WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 5 November 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

GREAT FRENCH VICTORY FRENCH ADVANCE ON 12 MILES FRONT .LONDON, November 3. French communique: The results of our victory at Malmaison were not slow in showing themselves. Threatened on the right, pressed by our infantry, and crushed by our artillery, which unceasingly bombarded organisations south of the Ailette from our new positions, the enecmy wer ecompelled to abandon Chemin des Dames, to which they have been clinging for the past six mbJTns,.on a front of twenty kilometres, from Froidmont Farm to a post east of Craonne. Our troops, descending the northern slopes of Chemin des Dames, occupied j German positions to a depth exceeding < a kilometre at certain places. The villages of Cortecon, Cerny, En Laonnois, . AUles, and Chevreue are in our hands. Patrols, keeping in contact with the enemy, reached Ailette between Braye en Laonne and Cerny. HUGE CAPTURES DURING TEN DAYS LONDON, November 3. French communique: During the night wc made a continual advance between the Oise Canal and the region of Courany and reached the bank of of the Ailette along the entire front. The enemy fell back on the northern front, the bridges and passages to which had been cut, The artillery struggle continued lively in the ""sector Chavignon and some points in the region of the plateau. Among the material captured since October 23 are 200 heavy and field guns, 220 trench mortars and 720 machine guns. Wireless German official: Unnoticed and undisturbed we last night withdrew our lines fro mthe hilly front of Chemin des Dames. THE LATEST LONDON, November 4. French communique: W eare organising, our ■ new ground on the Ailette front. An artillery duel continues . in Cheniin< des. Dames.., In the at .Malmaison,, a French airman, felled 16 German machines. We engaged in 61T air fights. Fifty German machine's crashed behind our lines. : MARKED ENEMY ARTILLERY 1 ••,-!■>..-. >.■■■' ,-I FIRE. ALL DISPERSED. Received 10.10. LONDON Oct 4. : A French communique-"reports that artillery activity continues very markedly north - of the Chemin des Dames, ■■ in the region of Pinon and Vauxaillon.

, After violent, bombardment, the Germans twice attacked north of Chaume Wood, on the right bank of the Meuse. Our force dispersed, the.' with heavy losses : > . WESTERN MINOR SUCCESSES SOME STRONG POINTS CAPTURED Received 10.10. j LONDON, Nov 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports that the Irish Fusiliers successfully raided last night south-eastward of Havrincourt. N Two attempts by the enemy at raids in the neighbourhood of Monchy-Le-Preux were repulsed. Small parties of our troops captured strong points one eastward of i Broodseinde, the other sou Th-eastward of Poelcapelle. THE GERMANS RETREATING IMPORTANT POSITIONS EVACUATED HUNS FORCED INTO IdRSHES. LONDON, November 4 It is semi-officially announced that the evacuation of Chimin des Dames means that Germany has abandoned the heights from which can be viewed the German back lines, and have taken up positions in the marshy re-« gion of Ailette, which the French dominate. Moreover, any serious enemy attempt at an offensive on the Aisne front in future is out of the question, while the "defence of the French position in this region is rendered easier, requiring fewer troops.