WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 28 September 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

GERMAN ATTACKS BETWEEN ATTVF.TTE AND AISNE. LONDON, September 26. A French communique states: Between the Ailette and the Aisne the enemy renewed his. attacks last evening in the region of Allemant and Moulin de Laffaux. He succeeded in penetrating our lines at the • latter pointy but our energetic counter-attack reestablished the situation. Farther south w© extended our gains east of Sancy and took, prisoners. At five this morning we attacked in the Champagne in co-operation with the American .army, operating farther east; ' , FRENCH LAUNCH AN OFFENSIVE IN CHAMPAGNE. . ' ..f. PARIS, Sept 26. The Fourth French Army is engaged in a new battle. The field is the same as that of the battle of September 25th, 1915. The Germans seemed to have got wind of the attack, for during the past week they multiplied their raids. Special rations have been served qfot to the men. Abandons forward positions. •LONDON, Sept 26. The Franco-American offensive was on a fortyrmile front, between the Rivers Suippe and Meuse, The attacking forces progressed to a depth of some miles. The enemy, ’ voluntarily abandoned their forward positions. Consequently there was little artillery cr infantry resistance. GERMAN NEWSPAPERS ALARMED * LONDON, Sept 26. The German censorship is permitting the Press to freely discuss the grfavity of the situation in Palestine and Macedonia, Newspaper? express great alarm at the sensational turn affairs have taken. The Frankfurter eitung consoles its readers with an assurance that the Seigfried line ought to prevent any such break through on the West front. It adds tne somewhat' significant qualification, “If the trenches are occupied, the batteries manned, and men convinced of the necessity of holding out.”

ANOTHER FRENCH SUCCESS. 7000 JgSERMANS PRISONERED. OPERATIONS IN THE ARGONNE. Received 10.10 a.m. NEW YORK, Sept 27. Tie French, have captured Butte du Mesnil, Tahure, and Ceruay, with 7000 prisoners. They also carried German positions at Suippe, in the Argonne, to a depth of three miles. BRITISH THRUST AT CAMBRAI. [WITHIN THREE MILES OF TOWN, 6000 PRISONERS TAKEN. Received 10.30 a.m. LONDON, Sept . 27. The British, have launched an offensive In the direction of Cambrai. They advanced three miles on a 13-mile front, taking 6000 prisoners, A later message states that the British are within three miles of Cambrai. -• r— ■ ALLIES CAPTURE 16,000 GERMANS Received 10.30 a.m. NEW YORK, Sept 27. /7he have captured 16,000 Prisoners in the Argonne—Champagne drive.

AMERICANS ADVANCE SEVEN MILES, EIGHT TOWNS CAPTURED. OTTAWA, Sept 27. The Americans north-west of Verdun have penetrated the enemy lines to an average depth of seven miles, and captured eight towns. They also secured more than 5000 prisoners. The towns captured are Melancourt, Bethincourt, Montfaucon, Guisy, Nantillois, Septsarges, Loannevoux, and Gercourt, The 'Americans in the Verdun region have captured a total of- twelve towns. . The Serbian Legation has received advice? from Corfu that King George congratualted King Peter on the Serbian victories jn Macedonia. ADDITIONAL AMERICAN CAPTURES. Received 10.30 a.m. LONDON, Sept 27. An American communique, in addition to particulars already reported, says the First Army penetrated the enemy lines to an average depth of seven miles. Besides Leggitt’s army other troops crossed the Forges brook and captured , Boise de Forges and the towns of Bethincourt, Septsarges, Dannevoux, Gercourt, . and Drillancourt. in addition to places already mentioned. Prisoners thus far reported are oyer, five thousand. AMERICANS SMASH THROUGH HJNDENBURG LINE. FOUR VILLAGES CAPTURED. . OLD GERMAN DEFENCE LINES REACHED. NEW YORK, Sept 27. Mr.. James, on the West front, reports that the American First Army.under Major-General Ligget ,attacked between the Meuse and the Aisne on a through the Hindenburg Line. Our line now runs through Forges Forest and Mantillos to the Meuse, and Amack. The attack started at 5.30 a.m., after three hours’ intense artillery preparation. The brunt of the attack in the centre fell on a corps composed of Kansas, Pennsylvania, and Missouri troops, who stormed Varennes, Montbleuville, Vauquois, and Cheppy, in the fact of most stubborn resistance by the Prussian Guards; tafiks aided brilliantly. In the region of Varennes our aeuoplanes held full supremacy throughout the advance. American troops, pressing forward beyond the old German defence lines..

