GENERAL HAIG’S REPORTS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1918, Page 2

GENERAL HAIG’S REPORTS

[PER PREBB ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.

BRITISH OPERATIONS. LONDON, Oct. 19. General Haig continuing his report says:—We captured Denain and reached the general line of Haveluy, Wandignies, Hamage, Brillion, and Beuvry. The enemy’s resistance is increasing on tis front. The enemy commenced to I withdraw northward of Cambrai-Bavai road. We occupied Saulzoir and progress was made towards Denain from riie south and northwards of Sensee Caual. We have already entered Denain, and reached St. Amlin and Sonnain. On the left the Eighth Division has taken Marchiennes and during the past ten days in the course of the advance of over eighteen miles they prisonered several hundred. Further northwards we steadily continue to advance, and have reached the general line of Orchirs, Cobreauc, Bourgholles Temploauve. southward of Roubaix and Necli-

ADVANCE CONTINUES. LONDON, October 19. I 'Sin Dougins Haiig reports: Our I army after difficult fighting, has clearI ed both sides of the Selle river to the I high ground, capturing <SOO prisoners I and a number of guns. The enemy is I withdrawing north of Cambrai and BoI vaird. We have taken Dennin, MacI quigny, and reached the western SamI bre-Oise canal. North of the Oise we I gained Catillion. I In his report Sir Douglas Haig reI port's: The Anglo-American forces who I were operating in conjunction with the French between the river Oise and LeCateau, successfully renewed their advance this morning. They reached the west hank of the Sambre and Oise canal northwards of Oise, and took possession of high ground westward of Catillon. In our operations in the past three days in this sector, General Rawlinsons fourth army has completed an advance of from five to eight miles across difficult country) which the enemy defended

with tenacity. Having driven the enemy on the first day of their attack from strong positions on the right of th e Selie river, by determined and pmsistent fighting they successfully cleared the whole of the high ground eastward of the river line, capturing many villages in the course of their advance with over five thousand prisoners and a number of guns. BRITISH NEAR TOIRNAT. LONDON, October 20. This evening Sir Douglas Haig reports. This morning’s attack by British iorced a passage across the Selie river, between Le Cateau and Denain. saving captured the villages in the river valley, and driven the enemy from Solesmes, we fought up the slopes westward of Selie, and established ourselves on the high ground overlooking Harvies Valley. We encountered determined opposition. After hard fighting we repulsed a number of counter attacks. This operation was carried in heavy rain We took a thousand prisoners and iome guns . Our advanced troops are now within two miles of Tournai, and are in contact with the enemy westward of a general line running: Denain, Bois des Eclusettes, Landas, Mouehin, and Marquin. A later repcujt states the .British have crossed the Selie along the whole line, and have advanced to an averago depth of upwards of a mile. The enemy’s opposition is desperate. OFFICIAL NEWS. WELLINGTON, This Day. The High Commissioner reports front London 21st at 1 p.m. • Sir Douglas Haig reports northwards of le Cateau yesterdays prisoners exceeded .*IOOO. Northwards of Denain we continued our forward push concontaeting with the enemy approaching the St. Amand line on the Scheldt northwards of Tournai.

| ! GENERAL HAIG’S DESPATCH. (Received this day at 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 21. A despatch from General Haig, dated 20th July, covering operations since the first week in December last, is published. Its chief Interest lies in Haig’s “t ° L account of the German offensive on L _ March 21st-. Haig begins by emphasising that the difficulties created by n transit from an offensive to a defensive o policy, necessitated by the collapse of i Russia, were accentuated by the ro T " j organisation of British divisions from a Id battalion to a ten battalion basisj and by the extension of the British ’ front to Barisis. Meanwhile large rei 5 serves which the enemy was able to t create by transferring "numerous divis--3 ions from the .East enabled him t-o carry * out extensive training when the units ’ were completed to the establishment-. General Haig’s despatch continues. — The Intelligence Department on April 19th re]x»rted the enemy would probably attack Arras and St. Quentin. The Brithish dispositions to meet- the expected offensive were as complete as time and the troops available could make them. Gough’s Fifth Army then held a 42 mile front from just south of Barisis to Gouzeaucourt. The number of divisions in line only allowed an average of a division to 6,075 yards’ front. General Byng’s Third Army heldji 27 mile front, from north of GouzeaucourJ io south of Gazrello. The average length of front held- by each division was about- 47,000 yards. Altogether at least sixty-four German divisions participated in the operations oh March 21st, the number considerably exceeding the total forces composing the entire British army., in France. The total British force on the original battle-front on the morning of March 21st was twentv nine infantry divisions and three oavalrv divisions where of nineteen infantry divisions were in line.