WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1918, Page 7

WESTERN FRONT.

HINDENBURG LKE SMASHED. ROLLING UP GERMAN ARMIES. REPORTED CAPTURE OP COMBLES. New York, August 30. Tho British have captured Gambles and penetrated several miles beyond. They have also taken Clery-sur-Somme and Le Transloy. The New Zealanders captured Bapaume. The British, east of Arras, gained 2000 yards and captured Reincourt, Hendecourt-lez-Cagnicourt. New York, August 30. The British armies smashed the Hindenburg line south-east of Arras and are now beginning to roll up the. German armies on the Picardy frontTwo hundred thousand workers struck at Westphalia and tlireo thousand were sent to the front.—Aus. Cable Assoc. REPORTS OF FRESH PROGRESS. London, August 30. A French communique reports: During the day we made progress in the region of tho Canal-du-Nord, which we skirt on its whole length, except towards Quesnoy Wood, north-east of Eauvilly and Beaurains. 'Southwards the battle became bitterly violent. We carried Noyon by sheer fighting, and reached tie southern edge of Happlineourt. East of Noyon we gained a footing on the southern slopes of Mont St. Simon, and took Landjimont, Morlincourt, and several hundreds of prisoners. We crossed the Ailette, between the Oise and the Aisne, at several points north and south of Manicamp. Despite resistance we captured Guny and PontSt. Mard—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. and-, Reuter. London, August 30. Reports from the front, timed ;■ u.m., show that tlie British and French achieved striking successes to-day. The French have taken Noyon, and the British have captured (Bapaume and reached the Bapaume-tßeaulencourt Road. Their advance troops are menacing Beaulencourt, and liave taken possession of the high ground north-east of Genedeecrart. They have alsij reached the western outskirts of Maurepas. A striking advance was made in the Somme region. We reached the south ancj eastern banks of the river between Peronne and Hopplincourt, seriously menacing the enemy within Peronne. Two important bridgeheads are in our hands.—Aus.-N.Z Cable Assoc. BAILLEIUL SAID TO !BE EVACUATED. New York, August 30. The Germans are reported to have evacuated Bailleul.—Aus. Cable Assoc. ■FRENCH SUMMAET OP EVENTS. New York, August 30. The Washington correspondent of tho New York Times says that M. Tar die u has cabled from Paris a summary of the military events'of the past five months as bearing on the present situation. •He says: "Paris is no longer threatened. Direct mail communication between Paris and Calais and Paris and Nancy has been re-established. The Allies lave wrested the initiative from the Germans, forcing the German High Command to fight a defensive campaign and admit the seriousness of the situation.. Judging from reliable documents apparently only 24 divisions now compose the German reserves, and 23 otners are being re-foTmed. Prisoners' statements, secret documents and letters reveal great discouragements among the German troons. They no longer believe victory is possible. Germany now_ realises that tha French and British reserves are not used up. and is forced to admit the value of the American army.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoo

CORRESPONDENT'S ACCOUNTS. London, August 30. Writing on Thursday evening from the French headquarters, Router's correspondent says:— "To-day the Germans were counter-at-tacking along the whole line- They are stoutly holding many places with a view to further retirement at a more favorable moment. General Debeny's army southward of Nesles is progressing in the region of Moyencourt and Breuil; also towards and along the unfinished NeslesNoyon Canal. General Humbert's amy cantured Beaurains and Hermoise. GeneTal Mangin's army is faced by a long rampant of hills from Mont St- Simon to Chauney. This army is firmly established on the LafTaux plateau, It captured Tartieres and is close to Juvigny. Thp next step in the development of the battle depends on the advance of the armies north of the Somme. After carrying Noyon the French infantry reached the southern slopes of Mont St. Simon. Some units crossed the Ailette and, in conjunction with the Americans, continue to press the enemy on the plateau of Juvigny. The enemy, knowing the vital value of those positions, is evidently prepared to defend them at all costs, and is throwing in the tat troops available, including Guards.—Router. London,

