WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 August 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

A LONE-HANDED CAPTURE. AUSTRALIAN TAKES BATTERY. LONDON, August IS. Mr. Keith. Murdoch, writing from Australian headquarters, refers to the keenness for further fighting, and confidence which has roused all the latent desire to meet and drive the enemy headlong. He describes a champion of ja New South Wales unit of herculean type, who astonished the Germans during the B'retonneux fighting by breaking, an officer’s neck with his fingers He got well ahead of his company during the fighting on the--Bth, and reached (the German field battery from which the enemy appeared to have fled. Suddenly he was at-, tacked from a dugout behind, but, rushing forward with bayonet fixed, he killed nine Boches quivering there, with little fighting spirit, then capturing the battery. GERMAN SHORTAGES. 1 ——— m LONDON, Augus 18. Mr Gordon Gilmore, writing from ▼Australian Headquarters, says that the Germans' abandoned a vast store of foodstuffs at Lihons, with much wine, spirits, and sugar. The field hospital furnished further evidence of short-' age of cotton stuffs, nightshirts, bandages, and string being made out of paper. The Australians were much amused at the nightshirts, sewn with black thread, with a dinky paper bow, at the neck. They captured several bicycles with scores of little springs under an outer metal tyre, instead cf a rubber tyre. i - o. IS THE ENEMY WITHDRAWING? LONDON, 'August 18. Reuter’s correspondent at British headquarters states: There has been severe patrol fighting between Chaulnes and Roye during the past twentyfour hours. The Allies are gradually enclosing. Roye. The French ‘are within a few hundred yards of the rail station. The Germans have not made heavy counter-attacks since Thursday. Their heavy artillery fire has diminished, suggesting the withdrawal of heavies. Local guerilla fighting continues north of the Ancre. French communique; The artillery duel continued in the daytime, particularly in the region of Canny sur Matz and Beauvraignes. Local actions south of the Avre resulted in our capturing prisoners. . Eight enemy aeroplanes were felled and three captive balloons set on fire yesterday, GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. . LONDON, August 18. Wireless German official.—We drove back enemy attacks along the roads from Amiens and Montdidier to Roye. The enemy attacks between Beauvreignes and Lassigny collapsed. The enemy obtained a foothold in our foremost lines northward of Autreches Vosges. Our posts, which were advanced in the Fave region, as far as Frappello, yielded to a local enemy thrust. WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. PARIS, August 19. “Le Temps” has positive proof that * Foch’s counter-offensive on 18th July completely upset German plans of attack on a vast scale on Ypres, with strong demonstrations against Nieuport and Dixmude. Another big offen-elvdy-was arranged late in July betw6en Ypres and La Bassee. The British learned of the programme and paralysed the enemy preparations by violent artillery fire.

BRITISH STEADILY GAINING GROUND. LONDON, August 18. Reuter’s correspondent says: Our patrols are steadily advancing in the region of Hazebrouck. The enemy* is very violent, with considerable artillery activity. It is uncertain if this is merely a diversion. A later message states that the British this morning attacked the Fourth Saxon Division holding Oulsterteen, and captured the village, also the ridge. (Oulsterteen is on the road from Vieux Berquin and Baillcul and half way between those villages.) SUCCESS ON FOUR-MILE FRONT. LONDON, August 19. Sir Douglas Haig reports:.. .. We carried out a successful local operation on a front of over four miles between Vieux Berquin and Bailleul with slight loss. We advanced our line from 1000 to 2000 yards, and captured the village of Oulstersteen, and several defended farms and houses. We prisonered over 400. We also progressed south-west of Merville, and between Chilly and Fransart, taking prisoners. We repulsed attacks against posts in the neighbourhood of Beaucort, Scrrc and Puissieux, taking prisoners. We destroyed five aeroplanes. Three British are missing. We dropped .13 tons of bombs. IMPORTANT FRENCH CAPTURE. GERMAN LINES OP AISNE MENACED. Received 9.10 a.m. . LONDON, August 19. General Mangin has captured the ridge south of Angizcourt, giving an opportunity to menace the German lines on the Aisne, FRENCH STILL ADVANCING. Received 9.20 a.m. NEW YORK, August 19. The French have advanced two miles between the Oise and the Aisne, capturing one hundred prisoners. I The French have captured Saint j Mard, one mile south of Eoyc.