WEEKLY WAR SUMMARY.

Taihape Daily Times, 18 September 1918, Page 6

WEEKLY WAR SUMMARY.

WELLINGTON, Sept 16. The Acting-Prime Minister has received from the British Ministry of Information the following telegraphic summary of the war news for the -week ended September 15;— ■' The situation shows little change since the sth September, when the en-' em y commenced to withdraw from the line, of the Yesle and in the Lys sector. 'He shows no inclination to give up the Passchendaele -WytschaeteMessines ridge, and much new worn is being carried out in the rear of the lines in this area. Southwards, he has straightened his line from Ha\rincourt to the Oise, while north of La Fere to the ATlette he is now back ion his old front line, and maintains (approximately a straight front to the ‘Vesle, near Breuil. Using the Aisne as far as possible, he retired methodically, though forced to abandon much material. This withdrawal shortened his front more than 70 miles, and economises 30 to 40 divisions. He now occupies a highly defensible zone, and no further withdrawal could counterbalance its loss, except in the case of a very big retirement. He is now beginning to TTood the country, and shows that he intends to stand firm. Before the Hindenburg system can be seriously attacked, much reconstruction is necessary as regards communications. Already much'work has been done in re-establishing bridges. The efficiency of our transport is shown by the fact that last month the British artillery fired at least ten million xounds in counter-battery work, which resulted in the i destruction of enemy guns on a scale of more than teu times greater than our own losses from, a similar cause.

The Bolsheviks, now seeing their end approaching, are resorting to the most extreme measures of terrorism. Scores of Russia'ns of every party have been executed untried, and many British subjects in PetrogracT and Moscow have been arrested, including even diplomatic representatives. Conditions are most terrible. Protests against this criminal policy of bloodshed have been made by representatives of all neutral countries. Even Germans and Austrians join in the protest. The Bolsheviks hold on desperately, only through the support of the Lettish Guard and the connivance of the Germans. The peasants In various districts, maddened by the Red Guards’ campaign of violence and spoliation, constantly rise, and are praying for deliverance . The Siberian situation changes quickly, but at present shows improvement. Different detachments of Czecbo-Slovaks seem to be in. touch with cne another, and the Bolsheviks’ forces in the region of Habarovsk appear to be melting. The Czecho-Slo-vaks appear to hold the entire TransSiberian railway. The control of this solitary trunk system, and of the telegraph, is of first rate importance. Military and economic relief is being brought up as quickly as possible, and it is hoped that arrangements now progressing may meet the difficulties of the winter. The Allies’ victories are producing the natural effect on the internal and politcal situation of Germany and Austria. It is rumoured that Dr. Solf, formerly Colonial Secretary, may replace Hertling as Chancellor, also that the Reichstag will be convened. These stories do not have diplomatic 1 importance, yet they reveal a dissatisfied and unquiet public feeling. Such exhortations as those of Hindenburg show how anxiously the German authorities regard these changes in the

“German spirit.” Supplies of ham and bacon are coming in satisfactorily, and the quaSity is improving. The suggested modification of the potato distributing scheme put forward -by the International Federation of Wholesale Merchants. have been accepted, so certain difficulties are now overcome. There is general satisfaction at the arrival on the market of excellent quality borne-killed meat. The failure of the fruit crop involved the. rationing or jam, when the next ration books arc issued in November.

The week was marked by strenuous British air fighting on the battle front in France, also by sharp local encounters in the coastal area and over Germany itself It js jagiiUjlfj that, fearing the extension of the present ba?- 1 tie towards the coast, the enemy's j scouts have been very active north of | the Arras-Cambral road, efl4 ’many 116100 conflicts have taken place over the Searpe Valey. but the enemy’s main air resistance has been between Marquoin and the railway from Equancourt to Epehy, where British airmen encountered unusually large enemy formations, and engaged them constantly over their own lines, inflicting the heaviest losses. At the price of 51 British machines reported missing, 101 enemy aircraft were destroyed, 57 -driven down helpless, and 18 enemy Idte balloons brought down in flames. Most successful raids were made by night bombing machines, especially on September 6th to Bth, when excellent result attended the attacks on the enemy’s railway connections at Armen-

tieres, Lille, Douai, Denain, and St. Quentin, Nearly 60 tons or bombs were dropped behind the enemy lines during these raids, and all tne British machines returned. The rapid British advance between the Soarpe and the Somme necesitates photographing many positions which have hitherto been outside- the actual fighting zone. Numbers of British reconnaissance machines have been actively engaged in this work, and took thousands of most valuable negatives of tbe new battle line, and the enemy’s prepared positions in the rear. The stormy weather was most unfavourable for coastal operations, yet succesful raids were made on German military and naval übrks at Varssenuare, Blenkenburghs, Bruges, ana Ostend. Many good bursts were observed, and destructive fires started among tbe dock buildings. At Ostend, during successive raids on the sth and fith, the British formations were heav- : ly attacked in the air over their objective. In severe fighting, six enemy machines were destroyed and four driven down. Four British machines failed to return

The R, A.F. independent forjee once again proved its ascendancy over the German airmen by heavily raiding the notorious poison gas factory at Mannheim, in the teeth of most obstinate enemy resistance. Shortly after leaving the aerodrome in the morning, the British formations met greatly superior numbers of the enemy air force. A battle was joined in instantly, and for seventy miles a continuous , running fight was waged, but without preventing the British from reaching

their objective, over which, for two hours, bombs were dropped. On .the return journey another running fight occurred One enemy machine wjas destroyed and two driven down. Four British machines are reported missing. Destructive raids were also made on enemy military organisations at Ehraugo and Saarbruckcn and blast furnaces at each, also hostile aerodromes at Buhl, Boulay, and Morgango. At Buhl three’ hangars were completely destroyed, land very extensive damage done to aircraft establishments, at Morhange, which were attacked three times in 24 hours. On the Balkan front seven enemy machines were destroyed and no British are reported missing.