WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

A SURPRISE ATTACK.

On Nine-mile Front.

Splendid Progress Made.

By Byng's Army.

[London, August-21,

The Third Amy, commanded by Sir Julian Byng, made a surprise attack an a nine-mile front and captured Oourcelles, Achiet-10-lPctifc, and AiblainzeviHe, and many hundreds of prisoners, Tho local (British attajok oil tho Lys salient threatens the German hold cm Dranoutre (close to Mount Kemmel)London, Aug. 21k

Sir Douglas Haig reports: We-attack-ed at 4.55 in the morning on a widefront northward of the Ancre and are making satisfactory progress. Wo repulsed a strong attack against our new positions northward of the 'Scarpe. and advanced our lino during tlie night between Ecstubcrt and the Lawe river and captured La Touret. English troops carried out an-attack on a nine-mile front in the Locre* sector. —Aug. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

New York, Aug. 21,

The British attacked on a wide front north of the Ancre and lia.ve captured Courcelles and reached Moy-enuevilte and Heairmont-sur-Ancre. They captured

many guns. General Mangin is outflanking Noyon and its fall is expected early. Sir Julian Byng's attack was a complete surprise. Tanks predominated in the attack also. The (British captured Achiet-le-Grand.

A FOUR MILES' ADVANCE,

GERMANS' iPOOiR (FIGHTING SPIRIT. ILondon, Aug. 21. Mr. PerciVal Phillips writes: Covered by temporary belts of wire the German 6th Army is still retiring 6lowly across the Lys plain towards Armentieres, We havo now advanced a maximum of four miles since the withdrawal began. Tha German general most concerned in this operation is our old friend von Bernhardi, the war writer and hater of tho British. He commands' the Cjth Corps in the badly dented Jlcrville salient. ,

The British continue to bite Ills flank? and disturb liis retirement. It must be a bitter blow for him to strip the ground of depots, dumps, railheads, bridges, and other works which he constructed at great cost and sacrifice, preparatory to another drive on Hazebrouck and Calais. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. London, Aug- 21.

The United Press correspondent states: Whether because the men's lighting spirit hsis gone or because the Hign Command is deliberately retiring wherever pushed, the British are finding that on various parts of their line the Germans give way with unexpected readiness. It is like shadow-fighting. A notable example of the uejrnan lighting spirit was given on Sunday night, when a regiment, having retired too far, was ordered to attack. The regiment refused and sent written protests to the commander, who repeated the order. The regiment then attacked halfheartedly and lost heavily, some companies having only 23 survivors.—United Press.

THE ATTACK DESCRIBED.

NO ARTILLERY PREPARATION.

ENEMY COMPLETELY SURPRISED. Received Aug. 22, 5.5 pia. London, Aug. "I. The United Prsss correspondent suys that General Byng's offensive vras opened through a camouflage mist, which lay thickly over the ragged, worn battlefields, adhering to the ground, while the tanks, cavalry, and infantry had to advance over and around the old trenches and new wires. I>y 0 o'clock the sun was bursting through, and revealed the attackers to the Germans, who cleared out at most points on this side of the high embankment on the Arras-Albert railroad.

The artillery crash preceding the advance agitated the fog along the six northernmost miles of the front- Fifty minutes later the big guns, which had 'been concealed m readiness for several days, were loosed on the lower part of the line, and the other troops swung into action. Ths Australian Press Association learns that General Byng attacked from Moycnnevdllo and Bea:umont-sur-Ancre wrthout artillery preparation. The enemy was completely surprised. The number of prisoners taken is not yet available. The capture of Courcelles and Achiet-le-Petit means an advance of two miles, or three at a maximum.

Local operations were also begun, these going from the Locre liospice south to Kukedot, on a 2000-yard front. We advanced about 800 yards, capturing fifty prisoners.

The enemy in turn attacked the new 'British positions south of the Scarpe, in the vicinity of Fampeux. They gave us a heavy bombardment, but nevertheless we completely beat them off-

There is nothing fresh to report from General Mangin's front.

I A TACTICAL SURPRISE.

