Germans Retreating in Flanders.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 August 1918, Page 5

Germans Retreating in Flanders.

Advance from Amiens. Fresnoy and Chaulnes Captured. o—_ Received 9 a.m. NEW YORK, August 9. A London message states the Germans are retreating on the Flanders front, and evacuating positions in the Lys Valley. The British have taken fourteen thousand prisoners, the majority of which were captured by Australians and Canadians. The British have reached Frames and Vauvillers on the Lihon line. The French have taken Fresnoy. The Allies have taken two hundred guns, and it is reported a German divisional general has been captured. The Germans on the Amiens front are blowing up ammunition dumps. The British casualties are only nine thousand. Allied airmen have blown up bridges over the Somme. French troops north-west of Montdidier advanced four miles and captured three thousand prisoners. The Aiiglo-French advance has reached a maximum depth cf eleven miles. British cavalry are within one mile of Chaulnes. Canadian cavalry have surrounded a large forces of Germans. Received 9 a.m. LONDON, August 9. The Germans are retreating on the Flanders front. The 411ies have advanced eleven miles in the Montdidier region, and have captured Fresnoy and reached Chaulnes. THE TERRITORY RECONQUERED. TWO HUNDRED TOWNS AND VILLAGES RECAPTURED. Received 9.50 a.m. WASHINGTON, August 9. The Allies on the Marne front have regained fifteen hundred square kilometres of territory; two hundred towns and villages have been recovered. The Allied front has been shortened by thirty-three miles. The Germans used thirteen divisions to cross the Marne, and used seventeen in retreating therefrom. Additional reinforcements from Flanders have reached the Vesle. United States’ army officers rejoice at Haig’s blow, and declare it completes evidence that the Allies control the initiative. Foch has no intention of allowing Ludeudorff a respite wherein to organise new offensives. > •) ..Jr BRITISH PRESSING ON. , ; ! ' BEAUFORT CAPTURED. ; Received 10.45 a.m. LONDON, August 9. The Australians arq v fighting north of the Somme. ? • The Canadians have captured Beaufort. ‘ ‘ KAISER’ S LAST STAND. ’ ’ SPECIAL ARMY FORMED. HUNS MUST EVACUATE MONTDIDIER. Received 11 a.m. NEW YORK, August 9 A correspondent on the American front reports that information has reached the Allies that a “Last Stand Army” of half a million picked troops is being formed by the Kaiser’s' orders, solely to defend the Rhine. French military opinion is satisfied that the Germans must evacuate Montdidier. MAURICE REVIEWS THE POSITION. AMIENS OUT OF DANGER. MONTDIDIER OUTFLANKED. Received 9.20 a.m. LONDON, August 9. General Maurice tributes the newest ‘tanks’ (work southward of. the 1 Somme, where recently they had afull dress rehearsal. The enemy was alert northward of the Somme and in the neighbourhood of Moreuil, coriyse* qucntly the progress was less there than in the centre,''’but the centre progress is most important. The enemy at Mondidier arc already is a pronounced salient. The advance eastward of Villers Bretonncaux has made the position very uncomfortable. Already Amiens is out of range of all except the longest range guns. What is more important still is that wo arc giving him no respite, but keeping him on the defensive, while he is getting it heaviest on the Voslc. It is premature to say definitely we have won.

back the initiative but shcmld if the battle developes as it promises. General Haig’s success Is due to a surprise, consisting of a secret concentration, a short intense bombardment, and the launch of a formidable tank, attack. STRATEGIC VALUE OF GAINS MILITARY POSITION COMPLETELY CHANGED. LONDON, August 9. Mr. Bonar Law, in the House of Commons, said: —The Fourth British Army, comprising English, Australian, and Canadian troops, attacked on a front of twenty kilometres, from Moriancourt to Montdidier. He had just been informed by telephone from H eadquarters that all objectives which were sought when attack began were gained before 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The ground gained was of obvious strategic importance. He had no desire to exaggerate the importance of the achievement. Possibly the Germans, owing to the previous attacks, had intended to retire, but the attack was a complete surprise, upsetting whatever .plans the GermSms had formed.] “The result,” concluded Mr. Bonar Law, “can be said, without exaggeration, to indicate a complete change in the military position during the last few weeks.” THE LATEST NEWS. ‘ ADVANCE IN MONTDIDIER SECTOR CONTINUES. GERMANS CONTINUE TO RETIRE AT LYS. ' DARING OF ALLIED AIRMEN. Received 11.5 a.m. LONDON, August 9. The advance is still progressing. Late yesterday afternoon our cavalrjand armoured tanks reached Frainerville, near Lihons. This means an advance of eleven miles at the great-’ est depth. ‘‘The infantry advance is seven miles, or an average of. five or S six overt the-; whole' front.’"'- : Betweeh 9000 and ; iojOGO German's-'have beentaken prisoners dii this Sector. " The Germans have now’ been-' drawn -beyond gun-range of Amiens. They will he unable to stay on the River Avre, where their lihe is completely flanked on the north. , The German position on the Aisne is not affected by the advance, but the enemy can hardly stand on the Montdidier front, which must undoubtedly be evacuated. The Germans cohtinilfe' to retire On the Lys salient, and have withdrawn, approximately 2000 yards on a front of six miles. Correspondents declare that even the Messines battle did not equal yesterday’s brilliant success. A German officer’s captured diary frankly and bitterly admits the Allied air supremacy, the, airmen dropping bombs past, all counting, day ana night, with clock-like regularity from a height well beyond the reach of anti-aircraft guns. " ; ' OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION." 14,000 PRISONERS TAKEN YESTERDAY. Received 12.50 a.m, LONDON, August 9. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The French have taken Fresnoy and, CEaulnes. The British are eastward of Le Quesnil and Caix. Northward of the Somme we are meeting with vigorous resistance. Prisoners taken yesterday exceed 14,000; the number of guns has not yet been estimated. Our line advanced TTn ’the whole front from the Lawe river to the Bourse river to a maximum depth of 2000 yards.