THE OFFICIAL REPORTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 24, 23 October 1918, Page 5

THE OFFICIAL REPORTS

BRITISH VALOUR ON THE SELLE

London, October 21. Sir Douglas Haig reports :—"The prisoners taken on Sunday north of Le Gateau exceed 3000. The enemy's, positions along the Selle wersof great natural strength and were resolutely held. The English, Scottish, and Welsh divisions launched the attack ■at 2 o'clock in the morning, in most unfavourable weather. Continuous rain rendered the advance extremely difficult. Fighting was heavy all l day, the enemy offering strong resistance in the villages and along the railways. In overcoming this resistance great assistance was rendered at certain points by the.tanks, which crossed .the flooded river at an early hour. As soon as the Aisno River was secured a number of bridges were rapidly constructed under heavy fire from hostile artillery and machine-guns, enabling our guns to closely follow tho infantry and effectively'support them at short range. Local operations cleared up certain points where the enemy was still resisting in the evening, and a counter-attack from the direction of Kogries was beaten off with heavy loss. Our advanced troops north of Denain continue to advance in contact with the enemy, and are near St. Amand and the line of the Scheldt, north of Touniai."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter..

(Eec. October 22, 10.35 p.m.)

London, October 2!. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"There was sharp fighting at night-time and in the early morning for the possession of Anierval, which we captured on October 20. Wo repulsed determined attempts to regain the village. The enemy this morning unsuccessfully attempted to drive in our advanced posts in the neighbourhood of the Cambrai-Douai Road. We took a few prisoners. We continue our, progress eastward and northward of Denain, in spite of considerable opposition. We are within two miles of Valenciennes, and have reached a genoral line from Lastinelle to the St.' Aniand, Emmy, and Taintignies. We hold the west bank of the Scheldt at the. end for several miles northward of Pontachin and north-west of Toumai."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable. Assn.-Eeuter.