REUTER'S REPORT.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 September 1918, Page 3

REUTER'S REPORT.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT

A GREAT ADVANCE

BATTLE STILL TERRIFIC. [I*KR I’RESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.I * (Reuter’s Telegram.; (Received fills Dav at il .25. a.m.) LONDON," Sep. 3.

R (filter’s correspondent at British headquarters, writing last evening, says the attack in the morning was conducted by General Horne’s, and General Byng’s Annies on tbe front from south of the Scarpe river to nearly as far as Queant. This is one of the greatest battles, and there is every reason to hope it will prove one of the mostmemorable victories of the. war. The attack was launched at 5.30., after a short, intensive bombardment-, which was effectual in cutting the wire, and by 7.30. our troops had broken apparently right through the famous Droeourt Queant switch lino, with its fortified system, two thousand yards deep. We smashed through nearly everywhere along the front of attack. Two hours later it was rumoured that' groups of our motor machine gunners were seen upon the bank of du Nord Canal, which is nearly five miles eastward of tbe nearest point of the switch line. These, of course arc only highly mobile patrols, and are pushing out to try to seize bridgeheads, and destroy communications but if they got so far it proves the success of our opening attack. Our success may ho summed up by saying that we have struck the enemy one of the most smashing strategieal]v, serious blows, he has yet received'in any one day’s fighting. The enemy made and is still making every effort-'to check the advance. The Germans had 8 divisions standing in readiness to moot, the blow. German prisoners number thousands and are coming in shoals. The prisoners include Staff Officers and several battalion commanders. We arc now not only working behind the .Elindenburg line but wc have also gained ground which commands a long stretch of line. The battle is still terrific.

PROGRESS OF ADVANCE. LONDON, Sept. 3. Renter’s correspondent at British Headquarters writes —That the enemy is on quivive is shown bv the fact that his barrage came within a minute of the opening of our bombardment. It v. as of the heaviest, but was badly directed, and caused great damage to his own men. As our leading waves broke forward many Germans sprang up and came running over with their hands up. The outposts and front line trenches were cleared with the smallest resistance. Our airmen, hampered by had visibility, nevertheless reported that the German batteries were limbering up

and trotting rearwards. By 11.30 we had reached Gagnicourt and were attacking a great concentration of the enemy with machine-gun posts, and Bois-de-Brioche, considerably eastward of Cagnieourt and Dury, was cantured. Some of the heaviest fighting occurred on Mont Dury slopes, which were honeycombed with defences. A dense mass of Germans were seen debouching from sunken roads nearby. Our batteries opened fire inflicting terrible losses. Our own men were in many places exposed to terribly severe fire. The enemy seems to be organising a resistance in echelon at a great depth .