WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 September 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

MANGIN'S SUCCESS. STRONG PLATEAU CAPTURED. LONDON, Sept 17. Reuter’s corespondent at French headquarters, writing on Sunday, states that on the plateau east of Laffaux Mill, nine miles north-east' of Soissons, General Mangin attacked in the morning in the direction of Ange Gardien, on Soissons-Maubeuge Road and at Colombo Farm, near Jouy, three miles to the south-east. He advanced three-quartfers of a mile on a front of three miles, capturing sev : eral positions in the valley separating Sancy from the plateau of Jouy, Despite machine guns and artillery sweeping the plateau and vigorous counter attacks, the French maintained themselves in the captured positions. The chief feature of the day’s' fighting was the capture of numerous subterranean passages dug under the plateau, in which the Germans put up desperate and furious resistance and lost most heavily.

This evening’s French communique reports: North, of the Aisne the artillery on both sides is active. We carried out a raid west of Maisons de Champagne, between St. Hilaire le Grand and Mont Sans Nom, and also north of Rheims. We repulsed enemy raids. A wireless German official message says: We recaptured the eastern fringe of a height eastward of Yauxaillon. The enemy eastward of Laffaux pressed us back slightly. We repulsed the enemy’s attacks at Sau-. mont, north-east of Thiaucourt, in the St. Mihiel sector.

A BLOODY ENCOUNTER. BETWEEN AUSTRIAN AND GERMAN TROOPS. Received 8.55 a.m. AMSTERDAM, Sept 18. There are 30,000 Austrian troops employed in garrison duty in Belgium. Several bloody encounters have take?] place between the Austrians and Germans because the Germans aione were ordered to the front. THE AMERICAN VICTORY. GERMANS SUPPRESSING THE NEWS. LONDON. Sept 17. Recent prisoners state that every effort has been made to suppress all news of the American success at St. Mihiel, in connection with which alarming reports prevail. The general impression seems to be that the America nvictory was so overwhelming that the German Amy Command dare not admit the fact.

FURTHER RETREAT INTENDED, LONDON, Sept 17. Reuter’s correspondent at American headquarters states: Evidence s accumulating that the enemy is Intending to withdraw behind the Hindenburg Line in Lorraine if furthe'r pressed, burning the towns along the Moselle likely to fall into our hands. They include Dammantin and Locbausge, both of which are within the Hlndenburg Lfne. AUSTRIANS BEAR BRUNT OF FIGHTING. NEW YORK, Sept 17. The Germans arranged for Austrian troops to bear The brunt of the attack east of St. Mlhiel, and ordered them to hold us back until all the Germans were withdrawn, The AusfHans con- , sequently suffered the most heavily, \ especially in prisoners.

LONDON, Sept 18. American communique.—ln the St. Mihiel sector, artillery and aviation activity continued. We captured prisoners in patrol encounters. MAGNITUDE OF ENEMY DEFEAT. NEW YORK, Sept 17. The entire artillery of the 31st German Division, was captured, GERMAN. SQUEALS. LONDON, September 17 Rcutcr’a'"' correspondent at British headquarters says: There is plenty of evidence that the enemy is waticipating further concerted attacks in various places. A captured order points out that the Allies' must now be expected to ’ strike heavy blows. The order points out that the Allies must now be expected to strike heavy blows The order bewails the lack of assault troops, as rendering the prospects of successful counter-attacks, or effective resistance, impossible.

IN BELGIUM. GREAT ACTIVITY ON THE COAST LONDON September 17. A Belgian communique states that great activity and patrol fighting are prevailing on the whole front. The former is especially intense towards Nieuport, Boesinghc and Mercken. ON THE BRITISH FRONT. ■ LONDON, September 17 Sir Douglas Haig reports: Minor fighting continued north-west of St. Quentin. We gained groundr, in the neighbourhood of Holnon in local encounters, also on the northern front. We captured a German post west of La Basce, taking prisoners, and established new posts north-east of Neuvc Chapclle; and in the neighbourhood of Plocgstreet. . We repulsed raiders eastward of Vierstraat. ITALIANS OPEN AN ATTACK. LONDON, September 17. Wireless Austrian official.—Between the Brenta and Monte Solalola the Italians yesterday morning opened an attack after strong artillery fire. We drove them back in the Brenta valley and before Colcaprilo. Bitter fighting developed on Mounts Pertica and Solarolo and the Tasson ridge, in which the enemy were forced to retreat everywhere;