A TORRENT OF SIMO'KE. FIRE, ANDIIMSATH. Received Aug. 23, 1.13-a-m. London, Aug. 22. Mr. tNevinson writes: General von Below's l l 7th Army, %vitli probably fifty, battalions, opposed today's British advance. The «nemya front line was-thin Beulow's 17th Army, with probably fifty trenches but in isolated outposts anft machine-gun .positions, one 'behind the other for a considerable distance. The railway between Albert and Arras consists largely of cutting and embankments. Both arc equally servieeaibto for cheeking, an attack, and they foimcd-tho real line of defence. Accordingly, along this railway tho liea,viest fighting was expected, and; eo it turned out. Aehiet-le-Crand, upon, tho railway, and Aclriet-le-Petit, j-ust westward of it, and towards Miraumont, on tho Ancre, were regarded as the central points of the fust day's attack and likely to Ibe tlia strongest of resistance.

Mr. Nevinson states that tlie attack vras divided into two sections, the northern on a 10,000 yards front and tlie -Boa.rthern.<on a 0000 yards front, the latter coming into action, an hour after the former, profeubly because it was nearer -the railway. The command did not expect a strategic surprise, tout hoped for a tactical surprise, and so it proved. Suddenly the still night air shook with the outburst of guns, and orange tongues of flame flickered in the thick mist. The torrent tit smoke, fire, and death continued foT three hours, like the incessant throwing of a gigantic mill. Men advanced in wares under the barrage, not leaping out of the trenches nor rushing on wildly, but walking quickly across No Man's Land. Soon the wounded men began to trickle tack. It is stated the tanks led the first line of assault by albout a hundred yards. The Germans, except for machinegunners, did not stay long m their positions. Some of our infantry walked straight forward;, over a. mile without seeing the enemy. Certainly the resist ance was slight until the railway was reached. Here the opposition became a very different matter. The wounded increased directly our lines approached the railway. During tho afternoon, our tanks and some infantry got across the railway, which means success for the whole movement.

It ig reported that there are about a. thousand umvounded prisoners. Two hundred were taken in one clutch outside CourceJles. Everyone is pleased with the results, so far. If we hold the railway we may po3si'bly see Bapaume again before long.

It is always impossible to leara the details of an engagement immediately, but the inevitable perplexity increased in the morning by the dense moist smoke of the tarrage on the high ground outside of Bucquoy. One could not seo more than fifty yards in any direction until 11 o'clock, when the mist dissolved, leaving a hot, cloudless, autumn dayThe mist was at first to our advantage, but led to some confusion among the infantry and tanks. Happily, the Germans were already withdrawing their guns, and only now and then shells came splashing over tlie lines. Unfortunately, one splashed into a very thick advanced dressing station.

THE IPSOOT REDUCED—<

BYi [FIFTY AfTT.TS

Received! Aug. 23, 1.15 a.m. Washington, Aug. 31. General [March states that the battlefront has tocen reduced by a length of fifty milea aa the result of tiie Allies' recent operations. The United States is still dependent on British ships for tho larger portion of the oversea transport. —Press Assoc.

FRENCH SUCCESSES

WETHER CAPTURES MADE.

AFTER LIVELY MGHTING.

Received Aug. 22, 7 -10 p.m. London, Aug. 21, 4.40 p.m. A French communique states the Oise and the Aisne the enemy made no attempt at reaction. Our troops this morning continued to progress on the whole front. Wo have taken Carlpnt and Cuts. Wo gained ground, aftor lively fighting, west of Lassigny, and repulsed several raids in the Champagne district.—Aus. N.Z- Cable Assoc. and Renter.

THE FATHERLAND IN DANGER,

CONTENTS OP CAPTURED ORDER. Received Aug. 22, 7.15 p.m. Purls, Aug. 21. A captured C.erraan order instructs battalion commanders to employ the smartest men in the front line, withtha greatest mobility, m order to 'prevent the enemy knowing that the line-hoMers were reduced. The order adds: "The Fatherland is in great danger, and we must mal;e the greatest efforts to avert the same."—Press Assoc.

THE FRENCH OFFENSIVE.

10,000 PRISONERS TAKEN.

•ENEMY REINFORCEMENTS OF NO AVAIL.

(London, Aug. 21,

"K French communique states: South -of the Avre, after a bitter straggle, "we captured UetUivraincs. In the course of yesterday's advance between the llatz and the Oise wc took 000 prisoners.

East of the Oise we attacked this morning on a front of '25 kilometres, if-rom ißailly to tho Aisne. On the left we reached the. southern borders of tho forest of Ourscam'p, oil the outskirts of iCarlepont and Caisnes. In the centre we captured Lomlbray -and Bforancordelle and gained a footing north of Vassins.

