THE OFFICIAL REPORTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 27, 26 October 1918, Page 7

THE OFFICIAL REPORTS

, SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S DISPATCHES. .„-.•'.■■' London, October 24. • Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"Sharp''fighting continued during Wednesday afternoon and evening on the battlefront to the southward of Valenciennes. Wo expelled- the enemy from the -Vendegies Wood, and captured Jieuville Saleschies, . and ■ Beaudignies, and secured crossings over the lioaillon- River. At the latter, place the enemy in the evening counter-attacked us vigorously opposite Vendegies ivith strong artillery support, and was repulsed."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. October 25, 7.20 p.m.) London, October 21, 1.20 p.m. _ ■_ Sir Douglas Haig reports":—"The attack was resumed on the whole ■ front this' morning' between the Sanibre-Oise Canal and the Scheldt to the northward of Valenciennes. Wo have cleared the enemy from De Raismes Forest, and captur'ed Thiers Hauterive and Thien. There has been determined local fighting westward of Tournai, without any material change in the situation."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. j" "' ' .' ' ' (Rec,' October 26, 0.30 a.m.) '■'~ ' .. ■ . London, October "i. Sir Douglas Haig's : roport states:'"Since yesterday- morning we captured seven thousand prisoners and over a hundred guns. The New. Zealanders captured a number of batteries, including heavies, in the neighbourhood of Beaudignies. We extended the battlefront this morninz northward as far as the Scheldt at fhiaht. Along the' whole battlefront between the Sambre Canal and the Scheldt we have overcome the' enemy's resistance, and our advance has been continued. There has been hard fighting in a number of. places. On the right, the Sixth Division reached the eastern edge of the Bois Leveque and captured Ors, northward of (he Wood. We are approaching the western outskirts of Normal forest, and have captured Robersart in the right centre of the attack. We have continued to advance successfully in the neighbourhood of Le Quesnoy, and captured Poix .Punord-les-Tuileries, and progressed beyond them towards Englefontaine. The Twenty-seventh Division captured Chassignies after a sharp struggle. The enemy defended; determinedly the crossings of the Ecaillon and thereabouts."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. -'.-■• - .:• • . ,(Rec. October.26, 1.10 a.m.) ■•,.:.. London, October 24. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "We have secured the crossings at Beaudignies, which are.in our possesion. Here a vigorous resistance was overcome by the New Zealanders, whoin.lhis- locality captured the heavy batteries refer- • red to. . The English': on the .left centre ca t plured Ruesnes, ami-are within a, short distance of the' Le', Quesnoy-Valencionnes railway, northward of this village. There has been heavy fighting on the high ground northward of Bernierain, which we,,hold, and also in the neighbourhood of Vendel-Es snr Ecallion. The epemy is still resisting in the latter village. The Anglo-Scottish on the left forced tre crossings of the Ecaillon River, between Vercall and Thaint, and gained the high ground to the eastwards. The fourth Division, after hard fighting, captured -Verchain and Jlonehaux. The Fifty-first Division, on their left, cleared the eneiuy.from the ea6t-bank of the river and advanced to the western outskirts of Maing, in face of heavy machine-gun fire.. The hostile resistance was particularlystubborn in this .sector. Severe'casualties have been inflicted upon- tho •enemy in-the. course of these "operations. We have captured since October 23 over 7000 prisoners and over a hundred guns. AVe have reached the getferal line of the Sambre-Oise Canal, due eastwards of- Le Cateau, and the western edge of Mornial Forest, in the neighbourhood of Le Quesnoy, and the Vendegies sur Ecal-lion-Scheldt Canal. At Maing we have progressed locallv, and took prisoners in. the Ynlenciennw-Tournai sect'or."-AiK.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reater. '• '■;'';'■'■/■' ON THE FRENCH FRONT . (Rec. October 25, 7.20 p.m.) ■ _ '." ' •= London, Oclober 24. A French communique, states:—"On the Oise front we have crossed the canal east of Verly-Le Grand,- and despite counter-attacks our elements have maintained themselves there. Between the Oise and the Serre the struggle was also lively, and in the region north of Mesreeourt."—Aus.-N.Z* Cable Assn.-Reuter.' '"..'.''. (Rec- October 26, 1.10 a.m.) '-.._■ , . -, London, October 24. A French communique states: "On the Oise front we have crossed the canal opposite Longchainps. Between the Oise and the Serre we attacked and made a big advance, despite resistance south of Origny St. Ebenoig and north of Villers-le-bec. On the right we reached the La Ferte-Chevressis road at Ferrieres iarm; taking several.hundred prisoners."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE ENEMY'S REPORT ■''.'. . (Rec. October 25, 10.35 p.m.) , ' London,. October 24. A. wireless German official report states: "The Belgian inhabitants assisted the enemy; in the fighting in the'neighboiirbood of Knit-estreat, the centre of the Solesmcs-le-Cateau battlefront. We have brought the enemv to a standstill on the point of the Bousies line."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.

THE WAR, IN THE AIR GREAT DESTRUCTION OF GERMAN MACHINES. •„_ 1 . „? London, October 21. .the Press Bureau reports that during the period from .lune to September inclusive the British destroyed 1-143 aud brought down 558 German aeroplanes, as against f>6B British'machines missing. A significant feature of.the recovery of the territory in Belgium is that the eneniy lost over twelve large aerodromes, the effect"bf which is to expose a,new. sector of.the Khine to tho early possibility of aerial attacks.yAus-N.Z. ? Cable Assn.-lieuter. ..'".' ',Kec.; October 26, 0.30 a.in.) •'■' • c . „ , „ .', '.':.'' ' London, October 24. . blr Douglas Haigs aviation report states: "We dropped six tons of bombs, lwought down thirteen aeroplanes, and drove down four uncontrollable. Ten British machines ate missing.'—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assii.-Reuter. HEAVY ATTACKS ON ENEMY'RAILWAYS AND FACTORIES. vliec. October 2d, 0.30' a.m.) London, October 24. ThePressßurea.il vepoi'ts: "The Independent Air Force on the night of October 23 heavily and successfully attacked the railways at Burhach and Saarbnicken, dropping 54 tons of bombs. The force also attacked with good results chemical factories at -Mannheim and railways at Coblenz and - Metz-Sabloas. and near Maiu.tz. . One of our aeroplanes has not been located. In addition to the enemy machines, destroyed as reported in the last communique, we have brought dowii ,one and shot down twa nit of control."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Se.iter. i ' HINDENBURG LINE FIRST. BROKEN BY BRITISH ARMY. ■■■' .-'.. (flee. October 25, 10.35 p.m.) London, October 21. Mr. J. I.'Macpherson, Parliamentary Secretary to the War Office, said the proud distinction.of* being the first to break the Hindenburg line belonged to the British Army—Aus.-N.Z. Cable' Assn. I ■■'■■•• ■ i. .. , .' i %.