OFFICIAL REVIEW

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1918, Page 7

OFFICIAL REVIEW

LAST WEEK'S OPERATIONS. QA T -.THE BRITISH FRONT,

Wellington, Sept. 9. The Acting-Primo Minister Jias received from the Ministry of Information the following summary of the war iterations for the week ended September (!:'— On August 30, despite heavy counterattacks, -we continuei| to press the.'German retirement towards.the lina/ :i bf the Oise-Somme Canal. A'brilliant night attack on the 30th to the 31st was carried out by the Australians in the southcm portion of-this line. They forced the crossings over the canal north of Peroime, captured the strongly-fortified position of Mount St. Qiymtin with extraordinarily small losses, holding it against seven counter-attacks. The -immediate and satisfactory effect was to hasten, the enemy's -withdrawal further north from the old Somme 'battlefield.

Particularly successful operations toolc place on September 2 on an eight-mile frofrt south of the Soarpe. The attack was made early in the morning, fore« stalling a German counter-offensive, by the Canadian corps with four divisions of the 17th Corps. The latter included the 52ml (Lowland Territorial Division), fnmous-for the magnificent advance in Letcher the Gaza battle along 'iie coast almost to the gates of Jerusalem; the 63rd (Naval) Division, West Lancashire and 'London Territorial Divisions. This determined attack resulted in tiie complete •penetration of the Dro-Court-Queant switch line.and the withdrawal of the heavily-puniihed enemy to the Canal du Uord. 'Despite the dbstacla this canal forms to tank attacks, our determiner! army succeeded in crossing it at several places. They took a large number of prisoners and jgaterial. Tn the sector of the Loos salient, a steady withdrawal is going on, and the enemy is closely followed by British and American troops. THE FRENCH FRONT. On the French front, a steady enemy withdrawal has taken place to the line of the Somme-Oise canal. The French have obtained a footing on'the east side in the neighborhood of Noyon- Heavy fighting has been going on north of Soissons, between'the Aisne and Ailette, particularly in the neighborhood of Juvigny and Tcrny-Sorny. where American troops have been operating. A considerable advance has been made, and the enemy has commeneed'to withdraw across the Aisne. ENEMY'S LOSSES. The approximate number of prisoners inken by the British since August 1 is 70,000, and by the French and Americans 40,000, with extraordinary 3mall losses to the Allies, which, in the British case, do not exceed the number of prisoners taken. This may possibly be attributable to the temporary lowering of the fighting value of the enemy and the disorganisation inevitable from a retreat on a large scale undertaken under relentless pressure. The German High Command seems so far to have kept control of the situation, but incurs grave risks by the heavy demands on the troops. The withdrawal, though hasty, has 'been carried cut methodically, but much material lias been lost. OTHER FRONTS. In Albania, so far, the Austrian reinforcements have prevented the Italians maintaining Glyns, but they still hold ■ the Malakastra Ridge, and have better positions than before the offensive. In Palestine, recently-raised Indian battalions have acquitted themseleves well in minor operations.. The Japanese, in the Ussuri offensive, have driven the enemy back to tlie river Bikin, south of KhaibaTovskchita. The situation is still oHscure. The Czechs have probably obtained control of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The Finnish army is mutinous and discontented, and anti-Allied feeling i 3 strengthening. The Germans are pushing forward communications, roads, and railways towards Pochega and the White Sea. This German exploitation of Finland i 9 causing much bitternessConsiderable success is reported in East Africa- Von Lettow has been driven off the Lioma, and during his attempted flights in various directions was further attacked by the British, and sustained considerable losses. He is now being pursued in a north-easterly direction towards the Lurion River. His total forces, though considerably reduced, mav still give trouble. The week was marked by steady and persistent work in all theatres. CONFUSION IN RUSSIA. The confusion in Russia is disintegrating the Government, which threatens wholesale murder for the attempted assassination of Lenin. The British Embassy was attacked on August 3-1 by Bolshevik troops, the Rritish Naval Attache assassinated, tho* corpse treated abominably, and proper burial was refused. Tho Embassy was destroyed. The French Embassy is fearinsr a similar attack. The Bolsheviks are already encouraging the populace to massacre the British and French. AIR FORCE OPERATIONS. There has been intense British air fighting between the Somme and the Scarpe, but a period of unsettled weather hampered aerial operations. Following the brilliantly successful British attack upon enemy defences froir Drocourt to Queant on Sunday, Ist September, British airmen were able thor oughly to explore the field of the impending battle, taking a large numbe) of photographs and making 1 valuable re ports upon the enemy's strength and dis position. There were 72 tons of bombs dropped during the three days immediately preceding the attack on tin enemy's organisation behind the Wot-ar line, including vital railways, and ovei 2-10 tons of bombs were dropped on tin battle area during the week. Britisl lighting scouts took part in the assauii on Monday morning, co-operating closelj I with the infantry and tanks. j THE LOW-FLIERS. A notable feature of tlie fighting has been the destruction and havoc cause< to the enemy by low-flying British air men, who, regardless of personal danger silenced enemy batteries, attacke< stronclv-entvcnched posts, and renderef invaluable assistance to the troops b; supplying ammunition to the advancer units ; The enemy's aerial activity was clnerlj defensive, but many fierce aerial com 'oats took place, resulting in the destrue tion of 58 enemy machines and tin downing of ,".0, while 58 British machine are reported missing. In the coastal area successful tions were carried out against f-l-ermai naval and submarine bases at Bruges Ostend, and Zeehrngge, and on importan enemy organisations at Nieuport, West end -. Blankenberg, Gudseele, etc.. wher <wd results were seen. Destruetiv fires were started at Ostend docks, an

