SATURDAY'S WAR NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1918, Page 6

SATURDAY'S WAR NEWS

WESTERN FKONT. BRILLIANT ADVANCE. ALLIES RECAPTURE SOJSSONS. FRENCH PROGRESS NORTH OF lIARNE. New YorU, August 2. The United Press correspondent In France roports that Soissons lias 'been captured.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. London, Augwt 2. A French communique reports: We made fresh progress during the night north of the Mame- —Aus.-N.Z. Oablo Asboc. 'Washington, August 2. The Allies have surrounded Ville-en-TaTdenois. The entire -watershed ridge between the Ourcq and the Ainse has been captured.—Aus.-N.Z. CaMe Assoc. fxmdon, August 2 The French and (Brutish captured the watershed between the Ourcq and the Aisne on a five mile front. They advanced three miles and now command the country as far as the Crise Valley. (The Orise is a tributary of the Aisne which joins it at Soissons.) This will probably deprive the enemy of facility in retirement. It will be difficult for the enemy to avoid a retirement to the river Vesle. Some circles consider this the turning point of the summer campaign, and possibly of the whole war.

The French attacked yesterday between the Ou'rcq and the Soissons-Cha-tean Thierry 7 ail way, capturing the ridge forming the watershed between the Oureq and the ALsne on a five mile front. In an advance of three imiles the French, with British co-operation, pushed the linegwell down tlis northern dopes. The operation "is probably the most important since the German retirement from the Marne began, boeause the ground gained commands the whob area north-west to the Orise and prohablv to tlie Aisne and the Vosle. It attacks the flank and rear of the whole western gatepost of the _nocket through Which the Germans have been retiring, and on which' the safety of the retirement depends. The valley of the Crise is a nest of German reserves-and field artillery.

The importance of the operation is almost incalculable, it is difficult to see how the enemy can avoid retirement with all speed 'beyond the Vesle, also how he will be safe until he gets there Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc

ACTIVITY ON BRITISH FRONT. GERMANS DESTROYING VILLAGES. AMERICAN PROGRESS. London, August 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports: There is increased hostile artillery fire south of N.Z, Cable Assn and Reuter. New York, August 2. The Germans are burning the villages as they retreat. The Allies have captured Hartenes. —Aus.-N.Z Cable Assn. Washington. August 2. The Americans advanced almost unresisted against the side of the Marne salient. A partial German withdrawal is apparent. —Aus.-N.Z. CWle Assn. London, August 2. French Headquarters' reports late on Thursday evening say that the AngloScottisli co-operated with the French in an attack in the Le 'Plessier-Hulen-Fereen-Tardenois sector. The infantry attacked at four in 'the morning, aided by squadrons of light tanks winch were very useful in a region of deep valleys and steep hillsides. The enemy resisted strongly. Every thicket hid d, machine-gun. The woods and villages were all organised fortresses which must be outflanked and taken singly. Nevertheless the Allies advanced considerably. By six o'clock the important Hill 203, a mile north-east of Grand Rozoy, was taken, and two hours later the Anglo-French battalions had taken up new positions in the captured ground. Tho Germans defended mainly with machine-guns and made little U3e of big guns. They counterattacked heavily further north against the Scottish at Buzanoy, where our troops are holding magnificently. —Reuter

INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS PROBABLE. [London, August 2. Most interesting developments may be expected dhortlv. The aituation is regarded, as extraordinary good in Some circles, which look upon the latest movement as the turning point of the summer campaign and possibly the wholo war. Tlie enemy can only remedy it by a successful counter-attack or employing heavy forces to slave off rotrtat. If lie fights to the utmost all the 'bettor for us, as he will use up more divisions and suffer greater wastage. ■ The situation on the whole of the western front us now good and the enemy's numerical superiority is very email. —AuVN.Z. Cable Assoc. MAN-POWER OF PRANCE. Paris, August 2. The Chamber debated the calling up Of the 1020 class. Many Socialists demanded that before France made fresh sacrifices the Government should obtain from all the Allies effectives class by class corresponding with France's effort. M. Abrami, Under Secretary for War, announced that the cider classes were being sent home. When the 1920 class was serving no man of the 1801 class or earlier would be serving.—Aus.-N.Z Cable Assn.

MALTREATMENT OF BELGIANS. Washington, Align?! 2 The Belgian Legation announces that of 227*000 men deported from Belgium to Germany at the beginning of 1918 200 have been allowed to return. They are victims of typhus and tuberculosis owing to under-feeding. and, cruel treat'

AMERICAN' FTOHT AT SERGY. London. August 2. The 'Paris correspondent of the Daily News gives some remarkable details of the Americans 48 hour battle for Sergy. No prisoners were taken. The Germans received an order to throw the Americans back to the left bank of the Ourcq. An American battalion took an oath to be killed to the last man rather than retreat. The Ger- , mans made fourteen attacks, but the (Americans held firm. The Germans Hew the lied Cross flag from the ruined church at Kergy whieh was a nest of machine-guns. The earliest American attackers, seeing the flag, advanced in the open, but were m.'iwii down by machine-guns. The Germans paid heavily for the ruse. Their losses were terrible. Finally three hundred Germans who were defending the Coulongcs Road were surrounded and exterminated by the bayonet— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.