OUTSKIRTS OF ST. QUENTIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1918, Page 5

OUTSKIRTS OF ST. QUENTIN.

Reached by French. Received Sept. 9, 3.15 p.m. j New York, Sept. 8. A United Press message from the west front states that the French have reached the outskirts of St.'Quentin. The Germans are preparing to heavily defend Laou.—Aus. Cable Assoc, NEARING ST. QUENTIN. British Take Several More Places Stiff Resistance at Certain Points. Received Sept. 9, 11.40 p.m. London, Sept. 9. Mr Philip Gibbs writes:—Our patrols are fighting to-day on the edge of Gouzoaucourt and the high ground thereabouts- There has been no strong resistance in this region. The Germans apparently are manning the old British trenches between Gouzeaucourt a,nd the Nord Canal, and possibly intend to hold -these instead of the Hindenburg line, close behind. We made good progress soutli of Gouzcaucourt- We found Saulcourt unoccupied. The enemy between Heudieourt and Saulcourt retired to the defences before Epehy, which are a little over a mile from the ITindenburg line. Wo are more than halfway between Villers-Fau-con and Ronssoy. , Our patrols entered Roisel, and met with sharp resistance. We crossed Cologne, east of Roisel. Our advance below Roisel was accelerated. The Germans abandoned Vendelles and Soyecourt. before our patrols contested them. We cleared the woods east of Caulaincourt. Now Hnlnon Wood is the only obstacle between us and the Hindenburg line defending St. Quentin. THE DEFENCES OF LAON. Enemy Hurriedly Strengthening Then. Received Sept 0, 1.46 p.m. Paris, Sept. 9. The Germans are hurriedly strengthening the defences of Laon, in the region of Urcel, Monamptettil, and Ohevregny, erecting thick entanglements and diging trenches, and accumulating vast quantities of material in caverns on the Monampteuil plateau. The whole country north of tho Ailette and bordering on the Soissons-Laon railway is stocked with massed batteries.—Aus.-N.Z. Cabls Assoc, A GERMAN REPORT. A further wireless German official states: We repulsed several attacks south of Yprcs, on the Somme and Oise The enemy followed via Ham and Chaumy We are in contact with tho enemy east of Vailly. On the Aisne we repulsed renewed American attacks on the heights north of Fi3ines. —Aus.N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. %