SMASHING THE DROCOURT-QUEANT SWITCH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 297, 4 September 1918, Page 5

SMASHING THE DROCOURT-QUEANT SWITCH

(Rec. September- 4, 0.20 a.m.) n , . London, September 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports :-"TI,e Anglo-Canadian troops, accompanied 1 by tanks, attacked 'astride the Arras-Cambrai road, and carried on a wido front that portion of the powerful Droconrt-Quoant line which lies soutnward of the Scarpe. The enemy strongly hold to his tronchea,- and determinedly resisted our advance. This resistance was broken on tho whole front with great enemy loss. The Cjiradiaiis captured Dury, Villers-les-Cagnicourt, and Cagn'icourt, and nre\ making progress beyond those places. On tlio Canadian left the English troops fought their way forward north-east of Eterpigny. The English'and Scottish troops on the right advanced, beyond Reincourt-les-Cagnicourt, in the direction of Queant, and captured n-any strongly-fortified positions, including Moreuil. Southwards wo mado progress, and early in the afternoon repulsed a heavy that was launched in groat strength eastward of Vans Vraoourt. Tho reached tho outskirts <tf Beugny, and captured Villcrs au Flos. • All day lon* there was sharp fighting in the neighbourhood of Le Trausloy, where-we repulsed counter-attacks, and tho English captured a. village. Between Pailiisel and Pennine, tho English and Australian troops drove tho enemy from St. Pierro Yaast Wood, and captured Allainos and , Haute Allames. , The Australians beat off the enemy with heavy loss in repeated counterattacks nast and Bouth-oast of Poronne. We took several thousand prisoners during tho day. Our patrols made progress in the western outskirts of Lens. We continue to gain ground, keeping in close contact with tho enemy on the Lys front."—Aus.-N.Z.' Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE FIGHTING ON THE CANAL-DU ; NORD Londoni September 2. A French communique states:—"There is artillery activity in the region of the Somme and the Cannl-du-Nord. We gained a footing in .the woods west of Couchy-le-Chateau, and captured Crccy-au-Mont. A later communique, datod September 2, 4 p.m., states:—"ln tho region of the Canal-du-Nord there has been violent artilldry fighting. We repulsed two counter-attacks on. the village of Campagne m the region of the Ailetto. We made fresh progress in the wood west df Coucy-le-Chateau and east of Pont St. Mard."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. September 4, 0.20 a.m.) London, September 3. 'A French'communique states: "Our troops who crossed tho Canal du Nord yesterday near Nesle advanced east of the canal and gained, a footing on tho western slopes of Hill 72, between the Ailetto and the Aisne. \\o continued to make progress on the plateau east of Corcy-au-Mont. Juvigny has been captured, with Leuilly and Temy Somy, in spito of furious resistance. We also advanced north of Courcy. Many places behind tho German lines were heavily bombed."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. AMERICANS CAPTURE TERNY SOR.NY HEIGHTS. ' • ■ ' (Rec. September 4, £.20 a.m.) London, September 3. An American communique states: "Wc advanced northward of the Aisne, and despite strong resistance took the heights of Temy Somy."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. • THE ENEMY'S REPORTS ' "" ' (Rec. September 3, 7.20 p.m.) , , ■ ■ . London, September 2, 6 p.m. A wireless German official report states :-"The enemy northward of Hendecourt, after gaining ground ...in the direction of Laenicourt. was driven back on Hendecourt, We repulsed an attack south-eastward of Bapnumo which was mainly directed against Villers Aue-n'oss, and pulled up ! the enemy on , the Sailly-St. Pierrei \aast Wood line and'eastward of Bouchavesnes and Mont St. Ljuentin. The enemy has' occupied Peronne."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reulor. (Rec. September 4, 0.20 a.m.) ■..-■;. London, September 3. A wireless German official evening report states: "The English gained ground south-east of Arras and north of Peronne. Tho Fronoh aifciok*. tons afternoon between the Oise and tho Aisne."-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-lleuter. COMMENT ON THE SITUATION. ' MYTHICAL INVULNERABILITY OF HINDENBURG LINE London, September 2. The United Press Agency's correspondent states that tho latest battle of the Somme is definitely won. There remains only a little-pressure to to applied here and there until divisions are all driven again behind the Hindenburg line. The German counter-attacks about Poronne merely show that the Germans object to the pace which the Australians are-Betting, for if they accepted that pace it would .mean a rout, involving ossbei of thousands instead of hundreds. Nobody here believes in the invulnerability of the Hindenburg line—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. 128,000 PRISONERS SINCE JULY 16 Paris, September 2. Between Julv 16 and August. 31, the Allies have captured 128,000 prisoners, 2069 guns,-1731 mine-throwers, and 13,700 machme-guns.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn-. September 3, 7.20 p.m.). v Paris, September 2. Official :-"Sinee -July 18 the French have captured 75,900 prisoners and 700 guns."—Reuter. ENEMY'S STRENGTH REVIEWED HOW HIS DIVISIONS' HAVE SUFFERED. '. . '. London, September 2. " ' 'Facts ascertained regarding the enemy's man-power show that 198 divisions a- on the battlefront as compared with .204 when the offensive began. The enemy has. been compelled to break up eight divisions for drafts to replace losses, and has also broken up several .assault battalions to three companies instead of tour in at least e ght divisions. There , " two Austria,, divisions on the Wert-front, and their fighting quality is doubtful. Obviously the enemy J man-power situation is not good, t • is s enifiemtthat he has made several changes in the High Command. Two LTSmandels have been retired and the Crown Prince has wisely been deprived of half his army corps, which has been transferred to von Boohm. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable-Assn. ,

