AMERICANS START AN OFFENSIVE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 306, 14 September 1918, Page 7

AMERICANS START AN OFFENSIVE

, ST. MIHIEI SECTOR ATTACKED i ; ADVANCE' MADE ON TEN MILE FRONT By T«leg.raph"Pre«s Aosodaiion-Oopyrieht London, September 1.2. 'The Americans have started an offensive between the. Meuse and Moselle, with limited objectives. The American First Army, commanded by General Pershi»g, attacked the St. Mihiol sector.- An advance of several thousand yards was made ,oii a ten-mile front. Ten villages were- captured in the advance. ■ -.The offensive is on both sides of the St. Mihiel salient. French troops are assisting.. The Germans are retiring in the region of Fresnes and St. Baussant.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. t [Si. Mihiel is on the Meuse, 20 miles south-east of Verdun. Fresnes is 12 miles east-south-east of Verdun, and St. Baussant is. 11 miles east of St. Mihiel and 15 miles south-south-east of Fresnes.] I ' . • ' . , r , , , , , Now York, September'l2. Hie I'rencn have launched a heavy attack agaiiist the St. Mihiel salient. The French and Americans gained the German first-line trenches at St. Mihiel. British and French aviators and artillery are co-operating in the big drive.—Aus.-N.Z. Gable Assn. •, '..■ p • • FALL OF ST. MIHIEL SALIENT IMMINENT _,_ ,',.;■ Washington, September 12. lne .trench and Americans have captured Thiaucourt, Pannes, and'Gouisard. It is believed that the fall of the St. Mihiel salient is imminent. The French and Americans are advancing upon Vigneulles (ten miles north-east of St.^Mihiel).—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn. , \ I [Thiaucourt is an. important town 'in the salient, and is 15 miles east- . north-east o'f St. Mihiel, and five miles north-east of St. Baussant. Pannes ia three miles south-west of Thiaucourt.].•PITCHING IN THE SIDES OF THE SALIENT. ; > (Rec. September 13, 10.20 p.m.) '■'~■■•' . London, September 12. Jhe United Press correspondent at American Headquarters says: "The Americans and tho French attacked the western side of the St. Mihiel salient, pushing in the region of Fresnes on a front of about ten miles. Tho French ..on tho peak of the salient kfept pace with tho Americans, pinching in the sides. More than a hundred tanks, manned by Americans, aided in smashing in the powerful concreted Boolie first line, the tanks operating behind a dense smoke screen. The weather is ideal for air fighting. Many prisoners are already passing into the cages, and the total probably will be largo. Many are from the crack Tenth Division, which took part in the Marne.offensive in July. There has been little infantry resistance. The first villages were captured in forty-five mimites. Woods and other strong points were then en- , veloped."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ' CAPTURE OF ST: MIHIEL REPORTED ; . (Rec. September 13, 7.45 p.m.) Ottawa, September 12. Tho United Press correspondent on the West front states that it is unofficially reported that-the French have captured St. Mjhic!.—Reuter. AMERICANS ADVANCE FIVE MILES - TEN THOUSAND PRISONERS AND CONSIDERABLE SUPPLIES (Rec. September 13, 7.45 p.m.) . . Ottawa, September 12. lhe "Jnew lork Times" London correspondent states that the Americans east of St. Mihiel advanced at ths greatest depth five mileg. The "Now York "World's" correspondent on tho West front states that the Americans at the St. Mihiel salient have captured approximately ten thousand prisoners, nine howitzers, aiul considerable supplies.—Renter, HAVRINCOURT VILLAGE CAPTURED ~' "-. , , New York, September 12. ■ Ihe British have crossed tho Canaklu-Nord near Havrincourt, and have captured the village of Havrincourt (eleven miles east of Bapaume).—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. . ■ ' ~ London, September 12. General Byag is attacking from above and below Moouvres. His troops crossed the canal despite considerable opposition, and established posts on the cast side. General Rawlinson, north of Attilly (fivo miles west of St. Quentin), has moved his line northward about a thousand yards.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. HAM COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE GERMANS (Rec. September 13, 7.46 p.m.) London, September 12. Router's correspondent at French Headquarters says:—"Ham, the largest town in the devastated country, w.hieh the Germans spared in the rotrcaj Inst, year, has beou visited with destruction even moro complete and more my justifiable than, that at Noyon. The Germans methodically destroyed it by lire. Tho inhabitants wore evacuated, and infernal machines were placed in the houses, and fires started by pressing a button miles away. The bridges were blown up. Ham was undamaged by shell fire, neither side being interested in firing on the town. Tho only excuse that tho Germans could make, that it blocked tho roads against pursuit, is invalid. The destruction of the bridges alone made it impossible for the French to enter the town until thoy were replaced."—Renter. ENEMY , STRENGTHENING HIS DEFENSIVE LINES. London, September 12. The Hermans are repairing and strengthening the Antwerp forts, ai-d are. constructing a.now final, defensive line between Antwerp and Mntz, called the "Parsifal" line. The battered and retreating enemy is refitting the deluged trenches of ■ the Hindenburg'lino under tho most trying conditions, which are further affecting the moral of the troope.—Aue.-N.Z. Cable Aesn.