Mr. Philip Gibbs -writes that from the hills north nf the Scarpe to south of the Somme the enemy is retreating, trying to get away behind his rearguards before being caught or killed. Machine-gunners in places are fiercely resisting in order to gain time for a more orderly retreat. This defence is the strongest on the northern half of the Australian front, perhaps in order to delay the fall of >Feronne until the enormouß stores there are removed. But further north tho German Army is stealing away in the darkness. In the daylight our men are trudging after them in great elation. They eagerly press on until they are unable to go further because they have the enemy on the run. Every hour brings news of more villages and woods being recaptured. The United Press correspondent states that the Australians who faced Peronne are across the Somme and have reached almost within striking distance. They crossed to the north bank by a bridge, reaching Clery and Combles, which wero taken, together with a battery of field guns. Mr Percival Phillips says the German High Command is making a desperate effort to checlt the advance. At the northern end of the line they threw

in every available man. Last night two attacks were made by four divisions chiefly against the Canadians between the Cambrai Road and the Scarpe. The attackers were beaten back after hard fighting. Much of yesterday's fighting in the direction of Hondecourt and Buleeourt was again of the rare oldfashioned sort. Gunners, despite poor visibility, were shelling the fleeing transport by direct observation. The Australians in the south are. performing a <l ; fficult task. The enemy's withdrawal hing|es on the northern end, where he is obliged to swing back with the greatest speed between Bapaume and the Somme, but the Australians have tho necessary speed to keep in touch. Tho German resistance at Biaclies is stiffening as the Germans are anxious to destroy tho bridges before they put the river between themselves and tho Australians, whom they dislike so heartily.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. An American communique states that northward of the Aisne we progressed in the region of Juvincourt despite strong enemy resistance. Our patrols alon the Vesle and in the Woeuvre brought in prisoners. A wireless German official dispatch states that fighting occurred ra front of our new lines eastward of Bapaume, Peronne, and Noyon.—Aus.-N.Z., Cable Assn. and Keuter. MORE MEN REQUIRED.

GENERAL MAURICE'S VIEW. London, August 30. General Maurice writes: The present offensive, great though its promises, lacks the weight to carry us to complete victory. The American armies will give us tha necessary weight, but the war will ba prolonged unless the British armies are kept up. ' The question anxiously ' asked in Prance is: "Will they keep ut> the drafts?" If we rely on the annual contingent of 19 year old youths and the sick and wounded wherever we cannot maintain our forces at full strength and tho war will be prlonged. Every able-bodied man possible must be sent to the front. While Ireland is out of the war we are not doing our best. Our overseas expeditions must be reduced to vital necessities. We must appeal to the Dominions to look to their man-power. If Australia could see at work her glorious troops who saved Amiens in April and now, wifhi reduced ranks, are driving the enemy along the Somme, the Australian ranks would not long '.nnain unfilled.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMANS REPORT HARD FIGHTING, London, August 30. A wireless Serman official report says: We repulsed five English attacks between the Scarpe and Sensee. We three times recaptured Boiry-Notre Dame, but the enemy's evening attack retook it. We repulsed seven attacks southward of Croisilles and southward of Mory. The enemy advanced beyond Dompierre, Belloy, Nesle, Beaulieu and Noyon and now lies in front of our battle-front.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn and Reuter.