ion dumps at Dndzele. There were 15 tons of 'bombs dropped during theau raids, one enemy machine being destroyed, but no British machines are reported' missing.

| The K.A.F. independent force twice attacked the Buhl aerodrome, direct hits being obtained <ji the hangars, and one' machine in the aerodrome itself was destroyed. They also attacked the Boylay/ aerodrome and started a large fire. Successful bombing raids on Friday,, August ;!0, were made on important rail-' fray junctions at C'onflans and Thionville..

Useful air work was accomplished during the week in Mediterranean and Eastern theatres, three enemy machines being destroyed on the Italian front, besides the usual reconnaissance activities and photograph taking. One British machine was reported missing. Effective bombing raids have been carried out in the Balkans. Two enemy machines were destroyed in Palestine during lively fighting activities. British aeroplanes, seaplanes, and airships, co-operating with l the navy in home waters and ou distant seas, produced excellent resulto. THE FOOD PROBLEM. Early threshing reports show a lower yield than was anticipated. The Food 'Controller, speaking at Derby on September 2, said that notwithstanding the bountiful harvest, no relaxation of food restrictions and economies was possible. Wb must remember the need for ships and the transport of American troops to France, and hope to remedy the fruit shortage by vegetable marrows, at fixed prices, for jam, also blackberries collected' by school children. The price of wheat remained unchanged, though an increase had been allowed of two shillings per quarter on barley and three shillings per quarter on oats to cover the increased cost of production. It was estimated that tiic profit on the national restaurant was 70 per cent. It was proposed to economise winter fuel by service kitchens and restaurants. HOW GERMAXY IS AFFECTED. The attitude of southern Germany is reported as depressed, but doggedly determined. The Allies' success will strengthen the arguments as to defensive war. Germany now adopts a more conciliatory tone in dealing with neutrals. An article in the Frankfurter Zeitung emphasises Belgium's economical dependence on Germany, and attributes the spoliation of Belgium to the necessity of war. It assumes that Belgium must resumo trade relations, and asserts that all Belgians will favor the complete neutrality of thefr country and independence from the Entente.

OTHER MATTERS. There is a hitch in the negotiations between Poland and Germany. A Bulgarian report states that M. Malinov is to meet Herr Hintze and Talaat Bey to discuss the Near Eastern situation. They will probably attempt to launch a peace offensive ou the Ame» weakest front. The Roumanian harvest is bad, except in Zitania, where the Central Powers have requisitioned supplies, thus violating the economic agreement with Rouinania. Revolts following tins action will doubtless be suppressed with ttie customary German brutality.