SATURDAY'S WAR NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, 9 September 1918, Page 6

SATURDAY'S WAR NEWS

WESTERN FRONT. I ALLIES' steady headway. CANAL-DU-NORD CROSSED. SPLENDID NEWS. ti. ™., New York ' September 0. lne British have captured Neuve Cmpelle and Busse (east of Peronne). They have crossed the Canal-du-Nord on a wide front. The French are within three miles of Chauny. French and American forces are advancing between the Somrac and the Vesle. The Germans arc flooding the country between Chauny and La Fere. The Australians crossed the Somme on a wide front south of Peronne. The French are about to capture Ham and the British are advancing east of Athies. The French and Americans are advancing northward, and have reached the plateau south of the Aisne. It is believed the Germans are likely to rebecupy their old lines north of the river or withdraw to the Ohemin-des-Dames line. During their retirement the Germans used machine-guns freely. American fliers bombarded Longuyon and Confians, wrecking the railway stations. The Americans have occupied Bazoches and Fismettes, which the Germans evacuated—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. British troops astride the Amiens-St. Quentin line advanced three miles on a front of twelve miles. The British west of la Bassee captured Violaines. Fires and explosions showed the hurried enemy retreat. General Mangin is within ten miles of Laon. French troops passed through Chauny, and are nearing Tergnier. General Debeny lias turned the HamGuis'card line, and the German retreat is becoming accelerated. The British have reached Templeaux de Fosse, north-east of Peronne. The French have captured Petit Bariis, Forest of Coucy.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. London, September G. Sir Douglas Haig reports: On the southern part of the battlefront, both northward and southward of Peronne, we are advancing, driving in the enemy's rearguards and approaching the high ground on the Athies-Nurlu" front. Between Nurlu and the Sensce River there have been minor engagemnts in different parts. We slightly advanced on the spur northward of Equancourt. Local fighting occurred about NeuvilleBourjouval and Moeuvres. Our patrols crossed to the east bank of the Canal-du-Nord southward of Marquoin. Tho enemy on the Lys front again strongly attacked in the sector northward of Hill 03, but was repulsed after sharp fighting. We advanced a short distance southward and south-eastward of Nieppe, and north-eastward of Wul-verghem.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. and' Reuter. London, September 6. American Official: We, in co-operation with tho French, continue to advance. We crossed the plateau northward of the Vesle and reached the crest of the slopes leading to the valley of the Aisne.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. 'and Reuter.

LUDENDORFF'S OLD TACTICS. RESERVES SHIFTED UP AND DOWN THE LINE. Received Sept. 7, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Sept. C. The enemy's counter-attacks, especially in the Lya region, tend to show that nV is not in a position to resist along the whole front. LudendorfT is again playing his old game and shifting his reserves up and down the line.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. BITTER REARGUARD ACTIONS. ENEMY FORCED TO GIVE GROUND EVERYWHERE. GERMANS HAVING TRAGIC TIME.

London, September 0. Mr. Philip Gibbs states that the enemy is fighting bitter rearguard actions at machine-gun raßge, bult is forced to give ground everywhere. The vital sector is still the country south of the Sensee river below Douai and west of Cambrai, where we followed up a breach in the Drocourt line. The Germans were ordered to hold the line of the Tortille river and its crossings and the Canal du Nord at all costs,, hut English and Welsh battalions with the greatest gallantry threw bridges across under heavy fire and gained the othorf side. In all the villages north of Peronne the German garrisons are fighting desperately to gain time for the retreat of the main forces. They receite stronger support from the artillery ttom hitherto, some guns coming close to our lines in order to destroy, the approaching laiiks which are having a demoralising effect upon the German troops. The poor devils of German infantry are having a tragic time. They are left week after week in the line until only thin remnants remain. They are never free of fear of our tanks. Their chief hope is that they will be captured. Letters from home found on prisoners show general horror at further fighting. The strain of the war ha» been too long. The enormous failure of the offensive lias broken the spirit of many units, but we are not. fighting cowards or whimperers. Machine-gunners especially take a lot of beating. Our men, however, are setting forward with gladness and cviillation. It is an astonishing pageant to see hundreds of thousands of English. Scottish. Welsh, Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders all moving forward and never stopping.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.