NEW ZEALMDER®. HOVE TOWARDS BAPAUME. (From Captain Maloclm Koss, Official Correspondent with the New Zealand Forecs in the Field.) ' August 24. Shortly before 2 a.m. there was a crescendo of artillery which at one time developed into a great roar in "which you could not count the report of guns. At the sane time the hum of aeroplanes overhead in moonlight indicated important operations on our part, and another busy day for Hindenburg. Late in the evening we heard that the New Zealand Force had been ordered to exploit the success towards Bapaume and that our troops were to concentrate at certain map references, 'ioday the North and South Island troops were to do the lighting. Ahead of us beyond Achiet le Petit and Achiet le Grand, towards the south-west, were positions that would be likely to give trouble, Loupart Wood, Grevillers and Boefvillers. These were strong points in the forefront of the Bapaume defences. The first attacking force started at a quarter past four in the morning without a barrage, Indeed there was scarcely time to work out the intricate details of a barrage, and luckily it was not altogether essential. The enemy 'had been tremendously worried during the past three days, and he had been busy getting his guns back for fear of their capture. His infantry fighting rearguard action without tanks and with little artillery support were in for bad times. Our own artillery were giving him no peace wherever a target could be found. Tha»Ncw Zealand field guns had been well advanced, and some of them were practically moving,,forward with the infantry, in the first attacking force Wellington troops were on the right, and Ancklanders on the left. The first chock came in front of Loupart Wood, where for a time there was Jioi fighting. Several fell under German machine-gun fire, but the irresistible New Zealanders, who could be seen to advance as calmly as if they were going for a morning stroll, were not to be denied, and before very long the wood was ours. Then the advancing waves pushed on towards Grevillers, where it was thought there were more machine-guns. Men from an English division that was forming the defensive flank on our right assisted in the capture of the village. Away ahead on the left were the few ruined houses of Boefvillers, and troops from both the North and South Island units were soon engaged with the enemy here. Boefvillers met the same fate as its sister village, and our troops pushed on towards Bapaume. Meantime they had killed and wounded many Germans. Indeed, many of the wounded that I saw our bearers and ambulance bring back for some time were Germans. In addition we captured some hundri/ls of prisoners. Still pushing on, our men got to within 1000 yards of Bapaume itself, and possibly they could have taken it to-day, but. the salient was becoming too narrow, and the direct attack was not for the time being persisted in. But in my opinion it is as certain as anything can be that Bapaume will fall. Perhaps it will fall to-morrow Soon after midday a forward observing officer reported that tanks with German infantry were seen marching toward Bapaume, so that possibly the enemy will endeavor to make a stand there or attempt a counter-attack from the ruined town. As it is, he has driven our outposts in a few hundred yards today, but we do not fear his counterattacks, as apparently he cannot support it with anything like a heavy artillery

barrage. . Meantime tt'e are shelling BaJmiimo with everything we can put on to it. Sonic of our observers also reported that the Huns were massing in a, square some, distance back. "Have you told the heavies'" asked a Stall" officer. "Yes," replied the bearer of the news. "Well, tell tho heavies to 'knock the spots off them for an hour," added the Staff officer. In a very brief space of time the heavies were firing, and we watched the line of smoke and dust rising in tlie air. Tanks assisted in to-day's fighting, and did excellent work. I saw two wounded monsters waddling back '.n the afternoon, but notwithstanding this there were few casualties among the personnel. Eor this fight we advanced our headquarters several miles to certain dugouts. Last night wo established a report post—a sort of advanced headquarters still further on.

Wandering over the battlefield this morning, I came upon this somewhat unique establishment in tho shape of a hole in the ground in a broken-down trench that contained a litter of odds and ends left behind by tlie enemy This dug-out, originally made by the Boche, was now occupied by two members of the New Zealand staff and one clerk. A telephone leading out tg, tlie various units was in action, the insulated wires having 'been run out along the ground over the trenches and shell-craters. I lunched With tins staff, sitting on tho ground in a little square hole dug in the side of a trench, the menu consisting of bread, tinned tongue and whisky andi soda. There was not emiogh water to make a cup of tea, »ut perhaps we preferred it that way. Anyhowd We enjoyed our lunch. We watched the smoke from our own and enemy shelling rising higli in the air, and saw a German dump go up in smoke, and all the wondrous streams of battle traffic pass us by. One of_pur own units that had been recent I,* 1 ,* in action marched In column over a rise through the weedy, shell-torn country, and bivouacked on a slope opposite- They were soon digging themselves possies, and, in some marvellous manner, they had discovered a quantity of corrugated iron for the roofing of them. A line of diggers like ants, each with his burden, came from the place of supply across the ridge to the new colony they had established in what a day or two ago had 'been Bocheland. Ahead was a wonderful view of the rolling country, woods and villages, now famous in history. This was the sort of open warfare we had dreaded. We >iad the enemy on the run. Would it be the Hindenburg lino next, and possibly beyond. In .any case, the New Zealanders had a large credit balance on the day's operations. In prisoners alone we bad more than our own casualties. The German dead and wounded added largely to our credit figures. The spirit of our fighting men was simply wonderful. Even the wounded, except those very severely bit, were gleeful and confident.