RAGGED GUNNERY BY THE GERMAN BATTERIES (Rec. September 3, 7.20 p.m.) ' ' . London, September 2. _ The United Press correspondent states :-"That a desperatS effort is heininade to che 1 the Allied avalanche till the safety of the Hinfcnbure no has been gained is shown by tho identificatam of some d Wsions which have been thrown into tho Somme tront Since tho battle bebn well over thirty divisions have been used. Von Ludendoiff,- i n a order which was captured, throws a light-on tho raggedness of the Geiman gunne,7 whicli hasbecn noticeable throughout, The order speake o tho 'startling results of the British gunnery,' which destroyed 13 pel cent ot tho German guns. Ho orders increased counter-battery work."-Aus.*.Z. Cable Assn. ~ ■ ■ THE WAR IN THE AIR BIG EXPENDITURE OF MACHINE-GUN BULLETS. Paris, September 2. A French official report states :-"our daylight bombers, flying at a low altitude dropped twenty-three tons of bombs on enemy concentrations and cl ty ' oiKviaioVused several tens of thousands of cartridges agmnst the Germans."-Aus,N.Z. Cable Assn.-Router. (Rec. September 4, 0.20 a.m.) London, Senteniber o. Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report' states that there was improved bir uougias ! > „. .' t f opposition our aeroplanes maintaiii:rCont,c" So aiancing tr'oops. Our low-flyers all day long bombed od contact with ] °"V" t h ti lfiniy causillg ]i eavy casualties and conand machmc-g ni«ed the roaonnr.. J rail connections in the enemy's fusion. AVe heavily bombed the , d (!owu fom . out of back areas. AU dee tio eel wnt . aeroplanea aro missan aemlromc at St. Quentin. Direct ts we observed O o night-flyer has not returned We dropped over hirty- c?,r ton- o bombs. Our anti-aircraft guns on Friday brought down ono Cable Assn.-Reuter. AIR MINISTRY'S REPORT. (Rec. September 4, 0.20 a.m.) A London, September A. The Air Ministry reuorts: "Our. noroplanos on the morning of September ot All Sines returned''-A-us.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-R.uter.