORDER. London, August 29. General Monash, commanding the Australian Forces, in an order of the day to the Australian troops, issued on the eve of the battle, said: "To-mor-row all the Australian divisions will encage in the largest and most important battle ever undertaken by the Australian force. What you have so brilliantly executed in the past four months has been but the prelude to this greatest culminating effort. Owing, to the completeness of the plans and dispositions, the magnitude of the operations, and the depth to which we intend to overrun the enemy's positions, this battle is one of the most memorable of the whole war. There is no doubt that the capture of our objectives will .inflict blows that will make the enemy stagger and bring the end appreciably nearer." The Germans secured a.copy of this order from the body of a dead Australian, and published it widely, changing and corrupting the text, and claiirfing it as proof that unparalleled efforts were made to break the whole Germany Army and finish the war, and so laying the base of a claim to have won ■a victory.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SATISFACTION IN AMERICA AVITH ALLIED. PROGRESS. (lie?. August 30, 5.5 p.m.) ' . New York, August, 29. . Tho "New York Times's" Washington correspondent says there is tho greatest satisfaction in military circles with: tho Allied progress on the West front. Thev express confidence that Marshal Foeh is able to drivo the Germans behind the line they occupied last .spring.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.