GERMAN RETREAT TO THE AISNE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 300, 7 September 1918, Page 7

GERMAN RETREAT TO THE AISNE

FRENCH AND AMERICAN TROOPS ON THE HEIGHTS • - ■ '': ■ ' . ' • ' ' ''' THE MOVE ON CAMBRAI By Teiegraph-Preei Aflsoolatlen-Copyrlirht .■'•.' , ' .' ' . Now York, September 5. The French and Americans north of the Vesle have reached the line of the Aifiue. The Germans are retreating. It is reported that the Germans ; are about to abandon La Fere and Chauny. Tho British have captured sixteen thousand prisoners and a hundred guns in four days.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.. ' ' ' ' ' '.'''... •••;■ "GERMANS ON THE NORTH SIDE OP THE AISNE . ..• (Rec. September 6, 11.40 p.m.) ••'■■■'••... •. _ ' • Paris, September 5. The Germans are on -the'north side of. the Aisne to-night.—Reuter. ■ •'• ■ ' "PLUG STREET" AND HILL 63. ■ ; Vancoujjer, September 5. The British have captured Ploegsteort and Hill 63. ENEMY CREATING A DESERT ZONE. Paris', September 5. The enemy is burning everything in his retreat in order to create a desert zone. La, Fere, Chauny, awl Jussy aro now ablaze, and several villages between the Vesleand the Aisne/have also been destroyed.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.i ■ : ENEMY'S WITHDRAWAL STILL CONTINUES .'.' -..' (Reel September 6j 9.20 p.m.) ••'"■'■'.' London, September fi. The enemy's withdrawal from' the Lys sector continues. The British and American.troops are closely pursuing the Germans. ..The latter may, however, claim that their withdrawal has taken place according to plan. Tho steady withdrawal of the'enemy under pressuro back to the lino ot, the Somme snid -Oisc Canal has been accompanied by heavy fighting. Tho French gained a footing-on the east side in the neighbourhood of Noyon, and used.it yesterday as a jumpihg-off place in a further advance towards the.Somme. Fighting was particularly heavy-in the neighbourhood of MuvignyandTerny'Sorny, where the Americans aro operating, and a considerable advance was. made. Possibly-as the result the enemy has commenced •to withdraw from the'lino of the-Vesle across the Aisne.—Aua.-N.Z. Cab'le Assn- ■■' ' . ■' ; ENEMY TRIES TO DEVELOP A STAND-OFF ARTILLERY ;,;■;.. barrage . : .(Rec. September 6, 7.25 p.m.). .. ■'"' ™, '"'■.■ • London, September 5. . "..' The United Press correspondent states:—"ln their endeavour for the moment to transform their retreat into a stand-off artillery battle, tho Ger-' mans aro unloosing their big guns far in the rear ou all points along the line of the British, advance, supplementing n. strong lino of heavy and • light machine-guns along .the Canal du Nord. A storm of. shells 'is methodically dropping, along the present front line, and by the extensive use of can'they are flooding the valleys and woods, indicating that von H-indenburg is seeking to 'obtain.the initiative at least' in' the matter of his own retirement. The troops in the Manancourt district wero held tip at the canal, not only by machine-guns but by tho h'eavjy shells, which permitted the Ger-' mans to essay a counter-attack, which, however, was repulsed."—Aus.-N.Z. ■ Cable Assn. ' ■ ' GERMANS RAPIDLY FORTIFYING NEW LINE • (Rcc. September 6, 7.25 p.m.)', ' _ London, September 5. . Dutch and Belgian reports describe the rapid fortifications by the Germans df the. Tournai-Mons line. It is suggested that this means that von Ludcndorff is. trying to form a stable front along tho Mcuse and Sambre, through Tournai and tho Lillo district, on to' Messines Ridge, and thence along tho old front. German critics admit that tho position is the gravest since the Marne defeat of 1914, and oling to the hope of checking the advance" when the front has been further narrowed.—United Service. OFFICIAL REPORTS ' SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S DISPATCHES London, September 5. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"After sharp fighting north of tho Lys we captured Hill 63 south-west of Mcssines. Wo captured in the afternoon •Ploegsteort village, taking prisoners and a number of machine-guns. North of Hill G3 ve were continuously engaged in tho Wytschaete sector, where the enemy's repeated attacks wero unsuccessful. Wo hold on the Lys front a general lino runniflji .from Voormezecle to Wulvergham, Ploegsteevt. Nieppe, Laventii!, and Givenchy. Southward of Nouve Chapellc, ns far as Giveiichy. wo have regained tho old lino we held prior to April 0, and east of Giveiichy wu have occupied portions of the old German positions. The enemy strongly attacked our new positions at I iicliy-en-Artois in tho i evening, but was repulsed after sharp lighting. Wo have improved our positions south of Moouvres and east of Hermit's, and have captured Neuvilio iiourjouvnl. Tho enemy's counter-attack in tho evening east of Manancourt was repulsed. Fighting occurred, in the neighbourhood of Peronnc, and our lino was slightly "improved. The British hi the past'four days have taken over 16,000 prisoners and captured over 100 guns."—A\is.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.-.