WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

THE LASSIGNY MASSIF. ITS IMPORTANCE TO GERMANSLondon, August 12. The British have reached the western, edge oi llray. an,! have also captured Kainccourt and Lihons. The French have advanced roughly o\er the whole sector, involving a front of about: IS miles hei wi :-ii the Avre and the Oise. Their attack apparently continues. 1 he I'i'ench are wry close to the Lassigny Massil. Tin; whole position of tlie , German southern line depends on their holding the nu-sii. Iwe secure it we may expect a considerable advance, otiienvisp our progress will be more or less stopped. Tlie position further north between the Roye Road and the Somme is more or less established, hut the enemy is leaching ii: very heavily with a considerable number of fresh divisions ;ind a lot of artillery, and is constantly counterattacking.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assoc. CAINS SATISFACTORY. ENEMY EFFORT TO MAKE STAND. London, August 12. Reuter's correspondent at French headquarters, writing on -Sunday afternoon, states: Our gains to-day arc thoroughly satisfactory. If progress has slackened this is due less to enemy resistance than to the fact that the roads »re so encumbered with the enemy's abandoned material and the numerous trees felled, similarly to the German practice in the spring jf 1817, that our ' ammunition -supply columns find it difficult to follow the infantry and cavalry. On the contrary, the defeat differs from la.-.t year's in that the Germans have hurried back too quickly to mine the roads and set death traps in the villages. I visited Montdidier and found it completely wiped out, but already it is only a small incident in the battle. Our troops are at Dancourt, ten miles beyond 'Montdidier, Compiegne and Ghaulnes. on which the enemy depends" to" feed his whole line in the salient menaced by General Debeny's advance in the region of Thilloloy, towards Roye, and General Humbert's advance between the MaU nnd the Oise. The Germans are throwing their whole available .strength into the endeavour to make a. stand on the Roye-Lassignv line, in order to get time to withdraw the vast stores thev accumulated in this region for the .Tune offensive- Our troops are confident they can turn or drive the enemy from any line they organise. Already we have bitten off a. third of the huge pocket the Germans dug in our lino last March.—Reuter. OFFICIAL REPORTS. BRITISH LINE IMPROVED. London, August 12. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Tito enemy in the evening again "httacked our positions southward of Lihons, but was repulsed. As a result of a successful operation immediately southward of the Somme we linked up our positions castward ot Mericourt with our lino eastward of Etinehem or. the northern bank of the river. On the right of the 4th British Army the 'French, on the afternoon of August 11, progressed towards Roye, capturing Armaneourt-Thilloloy. On the northern front we effected local improvements in our line eastward of Robecq and between Vieux-Berq-uin and Merris.—Aus.-N.Z. Cagle Assoc. and Renter. , London, August 12. A French communique states: Between the Avre and tine Oise the situation is unchanged. There were bombardments at night time in the region of Marquivellers and Grivillers (five miles from Roye.)—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. NO FRESH RESERVES. GERMANS REACH CRITICAL STAGE. London, August 12. The Times editorially say.s that the critical stage for the Germans has been reached on the West front because they are utterly unable to throw in fresh divisions to check tho Allied advance. The whole French and British line is moving forward with few checks. The enemy has, however, strengthened his ranks and haj the defence in hand for the present. The next 4S hours will disclose whether the enemy is able to hold the line. If lie fails he will face disaster.—Times. PRISONERS AND GUNS. Paris, August 12. Press estimates place the total prisoners at 40,000 and guns at 700,—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assoc. SUPER GUN lUNDER FIRE, Paris, August .12The German long range gun which is bombarding Paris i s now under Allied artillery fire. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. THE PENALTY OF FAILURE. Amsterdam, August 12. Three Cferm'an generals commanding at Montdidier have been cashiered for neglect. A -large number of soldiers have been court-martialled at St. Quentin for high treason. The Germans in (Belgium are showing signs of uneasiness. The Kaiser is now staying at-Brusseh.—Aus.-N-Z. Oablo Ansoe.

