"SITUATION HIGHLY SATISFACTORY."

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1918, Page 5

"SITUATION HIGHLY SATISFACTORY."

QnlyOne American Division » "lighting. Keceivcd Sept. fl, 8.40 p.m. Washington, Sept. 7. General March, Chief of Stall', states that the situation on the western front is highly satisfactory. At 110 point are the Allies more than twelve miles from the Kindcnburg line. Because oi' the gradual withdrawal of the American troops brigaded with the British and French, only one American division is now engaged iu actual lighting. General March added that the total number uf Americans brigaded with the British forces did not exceed at any time ten thousand. The enemy was now more than sixty miles distant from Paris at the nearest joint— Aus. X.Z. Cable Assoc. THE FRENCH ADVANCE, Violent Fighting. Received Sept. 10, 12.50 a.m. London, Sept. A, 1.45 a.m. A French communique states: To-day we further progressed north of the Somme and carried Vaux, Flesqmeres, Happeneourt, and Hemel. South of the Somme enemy resistance \vas most stubborn, and violent fighting raged north and cast of St. Kmon. The Germans attacked and partly re-took Avesnes, after which, as a result of a desperate encounter, we regained the position. We_ captured Artemps, north-east of St. Simon, and gained ground on both sides of the Oise, eastwards of Fragniers, on the outskirts of La Fere, and westward of Servais—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. OLD BRITISH BATTLEFIELD. Enemy Showing"Stronger Resistance. Received Sept. 0, 7.30 p.m. London, Sept. S, 11 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: On the southern portion of the battlefield we have now entered the area of our defensive systems constructed prior to the German March offensive. The enemy is oflering increased resistance along tiiesc prepared defences, and sharp fighting occurred to-day at a number of points. Vi e gained ground in the direction of Vermand Hesbescourt and Epehv. We repulsed local attacks south-west of Ploegsteert, eastward of Wulverghem. The British have prisonered 19,000 since the beginning of September. Clouds and rain-storms hindered air work. On the 7th we destroyed eight hostile machines. Three British are missing. We dropped Ki tons of bombs. All our night-bombers returned.—Aus. ■Jf-Z. Cabin Assoc. and Renter. A MEMORABLE STRUGGLE. The Heroic French. How They Won Through. Received Sept. 9, 10.40 p.m. London, Sept. 8. Reuter's correspondent at French Headquarters, writing on Sunday, states that the hardest fighting engaged in by French troops during the past week has been that of General Mangin's army, among the hills and woods before the Ilindenburg line. The Germans unquestionably were prepared to make a stand in the region of Quincy, Basse, Pont St. Mard, where they had the advantage of view. The French, after a memorable struggle, crossed the canal and the Ailette at Coucy-le-Ville. The canal is 18 yards wide and 7 feet deep.The Boche, with scores of machine-guns, lined the east bank to the water's edge. French engineers actually bridged the canal under showers of grenades and murderous" point-blank machine-gunning, after which the engineers were first across to get to grips with the niachine-gunnefs. Across the water lay a wood, in which the Germans had installed ma-chine-guns behind every tree. The oldest veterans are emphatic that the fighting here and the volume of iire surpassed everything seen in the whole campaign. The enemy machinegunners literally fought to the death. For live days this continued unremittingly, a single Gascon division advancing foot by foot not more than a hundred yards, being daily engaged with five : German divisions. On the sixth day, with the help of ; Hie artillery, the French won through to the Hindenlnifg positions, freeing Coney Ie Chateau, which is looking today iike a stone quarry. —Reuter. AMERICAN OFFICIAL. New York, September (!. : General Persing's American communique states that the Americans, cu-operat- ! ing with the French, crossed the plateau ' north of Vesle and reached the (rest of < the slopes leading to the Aisnu valley.— ■ Press Assoc. ' A TYPICAL GERMAN REPORT. 1 London, September C. ' A wireless German official report ; states: We repulsed strong enemy at- ' tacks from the Nenville-Manancourt- • Meisllains line, from Peronne and over the Somme. The enemy hesitatingly followed our rear-guards. Between the Somme and the Oise the enemy pressed more keenly. We completed freeing ourselves between the Oise and the Aisno. Wc stand fighting in contact with the - enemy line at Amileiniv-Baresis-LatTany- ! Conde, —Aus.-X.Z. Cable Assoc and Reu- - lev