AMERICANS FOR THE FRONT LONDON, September 17_ The Press Bureau states: The number of American troops embarked for Europe in August was 313,000, whereof 180,000 went in British ships. GREAT AERIAL FIGHTING. 48 ENEMY MACHINES BROUGHT DOWN, LONDON, Sept 17. Sir Douglas Haig’s aviation report states: There was great aerial activity on ■ the whole British front on the 16th, Despite strong opposition we took a record number of photographs. Our aeroplanes and balloons reported much damage in hostile battery positions, and many explosions anl fires caused by our artillery fire. We dropped 24 tons of bombs in the day-time and fifteen tons at nighttime on aerodromes, railheads and dumps.

There was intense fighting all day, combats occurring at a considerable distance eastward of the lines. We brought down forty-five hostile machines, of which seven Were" Towiit7s in one fight by one of our squadrons. We drove down twenty others uncontrollable. Our anti-aircraft guns shot

down one hostile machine. Sixteen British machines are missing,

AIR RAIDS ON GERMANY. LONDON, Sept 17. The Air Ministry reports: On the afternoon of the 16th we twice attacked aeropflane works and chemical factories at Mannheim with excellent results. The enemy attacked us over dur objective. Three British machines are missing. We attacked a German home defence aerodrome at Hagenau. Bursts were observed on and near the hangars, one of which was set on fire. Au our machines returned.

On the night of 16th-17th, we attacked three aerodromes with goodTresults.

We heavily attacked railways at Metz-Sahlons and Treves, starting three fires at Metz-Sahlons. We dropped bombs all around Treves station.

We also heavily attacked Frankfurt station with good effect. The night began calm, but later high winds arose. At present deven. British machines have not been located. During the last three days w» dropped sixty tons of bombs.

COMBINED FRENCH AND BRITISH ADVANCE. PROGRESSING SUCCESSFULLY. Received 9.35 a.m. LONDON, Sept IS. The United Press correspondent reports: The British attacked on a considerable front at Peizeres-Savy Wood at 5.20 a.m. The French from Savy southward are advancing on the supporting flank simultaneously. Despite the heavy rain, the attack is progressing successfully.

FRENCH COMMUNIQUE. HEAVY FIGHTING REPORTED. Received 8.55 a.m. '(LONDON, Sept 18. A French communique state's; West of St. Quentin we progressed in tne Holuon-Savy district. We continued to enlarge our gains between the.Ailette and the Aisriej, arid progressed by local attacks at Glatervou, east and north. 'AUemant we captured in the morning after a sharp fight at a strongly held point east of Sancy.

The number of bodies found north of Laffaux proves the heaviness of the enemy’s losses in the recent fighting. The Germans on the VeSle front thrice counter attacked our positions in the Glennes region, but’, were repulsed with heavy losses. Six “enemy airplanes were brought down on the 16th. Bombing squadrons dropped 10 tons of bombs on enemy trains, bivouacs and aerodromes, despite a raging tempest.

GERMANS VIOLENTLY COUNTERATTACKING. Received 9.20 a.m., LONDON, Sept 18. The Germans are violently counterattacking at Sancy, north-east of Solssous, but the French have maintained all their gains. > SUCCESSFUL BRITISH OPERATION A THREE-MILE ADVANCE. 1500 PRISONERS CAPTURED. Received 10.10 a.m. NEW YORK, Sept IS. The British have advanced three miles in the direction of St. Quentin, and captured 1500 prisoners. The British have surrounded Epehy anc? crossed the Hindenhurg line at Villaret and Gouzeaucourt . EBB AND FLOW OF THE BATTLE. Received 9.20 a.m. * LONDON, Sept 18. Sir Douglas Haig reports: As a result of yesterday’s operations we gained possession of Holmon village. This morning we attacked north-west of St. Quentin. Yesterday evening the enemy attacked at Moeuvres under cover of a heavy barrage and-pressed us back to the weslern outskirts of the village. By a successful local operation in the night-time we slightly advanced our line Immediately south of La Bassee Canal.