A BIG ATTACK

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1918, Page 3

A BIG ATTACK

DECIDED BRITISH PUSH. -NEAY ZEALANDERS AT FORMAL FOREST. if.ACKTUAr.IAN A N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION & REUTER.] ((Received This Day at 10.35. a.m.) ] , . . LONDON November 5. < At 1.20. a.m, General Haig re- * * ported—The 3rd and Ist British Armies attacked between Sambre Canal at Oisy ; and the Scheldt northward of Valcn- ] .cirnnes. On the whole of this 30 mile front- the British and New Zealanders » broke in deeply the enemy's positions. We captured over ten thousand and took two hundred guns. On the right f the Ist and 32nd divisions attacked in r conjunction with the Fiench southwards } ,of them. These divisions with great .dash and gallantry, stormed the for- t midable line of Sambre canal, overcame 1 resistance and reached a depth of three miles, eastward of the canal. The First Division under General Strickland, after capturing Catillon ; forced the pnssages of the canal opposite Catillon and near the lock two miles southwards. At i the latter point assisted hy engineers, tho Cameron Highlanders crossed the canal. Jn six minutes the First division had captured Fesrny, Haurevc, La(Groise and prisonered fifteen hundred. , To the leftwards the Thirty-Second ( ■division crossed Ors canal and after •severe fighting captured ‘R.udenhaut, i .and cleared the line of thc cana l wards and northwards of this village. AVe captured Mezieres, La Folic and ;Sambreon. In the centre we attacked the woet,ern face of Fort do Marmal with infantry and tanks and drove the enemy from the western outskirts. We captured Soyeres, Proux an Bois Ilocq Ut:ov and Louvignies. ‘ Tho Twenty-Fifth divisions forced the crossings of Sambre canal opposite Landrccies, which was captured. Further north the 'Eighteenth and Fiftieth divisions penetrated- the forest and are still advancing, the Twenty-Eighth Division reached Lps Grand Espatures. The Seventeenths captured Locquignoj>, in the centre of Mormal Forest. • Th'ere was severe fighting at Le Quesnoy, where the New Zealanders repulsed a strong counter attack, inflicting heavy losses. We passed south and north of this j fortified town and are now several miles eastward of it. We drove the enemy out of his new positions on Audcllo river. The Guards captured Preux Austin. The Twenty Fourth Division captured Vargnies le Petit and Vargnies le Grand. The Canadians made progress on the rieht bank of the Scheldt and passed beyond Estreu and Ontraing. Onr advance continues on the whole battlefront. FURTHER SUCCESS. (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) LONDON November 5. A message dated the sth at 1.20. p.m states yesterday afternoon wo surrounded and captured the walled town of e Quesnoy, prisonering over a thousand Divisions had hard fighting southward and northward of lo Quesnoy and praion era! many. These Divisions after overcoming strong divisions at the outset about Louvignies at Orainval pujed forward rapidly on the flanks of Non Zealanders eastward of Lo Q nt ‘ , " < ’ y Advancing with them to a depth of between three and four miles, cap urmg the villages of Julimitz Lerond Qu£ ne Frasnoy le Petit, and Marais. Mo progressed further in the evening m formal Forest and eastwara of \ nlenciennes capturing the village of Eth.