AMERICANS ELATED AT THEIR VICTORY. Received 11.25 a.m. NEW YORK, Sept 27. Mr. James confinues: There is little doubt that Foch and Pershing surprised the Gorman commander. The Germans expected an attack in the St Mihiel sector, and had reinforcements there. By seven o’clock the firist Hindenburg defence system was captured; by nine the second line was taken; by noon the Americans had passed through the whole series of defence lines well ahead of schedule time. Many of our troops had never been in battle before, and were elated beyond words at their initial success at the worst one, and the strongest of the enemy’s positions. SECRETARY BAKER 'WATCHES _ •'* J ' * & AMERICAN ATTACK. GASSING GERMAN’S OUT OF " GALLERIES. ' i - Received 9.36 a.ra. WASHINGTON,'&©pt 27. Mr, Baker Secretary' nessed the start of the American offensive west of Verdun, After the

enemy had been bombarded with high explosives and gas, the tanks advanced, smashing the wire entanglements and destroying machine gun nests. The' airmen swooping over

the enemy’s trenches prevented him discovering what was impending. Already the Americans have captured Melancourt, Montfaucon, Culcy, and other points. The German opposition is strengthening, new divisions arriving. A gas attack overwhelmed the Germans at Vaquois, where forty miles of subterranean passages down to the exit of the first town were flooded with gas clouds, and then sur- , rounded by a circle of artillery fire. | BRITISH LAUNCH NEW OFFENSIVE. GOOD PROGRESS MADE. Received 9.10 a.m. NEW YORK, Sept. 27. Tho. British have launched a now of- . fcn.sive along the Sensee river, and 1 have made good progress. j ASSAULTING THE KEYSTONE OF THE ARCH. OF GREAT GERMAN DEFENCE TREMENDOUS STRATEGIC POSSIBILITIES. Received 10.10 a.m. NEW YORK, Sept. 27. The Times Washington correspondent says the opinion of military officials here is that the keystone of the great German defence arch on the West front is now under assault in the latest Franco-American offensive in Champagne region. The position selected by Foch for attack is ered by military experts to have the widest strategic possibilities. >ln Russia the communique announcing the important American success in the Verdun region was received with the greatest satisfaction and elation , by military officials, and in diplomatic circles. The success is considered one of the most notable advances since,, Foch ’s offensive -started. VARIOUS OFFICIAL REPORTS. ti."r ’X"* BOTH SIDES OF THE PICTURE. 1 ' Received 11.45 a.m. LONDON. September 27. ■ French communique: In the morning, the ■ Franco-American armies closely co-operating, attacked on both sides of the Argonne. Operations are developing under satisfactory condi- . tions. ' The advance of the French troops west of the Argonne, attained a maximum depth of six kilometres. | The battle continues. Our night bombers dropped twenty-one tons of bombs in the region of Laon particularly on railway stations at Mont Cornet, Marie ad Laon and numerous fires and explosions upon targets were observed. Sir Douglas Haig reports: During the past few days the First and Sixth Divisions of the ninth corps, under Lieut.-General ’ Braithwaite captured by hard .fighting at small cost the intricate system of trenches and strong points in woods and villages northwestward of St. Quentin, prisonering fifteen hundred. Enemy counter-at-tacks were repulsed with great gallantry and determination. Wireless German official. In the Champagne and between the Argonne and the Meiuse, Franco-American attacks commenced on a wide front. After eleven hours of ar.tillerying a break through was frustrated. The fight for our positions continues.