WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

GERMANS HASTILY RETREATING. VIiSLE lu'vlU; FOLLOWED. London, August -i. Tlie enemy continues in full retreat. The British are advancing between like Ardre and tlie Aisne following as nearly us possible the line of t're \ r eslc River. General IVfitngin's troops have meantime crossed the south bank of the Aisne and reached Venlzcl village live miles east of Soissons. The Germans are hastily retreating behind the Vesle and t are hard pressed. Judging by the .'•ipeed of the Allied cavalry and infantry it is doubtful whether the enemy will ha oMo to make a stand on the Vesle. The British advance in the sector followed tho harassing policy which the Australians have persistently carried out ait ftforlancourt and Vlllers litretonneattx. The series of recent Australian poshes on tho Somme, apart from strengthening tfie defence of ;Aimens, have enabled the British to iftmrpel the enemy to carry out a considerable readjustment of his line.— i'Aus:#f: Z; Cable Assn. A TRIUMPH FOR FOCH. ;SOISSONS-AVERTABLE CEMETERY.»j Paris, August 4. The .tattle to the present is a triumph, for General Foch's manoeuvre. It is absolutely certain that the enemy intended ito defend the Vesle front on tlie south--era bank. Our advance party found a •seriesof wf/ksjust finished, or imcourseC of construction, which had-'been workedii upon till the last. ] Fierce regard fighting added heav■ily to the already enormous German,, losses. Soissons ig a veritable ceme-, tery. The houses aro pillaged, (fchiough'tf not much damaged. When the Chas-' •seurs entered the city they met nonliving creature excepfl/'an- old woman. who L went mad during the battle. Two Ger- ; man divisions were terribly maided indolence of the town. The Germans aro stubbornly resisting along Soissons towards Rheims Six thousand prisoners have alrekHy been : taken. EXTENT OF ADVANCE. GENERAI/»MANGIN PRESSING''HARD.- 1 London, August 4. The French, with the British and. Americans, on Friday advanced o"n''a-' front £f fifty kilometres (30 mile:;}, attaining a depth of ten kilometres in some plates. The enemy continued to retreat on Saturday. General Mang'in followed up. his success and maintained hustling tactics 'between Soissons and. Rheims. Tiie-I Allies on Saturday night were hiding i tli 5 whole lino of the Aisne and Vesle between Soissons and Fisimes. Progress east of Fismes has not yet reach- j ! cd the Vesle. French cavalry patrols are operating! along tho Scissons-Rheims railway.— Aus -N.Z. Cable Assn. AMERICANS CAPTURE FESMES. Received August 5, 7.50 p.m. Washington, August 4. General Pershing's communique states that the Americans captured Fesmes by assault and hold the south bank of tho Vesle on that sector.—Press Assoc. ALLIES NEW LINES. London, August.4. A French communique states: But- ; ing the day tnr troops, driving hack the enemy rearguards, continued theirglorious inarch on a front of about 50 ■ldlomctros in the direction of the Vesle. On our left we reached the southern'! banks "of tho Aims and Vesle from Soissons to Fismes, the outskirts' of which the Americans hriid. East ci Fisnres we reached a gweraV dine "north of C.-urville-Branscourt-Cour--eelles Chaimp'aigiry. Our cavalry reconinaissances are operating along.the Sois-•ons-Rhcims railway. At certain points our progress s ; nce yesterday exceeded ten kilometres. Over fifty villages were liberated in a single day. American offWal —The enem7 was driven in couiw-jor. .beyond the line cf the Vesle. Since the ISfch, in.the course of operations S4OO prisoner's and 133 guns have bacn captured uy us.—Aiw-. y.Z. Cable Assn. and Router. REACH 1 THE ANCRfE. London, August 4. 'Sir Douglas Haig wspiorts: Our patrols, have reached the -Anore;between Dernancourt and Hamel, making ejntact with the enemy on this line. Hostile artillery wa g active at night.-time nolVihward of Betlmne and southward of Yprcs. . A French communique states: The tettlefr'ont is unchanged and there is nothing-to report. GERMANS ADMIT REVERSE. 'London, August 3. A wireless German official message, re-' ferring to tho Crown Prince's army, 'slays that General von (Boehm's recent .successes contributed to the complete 'success of yesterday's movements. The enemy is following hesitatingly our ..troops who are slowly withdrawing.— "Aus:-N-.Z. CaWe Assoc. ' FRENOH YOUTHS CALLED UP. Paris, August 3. The Chamber by 3*3 votes to 47 decided to'cdll up IS-year-oM menM. Cleinen.'cau, in a. speech upon the whole man-power pro Mem, summed it ;up in one sentence. The Government 'had made the maximum concessions compatible with the necessities of war land every attempt to amend the RilL Would be tre:ited.:as a -question of want' w>f confidence.—Aus.N.Z' Cable Assoc. ZEEBRUGGE REMAINS CLOSED. Amsterdam, August 4. Thousands of laborers are engaged in. l repair work at Zoefirngge, hut .British ■airmen are/coiMantly bomhing the har>bor nnd nullifying tfliG utmost Gorman' .efforts to restore the ip&sßage,, which re-»w«ilß;clwed.s^'ns.-N^^M«-^^