A WEEK OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 309, 24 September 1918, Page 5

A WEEK OF THE WAR

INTENSE AIR ACTIVITY

REMARKABLE BURST OF FIGHTING

CARRYING THE WAR INTO GERMANY

The following is the weekly official review issued by the Ministry of Information:— , After five days df almost perpetual storm and rain, the week's air war culminated in a remarkable burst of fighting on tho British "Western front and over Germany itself. Notwithstanding the unfavourable air conditions 'from Tuesday to Saturday night, the British airmen seized every opportunity to press homo the advantages gained in recent operations. In the intervals of fint weather they took many photographs, and dropped more than twenty"tons # of bombs,on enemy organisations behind the lines. On September 15 improved weather produced the most marked aerial developments, and largo numbers of enemy machines were encountered on the Gorman side of the line. Considering their recent heavy losses, the enemy squadrons worked in large formations, and fought bitter combats. ■In two days fighting thirty-two British machines were reported missing, but seventy-two German machines were destroyed, twenty-seven 'brought, down, and one kite balloon brought down on fire, making a total hag of 100 onomj aircraft in forty-eight hours. AVhilo these heavy battles were proceeding, the British' bombing squadrons were most active, dropping more than _ 70 tons of bombs on military objectives behind tho battleliue. On September 16 the British reconnaissance machines established a record, bringing back a larger number of aerial photographs than ever previously recorded , in a single day's work. Tho Royal Air Force's Independent Force, acting in concert with the French and American attack on tho St. Mihiel salient, easily surpassed its own records both in tho numbor rif objectives attacked and tho weight of bombs dropped.

Assaults on Rhine Towns. Probably thorn has never been a inoro formidable and persistent air assault than the Rhine country suffered from the British airmen during the past week. Between September 18 and 16 thirty-four separate raids were made. Twelve went for the vital railway junction triangle at Metz-Sab-lons, Ifour against Courcellcs Junction, seven against the railways, at Arnaville, Ehrangc, Saarbrucken, Kaiserslaiitern, arid Mainz, while heavy attacks were also made on' enemy aerodromes at Buhl, Boulay,-Frascaty, .and Hagenau. Such repeated attacks on the same places were necessary as measures against the perpetually renewed German, repairs and ma'chino production. In addition, destructive raids wore also made on chemical and aeroplane factories at Mannheim, the Daimler works at Stuttgart, and dock sidings at Karlsruhe. Fifty-nine tons of bombs wore dropped during five days, which is equal to more than half ihe_ total height of bombs dropped cluring the whole preceding month. The material results arc clearly shown by photographic and other records, and a large number ox direct hits were obtained on all objectives. The British airmen continue to dp successful work'in conjunction with the Allied offensive in the Balkans and in Italy. Besides maintaining all the usual patrols.-they attacked vigorously naval and military works at Bruges, Osfend,Stahille, Mariasaalter, Zevecote, etc. Over oiie of those places on tlio 16th no fewer than eleven enemy machines were destroyed and seven more driven down, with only two British machines failing to return.

The Austrian Peace Note. Tho Austrian Peace Note has been satisfactorily dealt with by Mr. Balfour, President Wilson, audM. Cleroeneeau. .It is not yet known how deeply the German Government is implicated in tho issue of the Note, but it certainly .knew the gist of it, if not the text. '.The German offer of pence t<r Belgium as outlined in the Press is wholly improbable. Such stipulations and bargainings as are suggested would be an unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of another sovereign State, and though tho Germans themselves established tho principle of reparation by demanding three hundred millions 1 compensation for Germans injured by Russians in tho war. Germany lias now herself refused any reparation for the ruin wrought by Germans in Belgium.

The War in the West. On'the 18th oiir 3rd and 4th Armies. a fctackod on- a front of about thirteen miles, from Holnon to Gouzeaucourt, aud advanced about two milos into closo touch with tho Hindenburg lino, and at several points passed the original lino held on March 21. Between eight and ten thousand prisoners were .taken. The French 10th Army made a substantial advance along practically tlie "whole', front, between the Aisne and north of the Ailette, capturing points of tactical importance, 4000 prisoners and tho important position of Mont dea Singes. The Americans achieved a- most striking success in tho St. Mihiel salient, capturing 15,000 prisoners and more than 200 guns. Tho Germans, generally speaking, did not show their old fighting qualities, as is shown by the largo number of prisoners, and, comparatively, the smallest.Allied losses. Tho Germans had constructed a. line across the salient to which they have now retired, but it is not believed to bo very strong. But the Germans cannot allow the. Allies to advance further here, owing to tho threat thus in- 1 volved to Mete and the important sidelines of communication through Strstssliurg, Metz, and Montmedy.' The capture of the St. Mihiel salient is en event of the greatest importance, and proves conclusively to Germany and all the world that the American Army is as highly trained a fighting machine as the German, French, and British. Now that the ground has been captured between the Mouse and the Moselle the Allies (ire enabled at any time to mount an attack in that direction, and to threaten the security of the whole Ger-man-line.

The Situation In Russia. In Northern Russia skirmishing west of tho Murmsn railway resulted in our favour. In .the Archangel region the Bolsheviks have fallen back on the Oncga-O'oerskaya road, so that we have secured this line of oommunication. Tho Czcclio-SlovaJ; forces in European Russia are very hard pressed. In tho last week or ten days the Bolsheviks, helped by large numbers of Germans, drove them out from Volsb, Simbirsk, and Kazan. The fall of the latter was entirely duo to the want of ammunition. The Czechs, indeed, are very worn out, and are lacking in munitions, equipment, and,stores, and most urgently require tho promptest help ifrom the Allies, especially as the Germans are reported to bo concentrated in considerable numbers in the EharkoSBielgorod area, probably aiming at intercepting General Alexieff's forces from tho Czechs at Samara. But it must be tint already the Czecliß, hough hard pressed, are keeping the enemy busy m Kussia, and are thus having an important effect on the situation on'the Western front.

The German offer ifco withdraw her troops in Northern Russia if wo will do the same is apparently'owing to her difficulty in getting the Finns- to fight, and also to her desire to avoid being further involved considering her a'tuation or- tho Western front. Nevertheless, she continues preparing, and i wo must be forearmed against a serious attack on tho coast railway. In Traiiscaspia the Bolshevik advance has come to a standstill, owing to the assistance of the British troops. Recent events in Russia reveal Bolshevik tyranny as a desperate mania, threatening tlie stability of the entire civilisation of the world, almost as ominously as the German, ambitions, unless promptly and definitely crushed by tli« Allies' forces of domoeracy throughout,the world. In tho Balkans. The French and Serbian attack in the Balkans was completely successful. .More than SO guns, were captured,..and all the points of tactical importance were secured along this front, where the Allied line was previously dominate:l by the Bulgarian positions.