WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 21 September 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

AUSTRALIA'S BAG. ~ 3,000 PRISONERS IN A DAY. LONDON, September 19 General Honash who commands the., Australians, announces that the Australians on Wednesday took three thousand prisoners, thirty guns and a hundred machine guns and trench mortars. The Australians are nowr light against the Hindenburg line. FEARFUL DEATH ROLL ENEMY'S GREAT LOSSES. LONDON, September 19 The United Press Association reports: "The German command-vainly threw in forty batteries and six divisions at one point south-east of Havrin court. The fighting here was the fiercest of the whole battle. The. German death, roll is fearful. The British withstood all heavy counter attacks and maintained their line 'iuribroken." -... r MUTINOUS GERMANS. HAGUE, September 19. ,%'Les Nouvelles'' reports that a mutiny occurred among German troops at Aixla-Chapelle, mostly boys of 18, proceeding to the front. The escort fired, killing eight and wounding any others. When driven into a train they flung their rifles out of the windows. M - I

THE ST. MIHIEL SALIENT. AMERCANS' VITAL BLOW. LONDON, Sept 19. A high, military authority says: The Germans have constructed a . line across the base of the St. Mihlel salient, to which they retired, but it is believed to (be of no great strength. The Germans realise that any further advance in this sector will involve Metz and the important lateral communications from Strassburg to Metz via Montmedy. They are therefore likely to offer determined resistance. 1 The French are empahatic in praise of the American staff work in carrying out on such a large scale an attack when comparatively new to the game. As the position threatens the whole line of the Meuse northwards, its influence on the future course of the war may be very great. << FRENCH PUSHING ON. LONDON, Sept 19. A French communique states: Ouitroops on the 19th Inst, continued their attacks in the region westward despite stubborn resistance. We advanced (beyond Contescourt, which is ours. Southward we reached the outskirts of Benay. On the plateau westward of Jouy, the enemy again counter attacked unsuccessfully. We inflicted heavy 1033es to the enemy, and appreciably increased our advance.

BRITISH CAPTURES IN NEW OPERATIONS. LONDON, Sept 19. The High Commissioner reports:— Sir Douglas Haig reports: Further reoprts confim the severe losses inflicted on the enemy in , yesterday's counter attack. Prisoners taken in the operations "whicft commenced yesterday northwest of St. Quentin, exceed 10,000. We have also taken over sixty guns. FUTILE ATTEMPT TO CRUSH BRITISH. t X's LONDON, Sept 19. At 5 o'clock, south-east of Havrincourt, the enemy, with forty hatter-

ies and six divisions (some of these from behind the Hindenburg Line), attempted to crush the British who had advanced here during the day. The assault was repulsed with heavy loss north-east of Havrincourt and beyond the Canal and main defences, where the British recently installed themselves. The Germans attacked and temporarily gained! the sunken road. The British soon ousted them, but they still hold Boine. THE GERMAN LOSSES CONFIRMED. LONDON, Sept 19. At 11.40 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig states: Further reports confirm, the heavy nature of the enemy's counter attacks yesterday ■ afternoon north of. Trescault. and the severity of. losses. • i: ... .-,; Fighting took place to-day in the sector 1 eastward of Epehy, also in the' neighbourhood of where we gained ground northward of 'Gauche Wood. Local engagements on the remainder of the battle front improved our positions slightly. .-..,■ West of Wytschaete we repulsed raiders, also east of Neuve Ghapelle and north of the Ypres-Comines Canal.

GERMANS LAUNCH SIX DIVISIONS AT ONE POINT LONDON, September 19 Latest reports of the morning's fighting show that the British are holding great gains on an eighteenmile front, while the Germans' desperate efforts to beat back elements of E'yng's ■ army, which are too near to tie Hindenburg line in the neighbourhood of Havrincourt, were entirely unsuccessful. The fighting here on Wednesday afternoon was the fiercest of the whole battle, the Germans launching six divisions at one point and gaining a temporary success at the cost of a fearful death roll. Indications are that Eawlinson's army is operating in force between Pczieres and Holnon Wood, and that part of Byng's army is already beyond the Hindenburg Line.

The Germans believed that the British were seeking to t,urn their line. In any event the enemy threw in great masses about Havrincourt, and as far south as Gauche Wood and south-west of Gouzcaucourt. The result was that Byng gathered in thirty two officers and 1438 men, which, added to Rawlinson's make more than 6500 prisoners. He also took a complete battery crew and horses. The enemy's first counter-attack came in the afternoon, grey masses emerging from Villers Guislain after an artillery tornado, gaining the wood and holding it briefly but they were driven back. They again essayed an attack in the evening, but again were repulsed

Router's correspondent at British Headquarters states: On the front held by the Fourth Army alone, eleven divisions have been identifed, In addition to prisoners and guns great quantities of stores were taken, b,ut the tactical value of the gains far exceeds the material. One of the main objectives was to gain clear o frontal positions commanding the Hindenburg tack; this was practically accomplished. By 3 o'clock we had taken BellfLine. Along the whole face of this englise and BellicourE and established ourselves along the St. Quentin Canal in places within fifty yards of the Hindenburg outposts. British Headquarters says: Further north resistance was more stubborn There was long and bitter fighting at Gauche Wood and Epehy, but the most determined effort wais south of B'erthancourt, where our artillery played such havoc that it was a mere straggling remnant which received the final repulse from the infantry. The moral effect of the tanks has been

immense. ; They frequently gained their objective without firing a shot. Numerous gulches and sunken roads gave them much opportunity for a tactical enterprise, their skill and daring being too much for the Germans. Summing up, we advanced over 4000 yards on a front of eighteen miles, engaging thirteen divisions between Gouzeaucourt and the Somme, obliging the enemy to throw in two more divisions from close reserves. METZ BOMBARDEDA OTTAWiA, Sept. 19. The United Press correspondent on the West front states: American avaitors have reported that American heavy shells are 'falling in the centre of Mctz, A big factory was hit and several direct hits on the fortifications were scored. t GERMAN MAN-POWEfc WANING. LONDON, Sept 19. A high military authority says: The enemy probably intends to hold tue Hin'denburg Line until the winter renders further operations impossible. The German strength on the West front is now reduced to 191 divisions. Fifteen divisions have recently been broken up, while in more than twenty divisions battalions have been reduced to the strength of three companies. Evidence exists showing that the enemy is finding great difficulty in arranging reliefs for divisions in the line.

No further fighting is reported from Northern Russia, beyond skirmishes favourable to us. The Bolsheviks have fallen back from the OnegaOberserkaya road, enabling us to secure this line of communication. The Czecho-Slovaks in European Russia are hard-presse"a\ MOEUVRES RECAPTURED. PENETRATED' OF HINDENBURG ~H , / ; . LINE CONTINUED. . , Received 9.10'a.m. '■■■■ ;'.'.,;. NEW YORK, September 20 The British have recaptured Moeuvres. :'_'.;.• '•''-.•• The Australians are continuing their penetration of the Hindenburg line, and have reached Bellenglise four miles north-east of St. Quentin.