Gen. Maurice's Review.

Taihape Daily Times, 29 August 1918, Page 5

Gen. Maurice's Review.

ODOROUS CRITICISM. URGING HUNS TO BUCK UP. Received 8.50 a.m. LONDON, August 28. General Maurice, in a review on the military situation, after a visit'to the front, states that Amiens must have fallen after the "enemy's attack on Villers Bretonneux, on the 24th April, if the Germans had pushed on. Fortunately, General Rawlinson, who realised the enemy must not be given time to dig in, counter attacked with a small force, mainly of Australians, and the Germans were driven east of Villers Bretonneux. It was equally rortunate the enemy made a mistake in embarking on the Flanders offensive,* which diverted forces which, if used on he Amiens front, would almost certainly have resulted in a separation of the Allied forces. Hindenburg and Ludendorff made exactly the mistake that von Moltke made in 1911, their forces were frittered away on side issues and we are now witnessing the consequences. It took too long to shape the Rheims offensive;' American forces grew and we were allowed time to recover The. turn of the tide dates from. Gouraud's repulse of the Crown Prince's Champagne attack, where fifteen of tic best divisions, carefully nursed and trained, were smashed. Foch took the chance given .byr.one.great masterpiece:.of generalship.: ' .'•,.. :\ >! '-, <■ -..,-■ The German policy of selecting storm troops .enfeebled.the German defence corps. These elite were formed at ,the expense of the whole army. We, captured numerous orders, signed by Ludendorff, adverting in strong language to the weakening disiipline' and slackness of the troops. Rigid" Prussian discipline is not standing the strain; prisoners are taken more easily than in some parts, and the German army is fighting slackly; this _is shown by the state of their trench defences. They have been content with a single front trench and without support lines and communication trenches, this indicates great slackness or scarcity of labour. Commanders are moving reserves about in a manner betraying nervousness, but the machine does not wish to convey the impression that German armies on the West front are within measurable distance of collapse. They are still well fed, equipped, and formidable. We. have not yet the superior force necessary to crush .him, but"ir we play our .cards * properly the German decline wiii become a collapse.

HINDENBURG LINE OVERRUN. LEFT MILES IN THE REAR. CHAULNES HAS BEEN CAPTURES SIGNIFICANT MOVE TOWARDS DOUAI. Received 8.50 a.m. ' NEW YORK, August 28. The French have occupied Chaulnes. The BritisTTWave reached the outskirts of Haucourt, some two miles over the Hindenburg line. On a four mile advance in Flanders the British are astride the Neuf Berquin—Estaires road. The British have completed the capture of Trones Wood and are reported to be driving east of Oppy and Gavrelle towards Douai. General March has announced that Allied prisoners to date exceed 112,000, and 1300 cannon were captured. HUNS STILL RETREATING. ON THE AVRE FRONT. Received 9 a.m. LONDON,; August,,2B. A French communique Yielding to our continued pressure, the enemy to-day was compelled to increase his withdrawal on both sides of the Avre front by twenty kilometres. Our troops, overcoming all opposition, realised an advance exceeding four kilometres at certain points. We hold a general line immediately west of Chaulnes, Punchy, Liancourt and Hepillieres. We now occupy Hallu, Fronsart, Cremery, Grymy, Carrepuits, Roye, Laucourt, and Crapeau Memil. We took prisoners.

An artillery duel is lively in "the region of.lLassigny and between the Oise and the Aisne.

THE AILETTE CROSSED, GERMANS REINFORCING BAPAUME, HEAVY RAINS FALLING. Received 10.15 a.m. NEW YORK, August 28. Mangin's troops have crossed the Ailette river. Rain is delaying British advance. New Zealanders form a half moon around Bapaume. Germans are bringihg heavy reinforcements. THE GALLANT CANADIANS. ADVANCE ON GROUND UNTRODDEN BY THE ENTENTE. Received 10 a.m. LONDON, August 28. Mr. Perceval Phillips writes: The Canadians in penetrating Green Wood, east of Monchy, are in country untrodden by Entente troops since the beginning of the war They are not yet firmly established, but are fighting hard, and slowly forging ahead. New Zealanders are pushing north of Bapaume, and have actually reached the Cambrai road, nearly encircling the town, but machine guns forced them to retire. They are now resting on the railway to the north-east. Though small detachments have reached the outskirts it does not mean that we are attempting to storm the place, which will fall unaided. The sector which gives the enemy greatest anxiety is the ten mile strip between Bapaume and the Scarpe. The Canadians, who went over at 3.20 on Monday, found only an inferior division opposed to them. They had to go over 6000 yards, and the first stage was done in darkness relieved with brilliant bursts of moonlight. They covered the distance in splendid time, though German batteries made good their escape. Meanwhile a Scottish attack from Neuville Vitassi was successful; the object was to turn the Hemin Hill, but there was no opposition on the hill. It was quite a spectacular affair, going forward steadily while the enemy retreated ■in disorder. Thus the Scots weresenabled to establish contact with ..the Canadians. ; - ,: "' ; •*'-