THE OFFICIAL REPORTS . SIR DOUGLAS HARTS DISPATCHES Q- n i u ■ i ' ,„- t Lon . d °ni September 12, 2 p.m. air Douglas Haig reports:—"\estemay evening we captured Attilly, Yerlmmd, and Yendclles, and during the night progressed to the western out-" skirts ot the Holnon Wood, west of St. Queiitin. English troops were succcsstul m local operations in the afternoon on the Havrincourt and Mocuvres sectors AU crossed the Camil-du-Nord .north-west of Havrincoiirt and established ourselves on the western bank east and south of Moeuvrcs •• During the night we captured the strongly-fortified, position known a s the Railway fnangle, south-west of La Bassee.''—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assii.-Reutor. NEW ZEALANDERS MAKING PROGRESS (Rec. September 13, 9.30. p.m.) o- ~ i it ■ • ' , ' lin ' . London, September 12, 11.20 p.m. feir .Douglas Haig reports :-"Despjto tho weather our operations continue successfully, Ihis morning in tho Havrineourt sector English troops'.canhired Trescanit and the old British trench lines to the east and the north un their right the New Zenlanders progressed east of Gouzeaucour't Wood overcoming obstinate resistance by a. Jaegar division. At Havriiicourt. the Wild Yorkshires, who carried the village on. November 29, 1917, attacked for the second time over tho same ground, with like success. Other Enelish troops attacked across the CanaUu-Nord north of Havrincourt. AJRer sharp fightmg we captured the village andl the canal nortli of the Bapamne- ■• "'V 1 '" , , ,0 "?! 1 "' 65 ', aftev ? im P fighting, completed the capture of Moenvres. We took a thousand prisoners in those' operations" l™w! » I ■ pro # r | ss riP°M th . of th ?, La Bassee Cai,al ai 'd north-west of Armentieres."—Aus.-N.Z-. Cable' Asen.-Tteuter. ON THE FRENCH FRONT • (Rec. September 13, 7.45 p.m} " •a i? '' i ' • , " , „ , l-ontfon, September 12, 4 p.m. took JIZ communique states .—"NorHi of tho Ailette we. raided and took prisoners. Tliere is artillery activity in the region of .Reims and DulW 6 " il%T m £ lf\ mt e ™* the Vosges were repuised. —Aus.-i\.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. September 14, 0.30 a.m.) ■ iS de * g -«-VS eoS THE AMERICAN REPORT (Rec. September 14, 0.30 a.m.) '' . - v ' ■ a * • α-i ,\-> ~m, ■'•■' London > September 13. • i. ivv'f official report states :-"This morning our troops operating in the St. Mihiel sector made considerable gains. Assisted by French units .they broke the enemy s resistance, aod advanced at some points to a depth ot five miles.. We"'have hitherto counted eight thpusand , prisoners The operation is still in progress."—Aus.-N.Z Cable Assn.-Reuter. / THE GERMAN REPORT (Rec. September 13, 7.45 p.m.) " ■ i • i n «. ■ , London, September 12. A wireless German official report states :-"English attacks in the evening against Marquion and the Havrincourt canal sector failed."-Aus -N Z vablo Assn.-Renter. . . (Rec. September 13,9.30 p.m.) " ' Arrat|= AIR MINISTRY'S REPORT (I\ec. September 14, 0.30 a.ni.) ' ■ •• ■ : m , .. , r . . ' London, September'l3. The Air Ministry reports:-'' Despite the wind we bombed the railway at Lourcelles, directly hitting the track. We also bombed the village of Verney and the railway to the westward with good results."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Reuter. THE PROSPECT OF FARTHER ADVANCE ... ' ' '■'■•' Paris, September 12. ' Military critics discuss the prospect of further advance by the Allies now that the German retreat ha s stopped on the Hindenburg line. The floods and the. wide trenches prevent tho use of tanks, and a reversion to the old system of artillery preparation is necessary to shatter tlio immense stretches of entanglements, and this will tend to remove the element of surprise. Vast numbers of aeroplanes, dropping great quantities of explosives, wili assist the artillery, and will probably result in a surprise. The actual fronts attacked may be limited, hilt surprise.and secrecy are necessary to avoid the Germans massing .troops at' tho threatened points. Von Ludcndorff is labouring under a delusion if ho believes that Marshal Foch will not attack before spring.—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn. GERMANS SYSTEMATICALLY EVACUATING DOUAI. (Rec. September 14, 0.40 a.m.) ~ • , ~, ■ .!,,., Washington, September 11. _ Advices from J ranee state that tho Germans'are systematically evacuat- -■ mg Douni. Huge quantities of stores have been observed behind the German lines. The Germans.continue attacking on the American' front south of the Aisiie. The enemy, is desperately attempting to n«nire the Mont Bougie Plateau, but is suffering heavy losses.—Aus.-N.Z Cable Assn