ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1918, Page 3

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

[per press association.— copyright.] BRITISH OPERATIONS. ' MORE PROGRESS. I AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION «jfe RUUTER.J (Received This Day at 11.25. a.mA * LONDON August 21. General Haig reports we attacked at 4.55 a.ra. on a wide front, northward of Ancre, making satisfactory progress. Wo repulsed strong attacks against our new position northward of the Scarpe and advanced our line during the night between Festubert and Lawes river. We captured Letouret. English troops carried our a successful local operation on a mile front in Locon sector.

A FINE ADVANCE. ON 20 MILE FRONT. (Received This Dav at 11.?5. a.M.) LONDON, August 21. Reuter’s Correspondent at French Headquarters, writing on Tuesday evening says the French advanced on a front of twenty miles from Pimp re?, to Fontenay. During the night the Germans brought up fresh divisions from a long distance in the rear. Jaeger divisions, the captors of Mont Kemmel, were shifted from Soissons region to resist General Mangiu’s shock. These reinforce ments were of little avail. Threo hours after the attack began tho French had pushed forward an average distance of 2J miles along the whole front taking thousands of prisoners. The German infantry fought well, but the artillery was feeble, and aviation practically non-existent. The whole German front line was past od an hour after tlie attack began. The most difficult part of the operations was the passage oL Audigneoourt ravine, on the northern edge of which the German main line of resistance was encountered .

LOW-SPIRITED ENEMY.

(Received This Day at 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, August 21. Tho United Press correspondent states whether because the men s fighting spirit is gone, or because their High Command is deliberately retiring whenever pushed, the British are finding on various parts of tlieif line that the Germans give way with unexpected readiness. Jt is like shadow fighting. An instance was given on Sunday night when a regiment having retired too far, was ordered to attack Gettlssieunt. They refused and sent a written protest to the Commander who reported them. The regiment then attacked half heartedly, and lost heavily, some companies having only twenty-five survivors.

THE GERMAN RETIREMENT (Received this day at. 1.3 f) p, ra.) LONDON, August 21. Mr Percival Phillips writes—Covered by temporary belts of wire, the German Sixth Army is still retiring slowly across the Lvs plain, towards Armentieres. We have now advanced a. maximum of four miles since the withdrawal began. The German General most concerned in this operation is our old friend General Bernhartdi, the war writer. He commands the Fifty-fifth Corps which was badly dented in Merville salient. The British continue to bite bis flanks and disturb bis retirement. It must be a bitter blow to him to strip the ground of depots, dumps, railheads, bridges and other works, which he constructed at great cost and sacrifice preparatory to another drive on Hazebroucli and Calais.

BYNG’S OFFENSIVE

Received this day at 2.?,6 p.m.,) LONDON, August 21

The United Press correspondent says General Byng’s offensive opened through a camouflage of mist, which lay thickly over the ragged, worn, 'Battlefield, adhering to the ground while the Tanks cavalry and infantry advanced over the ground of old trenches and now wires. By nine the sun bursting brought revealed that the Gormans had cleared the high embankment in the Arras-Arbet railroad. An artillery crash preceded the advance, agitated the fog along six northernmost miles of the front. Fifty minutes later the big guns which had been concealed in readiness for several days, broke loose on the lower part, of the line, and other troops sprung into action.

ANOTHEB ACCOUNT.

(Received This Day at 1.5. p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 21. The Australian Press learns that General Byng attacked from Moycuneville and Bcaucourt-sur-Ancre, without artillery preparation. The enemy were completely surprised. The number of prisoners taken is not yet available. The capture of Courcelles and Acliiet le Petit means an advance of 2 miles or three at a maximum.

Local operations have also begun, this going on from Locre Hospite south, to Kautkot. On a: two thousand yards front we advanced about eight hundred yards capturing 50 prisoners. The enemy in turn attacked the new British position south of Scarpe in the vicinity of Fampoux. They gave us a heavy bombardment, hut nevertheless we completely beat them off. There is nothing fresh from General Mangin’s front.