Beceived 11.45 a.m. ..;... LONDON, August 28. The attack was renewed on Tuesday morning along the entire'Canadians' line, near Heinin. After .resting the night they began mopping up the HinkJenburg rline, working towards Pointaine les Croisilles, and behind Croisilles; the guards pushing round the other side of Croisilles from Stellar. Thus the whole German line of resistance is being pounded hard and it is steadily sagging into the Hindenburg defences. It may be expected that the enemy will fight the hardest in this northern sector. A good fresh Prussian division is already .engaged against the Canadians.

The Australians advance on both banks of the Somme may be described as peaceful penetration. By noon today patrols on the south side were within a mile of Donipierre, clearing machine-guns out of the neighbouring Woods. The 'Australians have penetrated Vaux Wood, north of the river, and are continuing towards Curlu there being no serious attempt to hold them. The German rear-guards arc listless, .apparently being ordered not to resist if pressed hard. The Australians arc again traversing wholly devastated country, and their progress is naturally slow, but is on the whole deliberate, almost leisurely. The journey towards Peronnc is a marked contrast to the sharp, perky attacks south of B'apaume.

General Haig reports that south-west of Bapaume, English and Welsh gained ground in face of strong opposition. We reached the western outskirts of Flers. We drove the enemy from /Longueval, Delville Wood and Bernafay Wood. We repulsed counter-attacks by Prussian Guards astride the Somme. The Australians English and Scots drove back the enemy on the whole front of our attack. We gained high ground eastward of Maricourt. Wo captured Fontaine, Lcs Cappy, and woods between that place and the Somme, prisonering hundreds. Wo also captured Vermandovillers despite clouds and rainstorms. A great amount of work was accomplished by aeroplanes; they dropped ammunition by parachute to maand low fliers bombed and machine-gunned enemy troops, and transport columns Wo dropped 26\ tons of bombs.

.. A BEILGIAN ATTACK. HUN POSITIONS PENETRATED Received 10.30 a.m. LONDON, August 28. Belgian communique reports:— After a short artillery action we attacked last evening.on a front of three kilometres north and south of Lange•marck railway. We penetrated enemy positions despite stubborn resistance. We reached and maintained all our objectives. «

OFFICIAL SEPORT. FRENCH AND BRITISH ADVANCE. LONDON, August 28. Sir DoUglas Haig reports that Faucaueourt, strongly held with machineguns, was taken by us yesterday; also the greater part of Trones Wood. We have reached the outskirts of ' Laucourt, Hemy and B'oiry Notre Damhe. A French official reports states we have occupied Chaulncs, Emiscourt, Calatre, Soiglise and Verpilliers. We have penetrated Crapeau Missnil Wood and taken, Aives. . ; .. : .. .... '••■'."•fii : -:i ; ~_^_____ - ; GERMAN.! BEfcNFORGEMENTS • " J ARRIVE. .. Received 11.10 a.m. LONDON, August 28. The United Press correspondent reports further signs of German reinforcements, particularly south of Bapaume, coming from Prince Rupprecht's reserves. STRONG GERMAN COUNTER ATTACKS. GAIN A SMALL SUCCESS. Received 11.10 a.m. LONDON, August 28.

Sir Douglas Haig reports:—We captured on Tuesday Foucducourt, south of the Somme, which the enemy held very strongly with machine guns. North of the Somme we captured the bulk of Trones Wood, prisone'ring a number from the Prussian Guards Division. Southward of the Scarpe our First rmy improved its positions astride the Arras —Cambrai road, ana reached the outskirts of Haucourt and Boiry Notre Dame. Northward of the Scarpe strong' counter attacks at Aiding, and the Arras —Douai railway forced back our advanced troops a few hundred yards to the. old German trenches on Greenland Hill, where the attack broke down under our fire. We carried out a successful operation astride the Ncuf Berquin—Estarles road, advancing our line on a fourmile front, taking a number of prisoners. _ ~ ' .ftv. GERMAN "ADMISSI'ONS. ' ''/ % ALLIES CAPTURE MONCHY ' HEIGHTS. Received 11.45 a.m. LONDON, August 28. A Avireless German official report states: We arrested enemy attacks northward of the Scarpe, before our line, which is bent back on Roeux. Southward of the Scarpe we withdrew to Monchy heights. After a bitter fight the enemy crossed the Monchy and Guenappe heights. The enemy took Tilloy and Martinpuich. The French captured St. Mard and Fresnoy. A German evening official states: We stemmed an English thrust southward of the Scarpe in positions astride the Arras —Cambrai road.