FRENCH PROGRESS,

J COUNTER-ATTACKS REPELLED. ! r ™~ Received August 13, 9.10 p.m. London, August 12. A French communique states: —between the Avre and the Oise we captured the village of Gury and progressed north of Roye-sur-Matz and north of Chevincouft. On the Vesle, we repelled two coun-ter-attacks against our positions e« the north bank, in the region of Fismes. POSITION AT ROYE. ENEMY CASUALTIES. London, August 12. The reaction is very marked on the front at Roye, but southward the enemy docs not seem to have so many guns, though he is plentifully supplied with machine-guns, thus preventing the French moving rapidly-Thirty-one divisions have geen identiFed, including eight from General von Mavwitz's army. These were completely overrun. We secured prisoners not only in the front lines but in the rear service.?, such as divisional staffs and training detachments. Their losses were very heavy, and we may consider the divisions out of actions for the time being.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assoc. London, August 12. It is reported that Rove has been evacuated. New York, August 12. The Allies have captured Roye. London, August 12. The enemy casualties are reliably estimated at 100,000. _ The report of the capture of Ohaulnes Junction is not confirmed. The reported fall of Roye is probably due to a confusion of the name with Roye-sur-Matz, further south. Up to yesterday afterrfoon the enemy had thrown in 20 reserve divisions south of the Somme.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. BR.AYE PARTIALLY TAKEN. New York, August 12. The British have captured the western edge of Braye-sur-Somme. BRITISH ADVANCE LINE. AFTER SHARP FIGHTING. Received August 13, 8.15 p.m. London .August 12. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Successful fighting took plaee in the neighborhood of tho Roye Road, eastward of Fouquescourt, and the south bank of the Somme. Wo advanced our line in each of these localities, taking hundreds ot prisoners. Wo captured Proyart, southward of the Somme, after sharp fighting, in which the enemy lost heavily in prisoners and killed! Tho fighting continues. The French, on the British right, have taken Les Loges. THE HUNS' WAY. MONTDIDIER SACKED. Received August 13, 7.25 p.m. Paris, August SI. The Germans, before evacuating Montdidier, left little more than a mass of wreckage. The Palais of Justice was devastated, and ancient tapestries- disappeared. They also sacked the Basilica of St. Peter, a fourth century edifice.— Press Assoc. WALK OVER FOR AUSTRALIANS. IS FIRST DAY ATTACK. Received August 13, 5.5. p.m. London, August 12. Mr. Keith Murdoch, WTiting from Australian. headquarters on Saturday evening says: I doubt if more than 200 Germans were lulled on the Australians seeto during the first two days, so weaik has been the resistance ami so complete the surrender when the bayonets became threatening. Everywhere there are evidences of the Bodies flight and booty is scattered in all directions. Packs and rifles are thrown aside in hundreds, and mines and big stacks of ammunition found hidden in corn crops. By noon yesterday we had taken a nevf encampment replete with bomb-proof huts, elaborate kitchens, even a. bandstand and beergarten. Tho first shock of the battle is now over and organised resistance by fresh troops has developed, so that ,a whatever tactics may lie adopted a further large number of prisoners is not to be expected at the moment.—United Service. FOCH'S BLOWS. FURTHER ATTACKS PROBABLE. London, August 12. Router's correspondent says: The promise of further surprise blows by Foch lias been fulfilled more speedily than was anticipated by the entry of General Humbert, whose swift successful rush equalled tho magnificent advance on the opening day of the tattle, and showed the great strength of Foch, who is able to embark on a third, attack when two offensives are already in progress. 'Some experts anticipate that the attacks may soon change the whole face of the war. Correspondents describe the confusion iii the -Montdidier pocket a's exceeding even tho seenes-on tho Marne. The roads were full of exJtaustive fugitives mingling with a; disorderly procession of wag<ons, limbers and; ambulances. There were fires and explosions everywhere. General (Humbert's stroke will probtaibly force the Germans to send south r of tte'Somme reserves whose counter-at-tacks slowed dioiwn .the rate of the advance on the northenr'-lKuttlefiald,—Aus,- ' ' -

