GENERAL HAIG’S REPORTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1918, Page 2

GENERAL HAIG’S REPORTS.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT,' \ GENERAL HAIG’S REPORTS. LONDON, Sept. 14. Reporting this evening, Sir Douglas Haig states: The number taken prisoners by us during the successful operations of our Third Army on tho Troscault-Havrineourt sector on the 12th September, exceeds 15,000. As a result of the progress made yesterday north-west of St. Quentin our line has been now established eastward of Ketheourt and Jeancourt.

During the past twenty-four hours the enemy has made several determined unsuccessful attempts to recover the positions captured in the neighbourhoods of Gonsencourt and Havrincourt yesterday. A strong hostile attack in which the enemy employed flaimncnwerfers, was repulsed with heavy loss, south of Gouzeaeourt. At Havrincourt the enemy attacked yesterday morning in force, under cover ol a hcavv artillery bombardment. He penetrated the eastern portion of the village, but after hard fighting was driven out and the positions restored. Northward of Havrincourt we advanced slightly between the village and tho canal.

In the evening the enemy attacked eastward of Trescault, and gained a tooting in our tenches, hut was driven out immediately. A strong bombing attack was launched, in which liquid lire was employed, against our positions northwest of Gouzeaucourt. After forcing our advanced posts to withdraw;., this attack was successfully beaten off. Only local fighting occurred yesterday on the Moeuvres (Cambrai) sector, without material change in the situation. Another attack southward of Moeuvres was repulsed. We established a few posts along the west hank of the Canal du Nord in the iieiglihoui'lioci-l «f Sauchy-Canchy and opposite Oisy-le-Verger. In the La: Basse sector we occupied Auchy Lez La Basse.

We are in contact with the enemy’s advanced detachments south’-nveist of La: Basse. Progress lias continued, despite machine-gun opposition. We took possession of Fosso de Bethuno and an adjoining slag heap, an important local feature, giving a: wide observation of the surrounding Northward thereof we hold German trench linos immediately west-ward of Cucliy lez La Basse, and are pressing ■forward into the villager. There are low clouds and heavy rain, and the enemy aeroplanes are not active. In a series of successful battles on the Somme front, beginning on the Bth August, the English Scottish and Welsh Divisions touk an important share in the fighting and performed many gallant actions. Most of these divisions have been advancing over the same ground whereupon they met and ultimately cheeked the enemy’s great offensive in March. During the past few weeks they have shown, without exception, that the tremendous strain sustained earlier in the year with so much courage and resolution has in nowise fliminislied their splendid fighting spirit. For example, the Guards Division, which in March and April, at Boyelles, Soirv, au'd Becquorelle, maintained Hie northern pivot of our defences, attacked on the 21st August and captured Moyeimeville, Hamelineouvt, also St. Leger on the 24th August. .

At mid-night Sir Douglas Haig reports : We repulsed a raid in the Gouzeacourt sector, and established new posts in trench lines eastward and northward of the village. We progressed in local fighting astride La Bassce Canal, and repulsed a raid in the neighbourhood of Neuve Chapelle. The weather is still had. THE BRITISH LINE PROGRESSING WELLINGTON, This Day. The High Commissioner reports from iLond/m, September loth., at 11.50. p.m.: Sir Douglas Haig is still progressinf at St. Quentin.