On tlie right we captured the villages of Vezaponin, Tartiers, Oucy-sur-Almont, Osly and Courtil. We made an average advance of four kilometres and on the whole front took over 8000 prisoners- Altogether over 10,000 prisoners have been taken since August 19 (between the Oise and the Aisne alone.—Aus. K.Z- Cahle Assoc. New York, August if. The French have reached Sempigny, on rthe-outsldrts of Xoyon.

German counter-attacks south of the Scarpe wore bloodily repulsed by the British.—Aus. 'K.X. Caible. Assoc.

London, Aug. .21.

Keuter'S correspondent at French headquarters, writing on Tuesday evening, says that the French advanced on a front of 20 miles from iPimprez to Fontenov.

During the night the Germans brought up fresh divisions from a long distance in the rear, A Jaeger division, the captors of Mont Kemmel, was shifted from the Soissons region to the east of General Mangin's shock troops. These re'inforcanienta were <rf little avail. Three houre after tlie attack began the Trench had pushed forward an average distance of 2% miles along the whole front, taking thousands of prisonersThe German infantry fought well, but the artillery was fedbla and aviation practically non-existent, The whole German front line was passed an hour after the attack began. The most difficult part of the operation was the passage of Audignicourt ravine,' on the northern edge of which the German main lino of resistance was encountered.—Reuter.

BRITISH ATTACK EXPECTED,

GER3VEA2JB MGHT DESPER ATELY. MIRAUMDNT HOLDS OUT. . Received Aug. 22, 7.20 p.m. London, Aug. 21. Tiie (United Press correspondent continued: Before the end of fifty minutes parts of the old line 'were passed, and the Germans, who were lightly holding the northern end, were identified as a section of the Guards' reserve division and tho 4th Bavarian division. The latter, having' recently been hard hit, were ineapaMe of resisting. The resistance at Meyenneville was Weak. Two hundred prisoners were taJken there. Some of these state that the British attack had (been expected for a week past. The British, casualties were few.

Ten minutes later Couroelles was captured with equal ease. The German company strength waa revealed to consist of only fifty men. Altogether the conditions 'for tho attack were ideal. There was no smoke from a barrage ever equalling the effectiveness of the fog. So far as the tanks were concerned, their crews were able to see as far as necessary, while the tanks were hiddeu from the Germans until too late.

The Germans fought desperately before permitting the crossing of the Aneru at tho railway near Beauocurt. The combination of railway and river inado this gain more costly than the town itself, where tho casualties were said to bo only three, though we took 90 prisoners. ' *;■

Some of the hardest nuts were cracked by the afternoon. Logeust wood has apparently yielded, but Miraumont still holds out, the defences thereabout forming a marked salient in the British line.

The rear >of the fighting line affords odd contrasts, soldiers harvesting m tin wheat fields, while t lie y.mic of women farmers ends a couple of kilometres furtuer back. Meanwhile fre-!i troops, headed by cheerful bands, swing past towards tho front.—(United Service.

GERMAN PRISONERS HOODWINKED

AS TO THEIR FATE WHEN CAPTURED.

Received Aug. 23, 12.25 a.m.

'• " New York, Aug, 22. Mr. .James, the New York Times' correspondent on the American front, states the German soldiers were told by their officers that when captured by the Americans they would be well treated at 'jho beginning and then shot. A Prussian officer who was captured. was asked by an American intelligence officer regarding the accuracy of the story, and lie replied: "Yes; don't yon tell your men the same thing a;bout the Germans?"— Aug. N.Z. Caible Assoc.

EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS,

. c-ermaiX breach of faitit. 'Paris, Aug. 21. Francs has strongly protested against Germany's irregularities in connection with tlie agreement for the exchange of prisoners, Germany, probably intentionally, is creating contusion by sending back prisoners on different dates, not stating that the prisoners are from certain camps, also she has not exchanged prisoners in the stipulated ratio which France observed—Aus. XZ. Cable Association.

GERMAN OFFICIAL.

, London, Aug. 21. A wireless German official message states: The French attempted to break through 'between tlie Oise and the Aisne. 'first assault 'broke down in, the 'battle positions after a bitter struggle. We repulsed attacks northward of V;eux-B|rc(uin. We withdrew eastward of jYlerville, which the enemy occupied. We repulsed attack* south-westward of Chaulnes and north-westward oE Rove. We repulsed French attacks, after hitter fighting, between Beauvraines and the Oise, also between Oaiiepont and Nauvron.—Aus. 2vT.Z. CaMe Assoc. and Renter.