WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

SPLENDID ACHIEVEMENTS. GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACK BLOODILY REPULSED. Received Sept. 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 21. Correspondents at headquarters continue to detail the splendid achievements of the British units, including the Guards, who bloodily repulsed the German counter-attack at Havrincourt. The Germans around Templeux and Guerard buried themselves deep in the quarries and caves, which were honeycombed with machine-gun nests. British Yeomen worked round under cover of smoke screens and cut them off. The 17tli Division perhaps holds the record for a continuous advance. Since it attacked on the Ancre, this division took Thiepval, the Ochwaben redoubt, Pozieres, Courcelette, Martinpuich, and finally crossed the Canal du Nord, seized the bridgeheads, and established themselves in th 9 Gauche Wood.—Aus. Cable Assoc. PANIC AT METZ, EVACUATION OF CITIZENS. Received Sept. 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 21. The Daily Telegraph's Milan correspondent says that a Swiss message states there is a serious panic at Metz, and the inhabitants liave begun its evacuation, despite the Governor's declaration exhorting calmness. The Governor adds that the authorities' recommendation in favor of the evacuation of the town and its environs does not imply immediate danger, nevertheless the banks have transferred their funds and books to Karlsruhe, and some have entirely transferred their business thither. The public archives have been removed. Meanwhile, the evacuation proceeds. The well-to-do people have gone, and the military have made preparations to remove the entire population, if necessary The State-owned railway has been ordered to mobilise its rolling-stock for that purpose. Continuous air raids intensify the prevailing alarm, and the arrival of refugees at remoter towns has caused apprehension. The newspapers seek to allay the alarm by stating that vigorous defensive measures have been planned.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. THE RECAPTURE & MOEUVRES. ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACK DEFEATED. Received Sept. 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 20, 11.50 p.m. 1 Sir Douglas Haig's report states: The Scots completed the recapture of Moouvres this morning, overconrng the resisHr.tc of a party of the enemy who were still holding out in the village. The enemy delivered a strong locai attack north-west of Hulluch this morning, after a heavy bombardment. We completely repulsed the attack, prisonering a number. English troops carried out a successful minor operation this morning northwest of La Bassee, and advanced our line on a frontage of 2$ miles as far as the villages of Ruedemarais and La Tournelle and beat off counter-attacks after sharp fighting. Clouds and strong wind interfered with air work. On the 19th we dropped ■s} tons of bombs on various targets We brought down two and drove down two No British machine is missing. Night flying was impossible. A French communique states: We ad vanced eastwards of Essigny le Grand, also on the Moisy farm plateau, and captured prisoners. There was only artil" lerying in the region of St. Quentin. — Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. A GALLANT BAND. HOLD ENEMY AT BAY, Received Sept. 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 21. Sir Douglas Haig reports: On the occasion of the hostile attack on Moeuvres on September 17, a corporal and six men of the 15th battalion of the Highland Light Infantry, 52nd Division, while forming the garrison at one of our posts just north of the village was surrounded and was believed to be captured, but during the two days in which the Germans were in occupation of Moeuvres this party maintained their position with great gallantry and inflicted many casualties on the enemy. On the night of September 19-20, when Moeuvres was retaken by us, the whole party regained their unit without loss. Yesterday afternoon fresh attacks on our posts northward of Moeuvres Were repulsed. During the evening the enemy heavily bombarded our positions in the neighborhood of Gauche Wood, and succeeded in pressing back slightly one of our advanced posts northward of the wood. All night the enemy made repeated attacks with flammenwerfer and bombs to drive in our positions in this locality, but all these attacks were repulsed after hard fighting. At night, our line was advanced slightly north-west of Bellenglese. This morning fighting recommenced in the sector east of Epehy. We improved our positions slightly last night west of Messines, capturing a German strong point. We progressed south-eaßt of Ypres.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. GERMAN OFFICIAL. Received Sept. 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 20. Wireless German official: We repulsed repeated strong counter-attacks against Gouzeaucourt and on both sides of Epehy, also attacks between the Omigno rivulet and the Somme. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. Received Sept. 22, 11.50 p.m. London, Sept- 21■Wireless German official:—Southward of the Somme, we withdrew oUr advaneed troops, thus evacuating Essingny > its Grand. Lite enemy gained a footing on -theUdgh. ocflge, . Jouy.