ATTACKS NEAR FISMES,

REPULSED BY THE AMERICANS. Received August 13, 10.55 p.m. London, August 12. An American communique states : We repulsed attacks in the vicinity of Fisines. The enemy's losses were severe.— Asu. and N.Z. Cable Assoc-, and Router. RECOVERING FROM PANIC. ORIGINAL DIVISION BLOTTED OUT. '■RESOURCE OF THE AUSTRALIANS. Received August 14, 1 a.m. London, August 12. Mr Robinson writes that the enemy is recovering from panic, although the divisions bearing the (brunt of the attack on the British front have practically been blotted out, only remnants escapThe new divisions are fighting with greater determination and are resisting® in the 1010 trenches and dug-outs along the river, on the line Chiugnollers-Pro-yart-Hray, where macliine-guns were in such force that t.he attackers were compelled to crawl on their stomachs for the last thousand yards. Nevertheless the Australians determinedly attacked and won the ground, but failed to get beyond Proyart, owing to the great number of machine-guns. We captured a wood north of Proyart after two hours' stiff battle, while the Australians on the left worked through strong defences, winning ' the ridge Ohnignolles to Raineeourt and capturing the latter, and greatly improving the situation for the troops on the north side of the river. New German forces heavily counter-at-tacked at Lihons and succeeded in forcing u-s hack. The Australians dashingly reattacked and flun« the enemy back, placing Lihons safely in our hands. A RECORD ADVANCE. WORK OF DOMINIONS TROOPS. Ottawa, August 12. A Canadian correspondent explains that the Canadians took over secretly a section of the' Australian front south of the railway in the Villers Bretonneux neighbourhood, to the left ot the Australians. English troops fought a. bitter battle between the Somme and fte Ancre. The Australians and Canadians made what is believed to be the record advance of the war in a single day.—Aus.-'N.Z. Cable Assoc. ENEMY'S HASTY RETREAT. DETAILS OF AUSTRALIAN ATTACK. London, August 12. Mr Gilinour, writing from Australian Headquarters regarding the Austalian advance says: The first day was not a rout, the enemy retiring steadily, but all semblance of order vanished by Friday evening. The latest prisoners de: slara that they did not expect a further advance after the first day and thought themselves fairly secure in the little cubby holes they had dug over night. I saw scores of German dead round the machine-gun posts and many struggling painfully tack to our lines. Our casualties are nothing like so many as in the preMjpus battle. Little knots of wounded' men caime struggling back across the vast battlefieldis, mostly suffering front mac-hine-gun bullet woatnds. Among, our captures was the headquarters of a unit fitted in truly German stylo with carpets on the floora, electric light and elaborate scheme telephones. There were deep, comfortable dug-outs where an enormous quantity of documents had been abandoned. Mere we found a pack of 230 iron crosses ready for distribution. Our captures grama'phones, beds, bedding, a library and nmny personal (belongings, proving the hastiness of the retreat. It is amazing to see Australians, swaggering about in German officers' tunics.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable AssocTOE GERMANS' ACCOUNT. London, .August 11. A wireless German officuh report states: fjatrduay's attacks were mainly against the front getween Lihons and the Awe. We repulsed repeated attacks eastward of Roizers and astride the Amiens road and at Roye, despite the enemy's superiority and massed employment of armored cars, over forty of these being destroyed fronting one division. Eastwards of Montdidier we withdrew, fighting 'beyond the line L&boisierre-Tlainvillers-Roequebet and Marrest. — Aus.-'N.Z. Cable Assn. Cable Assn. and Reuter. GERMAN OFFICIAL. Received August 13, 8.15 p.m. London, August 12. Wireless German official:—We repulsed violent attacks northward of the Somme and between the Somme and Lihons. The enemy advanced beyond Lihons. Our counter-attack threw him back to the northern and eastern edge of the village. We took Hallen. During July, we shot down 518 aeroplanes, of which 239 are in our possession. We lost 129.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. ,

NEW ZEALAND SECTOR,

MEN HAVING A QUIET 1 TIME. (From Captain Malcolm Boss, New-Zea-land Official Correspondent with the Forces in the Field.) August 10. While, we listen to the thunder of guns further south, our own line remains quiet, and the other day not a single casualty was reported in the whole division —a remarkable occurrence. Our patrols continue to do good work, and to bring in from time to time some prisoners. The enemy is constantly harried by our artillery, trench mortars and machine guns. A diary recently found on a dead officer shows clearly that the German troops have been having a trying time in this sector. He refers to several being killed and wounded, and states that in Rossignol Wood on one occasion twenty-five men of one company were poisoned by the delay in the action of a shell, which burst on the catacombs in which they were sheltering. The company had to shift to reserve dug-outs. He refers to the day the "Sturmtrupp" were put into action as "a bloody day. The men are tired with constant duty." The weather has been very changeable, but the health of the men is good, and the division was never stronger than at the present moment,