WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 August 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

HAIG'S ATTACK. A SMART CONCENTRATION. ' LONDON, August 8. Reuter’s correspondent at British headquarters reports that the British delivered a heavy attack at dawn this morning south of the Ancre, The French shortly afterwards took up the battle. The main weight of the effort was directed against von Hutier’s 18th Army. The battle opened with three 1 minutes’ bombardment, then the barrage crept forward, the heavy guns concentrating on obstinate points of resistance. Some hundreds of tanks advanced as the infantry went forward, The enemy was mostly taken by surprise. Our tanks crossed the Avre, working towards the more difficult ground in the Luve Valley. The French also report good progress. Their prisoners admit complete surprise. We are taking more prisoners than we know deal .with. The smartness and of our concentration was the main cause of the initial success. MURDER TRAPS. IN EVACUATED TERRITORY. ‘ .............. LONDON, August 8. ■ Mr. Raymond Carroll,■ the United Press Association correspondent with the Americans, describes murder traps found in evacuated territory. Bulbs and bladders were found in buildings and dugouts, under helmets, and in loaves of bread. When touched these exploded. A- captain was approaching a hotel when a Gorman officer walked out and offered to surrender. The American covered him with a revolver, and jumped aside, barely in time to escape a rain of bullets from a machine 'gun hidden in the cellar of an abandoned hospital. The enemy left rolls of crepe paper, which have taken the place of cloth bandages for wounds. The remains of some burned harness showed that Ft was made of a composition of paper and hemp. Many abandoned motor cars were fitted with iron tyres. The flames of the burning ammunition dumps destroyed by the Germans were so bright that it was almost possible to read a newspaper by them. The whole horizon at night w r as a succession of gigantic red patches, wnlh occasional roars of exploding ammunition. A million dollars’ worth of supplies was destroyed. TANKS OPEN THE ROAD. LONDON, August 8. The United Press correspondent, Writing in the, afternoon, says: “British went into the battle first, the noses of the tanks keeping -well against the steel wall of the creeping barrage and supported by fast ‘whippets’ (small tanks), while swarms of battle ■planes were engaged. The battlefield was covered by a thick haze, making flying difficult, hut giving an advantage to the Allies. The French, on the right, by agreement, came in a few minutes later, their artillery having smothered the territory southward of the Amicns-Roye road beforehand. Tiny 'whippets’ raced and dodged the fields, scattering terror everywhere, and running down the Germans. The country is hilly, hut mostly open and ideal for tanks. These crossed the Avre without trouble, led the infantry In battle, and blasted a way forward With machine guns and caamon. Up to eight in the morning '•few (if any) German aeroplanes appeared, hut despite the haze the Allied machines to the enemy’s confusion. include Wurtemburgers, and others

from half a dozen different divisions. The weather is good, but it is threatening to rain. Reports from the Mofeuil region are most optimistic, the Germans offering slight resistance. OFFENSIVE ON 20-IVIILE FRONT. ENEMY OVERWHELMED. LONDON, August 8. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Operations were beguh this morning on the Amiens front by the French First Army under General De Beuy, and the British Fourth Army under General Rawlinson. They are proceeding satisfactorily . The Allied troops assents bled under cover of • night 'unnoticed by the enemy. At the hour of assault French, Canadian, English and Australian divisions, assisted hy large numbers of tanks, stormed a front of over twenty miles from the’ Avre at branches to the neighbourhood of Morlancourt. Our troops progressed at all points and at an early hour our first objective was reached on the whole front. During the morning the infantry’s advance continued, actively assisted by British cavalry, light tanks, and motor machine- gun batteries. German resistance was overcome at certain points after sharp fighting. The French gallantly attacked and crossed the Avre despite opposition, and carried hostile defences. The greater part of, our final objectives northward of the Somme were gained before noon, but in the neighbourhood of Chipilly and southward of Morlancourt the enemy carried out prolonged resistance until it was finally broken by our troops, who gained their objectives gallantly. Allied infantry southward of the Somme gained during the afternoon their final objectives on the whole front, assisted by light tanks and armoured cars. Cavalry passed through the infantry and beyond the objectives, riding down German transport limbers in retreat. They surrounded and captured villages, taking many prisoners. We reached a general line Plessier-Rozain-Villers-Beaufort, ’ Caix-Framerville- Chipilly, and westward of Moriancourt. It is impossible to estimate prisoners or guns and material, but several thousand prisoners and many guns were captured. In the House of Commons, Mr. Bonar Law said that by 3 o’clock in the afternoon all objectves had been taken. One hundred guns and 7000 prisoners were captured. The maximum advance w T as seven miles, and the average five miles. Wireless German official (evening); Between the Ancre and the Avre the enemy forced his way into our positions. A French communique says; The attack we began south-east of Amiens, in conjunction with the British, has continued under good conditions. GREAT CONFUSION BEHIND. GERMAN LINES. LONDON, August 9. There is great confusion behind Prince Eupprecht’s front. Airmen report the rapid flight of transport towards the Somme. A number of high officers are already among the prisoners. One German general was last seen running headlong, chased by a tank which was machine-gunning him.. We now directly threaten Montdidier.

Airmen are harassing traffic into and out of the salient, especially across the Somme bridges. Our casualties wore exceptionally light, especially at the beginning of the operations. Prince Eupprecht’s reply, whether by artillery, infantry, or aeroplane, has so far been feeble, but with the coming up of reinforcements the resistance will stiffen.