WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 14 September 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

GERMANY’S FINAL DEFENCE. LONDON, September 12. The Germans are repiaring and strengthening the Antwerp forts, and constructing a new final defensive line between Antwerp adn Metz, called the Parsifal line. The battered retreating enemy is refitting the deluged trenches of the Hindenburg line undr most trying conditions, which are further affecting his moral. Mr Beach Thomas reports letters were found in many captured trenches, apparently emanating from the German command and addressed to the British, but probably intended to influence the German soldiers. Some read; “Dear Tommy,—You think you iare beating us. Wait? till our scheme is complete, and you will find everything changed.”

ON THE BRITISH FRONT. LONDON, September 12.. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Yesterday I evening-we captured Atilly, Yermand, and Yendelles, north-west of St. Quen- j tin and at night time made progress in cHe western outskirts of Holnon four miles west of St. Quentin. ■’ English troops were successful, in local operations in the afternoon in the Havrincourt and Moeuvres sectors. We crossed the Canal du Nord north-west of Havrincourt, and established ourselves ,on the eastern bank, eastward and northward of Moeuvres. Last night we captured the strongly fortified positions known as the railway triangle south-west of La Bassee.

NEW ZEALANDERS TAKE PART.

IMPORTANT TOWNS CAPTURED

LONDON, Sept 12.

At 11.20 p.m.. Sir Douglas Haig reported; Despite weather, our operations continue successfully. This morning, in the Havrincourt sector, English captured Trescault and the old British trench lines east and north thereof.

On their right, the New Zealanders progressed east of Gouzeaucourt Wood, overcoming obstinate resistance by a Jaegar division. At Havrincourt, the Sixty-second Yorkshires, who carried the village on November 20th, 1917, attacked for the second time over the same ground, with like success. Other English troops attacked across the Canal du Nord, north of Havrincourt. After sharp fighting, we captured the village and the canal north of the Bapaume-Cambrai road. The Lancashires, after sharp fighting, completed the capture of Moeuvres.

We prisonered a thousand in these operations. (The New Zealanders, in meeting the Jaegars, met old foemen, for it was the Jaegars they fought on the memorable October 12th, 1917.) A French communique states: Westward of St. Quentin, co-operating with the British, we advanced to the Holnon—Savy Roau.

IN FLANDERS.

LONDON, Sept 12,

Sir Douglas Haig reports: We further progressed south of La Bassee Canal and north west of Armentierea. German official. —Renewed English atacks between the Arras—Cambrai and Peronne—Cambrai roads failed. Franco-Americans attacked on the St. Mihiel bend. Fighting continues.

FRENCH COMMUNIQUE.

LONDON, Sept 12. p.m.,. a French communique stated: North of the Ailette we raided and took prisoners.

There is artillerymg in the region of Rheims and Prosnes, Two enemy raids in the Champagne and the Vosges were repulsed.

GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT.

LONDON, Sept 12

Wireless German official. —English attacks in the evening against Marquoin and the Havrincourt Canal sector failed.

GERMANS EVACUATING DOUAI

WASHINGTON, Sept 12,

Advices from France state that the Germans are systematically evacuating Douai. Huge quantities of stores have been observed behind the German lines.

BRITISH GAIN MORE TERRITORY GERMAN ATTACKS BLOODILY REPULSED. Received 9.25 a.m.

LONDON, September 13,

Sir Douglas Haig reports: English troops on Thursday gained possession, of Holnon Wod, expelling the enemy ""from localities' wherein he resisted Our Tine further north was advanced eastward of the village of Jcancourt, which fell into our hands during the evening. Strong forces, assisted by low flying aeroplanes attacked our new positions at Havrincourt, but were repulsed with great loss. Opposite Moeuvres enemy infantry, assembling for ia counter-attack, was subjected to heavy and accurate artillery fire. The attack which developed subsequently was completely unsuccessful the few Germans reaching our positions being killed or prisonerbd. We progressed during the night time westward of Auchy les La Bassee.

THE DESTRUCTION OF HAM,

NOYON OUTDONE

LONDON, Sep. 12

Renter’s' (correspondent at French headquarters says: Ham, the largest town in the devastated country, which the Germans spared in the retreat last year, has been visited with destruction even more complete and more unjustifiable than Noyon They methodically destroyed- it by fire. The inhabitants were evacuated, and ! infernal machines placed in houses. Fires were started by pressing a button miles away, and bridges were blown up. Ham was undamaged by shell-fire, neither side being interested in firing on the town. The only excuse that the German? could make —that it blocked roads against pursuit—is invalid. The destruction of the bridges alone made it impossible for the French to enter the town until they had been replaced.

‘ ON THE AISNE. WASHINGTON, September 12. The Germans continue attacking the American front south of the Aisne. The enemy is desperately attempting io secure the Mont Rouge Plateau, but is suffering heavy losses. FRANCO-AMERICANS STRIKE BIG ATTACK ON ST. MIHIEL SALIENT. LONDON, September 12. The United Press correspondent at the American headquarters says: The Americans and French attacked on the western side of the St. Mihiel salient, pushing to the region of Fresnes,_on a fifteen kilometres front.

The French, on the peak of the solient, kept pace with the Americans, pinching in the insides. More than a hundred tanks, manned by the Americans, aided in smashing in the powerful concreted Bosehc first line, the tanks operating behind a

dense smoko screen. The weather was ideal for air fighting.

Many prisoners are already passing into the cages and the total will probably be large. Many are from the crack Tenth Division which took part in the Marne offensive in July. There was little infantry resistance. The first villages were captured in forty-five minutes. Woods and other strong points were then enveloped.

The New York Times’ London correspondent on the West front states that the Americans in thft St. Mihiel salien captured approximately 10,000 prisoners, nine howitzers and considerable supplies. OTTAWA, September 12.

The United Press correspondent on the West Front states: It is unofficially reported that the French have captured St. Mihiel

OPERATIONS AT ST. MIHIEL. SUCCESS OF THE AMERICANS. Received 9. 40 a.m. LONDON, Sept 12. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The American army attacked this morning in the region of St. Mihiel, and the operations are developing under the best conditions. Later; An American official message states; We made considerable gains, and, assisted by the French units, broke the resistance at some points to a depth of five miles. Eight thousand prisoners have been counted, and the operations are still progressing.