FIGHTING RENEWED.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 October 1918, Page 4

FIGHTING RENEWED.

For St. Quentin and Cambrai . Progress in Flanders. Received Oct. 2, 2.20 p.m. London, Oct, 1. Sir Douglas Haig report*:—ln the attack northward we captured Levewies. More northward, we progressed towards Joncourt and gained possession of Vand* huile. The Anglo-Canadians, closing upon Cambrai, captured Preville Tilley, in the face of strong resistance. The enemy fired Cambrai. Fighting recommenced this morning northward of the St. Quentin and Cambrai sector, A Belgian communique states that, despite a downpour of rain, the Allies continued their advance on the whole front and carried Amersveld, Staden, and Oostnieuwkerke, and crossed the ZarrenRoulcrs and Eoulers-Menin Rbad at several points. Considerable booty, dump/and railway material were captured.—-Aus.-N T Z. Cable Assoc, and Router,

A GREAT BULGE. Made in Hindenburg Lii Roccixed Oct. 2, 7.35 p.m. London, October 1. Mr. Gitoioui, writing on Monday, say* tiie Americans and Australians, made a great bulge through the Hindenburg line. They occupy a salient with the British, probably three miles in depth, beyond the Hindenburg system, Which never before lias been penetrated on this sector. Bellicourt, which was captured was surrounded by a maze of wire en tangleraents. Vaurot, two miles beyond proved the German defensive line wai constructed with all the bWJJ and ingenuity of the labor at the command o; the Germans under peaceful conditions It is no longer impregnable. This blovt proves beyond doubt that good troopi can easily penetrate the Hindenburg line.—Argus Service.

GERMAN MORALE AND DISCIPLINE.

Evidence of Deterioration.

Keceived Oct. 2, 7-35 pm.

Ixmdon, Out. 1.

Mr, Philip Gibbs writes that the Eog lisli and Canadians captured army orders, completely, bearing out what luA re cently been said, about the deteripxati/n in German morale and the partialcracfc ing up of their discipline. One of these issued before Friday's battle, etatev."The Hindenburg line will be our win tcr position. Not a foot must be lost." Another says:—"The morale and discipline of our men are plainly decreas ing, owing, firstly, to the system o: elastic defence leading our men to be lieve ground ia of no value; ee'condly, tt the lack of control and example among the officers, and also to the laols of personality among the men, shown by thi unnecessary retirements and the conduct of men on leave and the riots such as those, at Cambrai, in winch, the officers -joined.-—Argils (Service.

BELGIAN' "KING COTGRATULATED. London, Oct, 1. The, Bureau., reports that the King sent a message to the King of the Belgians: "I heartily congratulate you on the victory, by. the combined action of your brave trows aWmy 2nd Army nnder your'supreifae" command, whereby the enemy has. been expelled from the position in the Belgian territory sacred to the memory of so many lives."—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

| AMERICAN AIR FIGHTS. ! New York, Oct. : The correspondent of the New Y6>n World says that in the biggest of all American air fights 18 of our pursuit aeroplanes fought, off 25 Fokkers and brought down seven over the German lines east of the Argonne forest. The Americans were flying on a bombing ex-, pedition when attacked.—Aus. N.Z. Cable. Assoc. THE BURNING OF CAMBRAI. New York, Oct,, 1. The Germans are turning Cambral,Aus, N.Z. Cable Assoc. AMERICANS HOLD GAINS. London, Oct. 1. American official: Between the Men-" and the Aisrie. we maintained und c-"ii solidated our newly-captured position-, despite counter-attecks and heavy m'' and. artillery bombardments.—Au«. N'-Z lOihie Awtaa

SIX GREAT BATTLES, Raging on Western Front Mutgiiv's and Berthelot's Converging Attacks. Received Oct. 2, 7.35 p.m. London, Oct. I, S a.m. Six great battles are now raging on the west, on a total fronftige of 110 ailes. General BertheloU new advance between tile Aisne and the Veale is meeting ■with stout resistance, but probably the enemy is otly fighting a delaying action *• liinder the junction of General Hugin's and General Berthelot's conferring attacks ip the direction of the CtaamM plateau.—Australian Cable Association. CAPTURE OF ST. QUENTIN. Eftemy Retreat on Whole Line. ' Prom Aisne to Rheims. Seceived Oct. 2, 10.40 p.m. London, Oct. 1. lue French hate entered St. Qnentin. •-United. Service. London, Oct. 2, 12.20 a.m. French official: Pursuing the retreating enemy, we penetrated St. Quentin, after obstinate resistance. The Germans were forced to abandon the plateau between the Aisne and Stains, -and rstreated on the whole li«e.—High Commissioner. BITING THROUGH THE GERMAN LINE. And Then ?' Belgians Take All Enemy's Forward Guns. Received Oct 2, 855 p.m. London, Oct. 1. Jteuter's correspondent, writing from British headquarters at 4.10 p.m., states that the Canadians, Americans, and Australians round Cambrai, in the face of hetVy counter-attacks, are continuing their pinddng-out plan. We are steadily eating our way through the Hindenburg defeases, beyond which then will be possibilities of complete open warfare. The Belgians in their sector have pushed beyond the shell-torn zone of nod andwater and have occupied comparatively dry and comfortable positions in the enemy lines. The enemy lost practically the whole of his forward artillery. Some of the heaviest naval guns were seised near Stadin—Renter. , y ■ GERMANS GETTING READY. For a Flight From Belgium. , Received Oct 2, 10.40 pjn. Amsterdam, Oct. 1. fo* German authorities in Belgium , Ma ordered the speedy collection of tip archives in the occupied area for con- ' «y«»ce to Germany. Seven hundred railway cars hare arrived in Brussels to remove the officers' farniture. The soldiers are freely saying that they will leave in six weeks. —United Service. FRENCH STEADY "PROGRESS. Many Pisoners and Guns Taken. , Received Oct 2, 8.55 p.m. London, Oct. 1, 4.10 p.m. French communique: Our advance was returned this morning between the Aisne (Ud 'tho Vesle. In the Champagne our troops, pursuing their attacks, have completed their successes. Last evening, on our right, we conducted an important advance in the tlßey of the Aisne and captured Binaraville and Condc les Autrey. We have taVen many prisoners since September 2fi. We prisonered /over 134)00 between the Suippe and the Arnone, also 300 guns, including a large Sr of heavies.—Aus. X.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. ' BRITISH CONSIDERABLY ADVANCE. SomeHardFighting. Quentin-Cainbrai battlefront We in. Joneonrt. We stormed the defences and village of Estrees, clearing the enemy from the high ground south of U> There has been severe fighting on the cent* line in the *fll*gee of Crevecourt and Rnmilly, «nd on northward and eastward. On the left, betwees Cambrai and tie Sensee Rww, have been severely engaged the morni!"; attacking and counter-at-tacking f> 14" ioatile forces. , The wet t'| Sne unsuitable for flying on Sep ten ia oar low fliers succeeded in k' <8? touch with our aaveJteSttt talk V 1 We dropped 9 tons of bombs onto. Wransport, trains and bridges. "AfcpFmy waa not active. Two British jnacwneV arc missing. The Air Jnhi*tty reports: 1,1 conjunction with tbc First American Army's operations we bombed Metz-Sablons station and the Prescaty aerodrome on the nifht of September 30. Bad leather ob'«eSnft observation. We alio attacked 4W Alui, fontices At- BurmacL One l!rft tidi. inadtinc has not retfwned. —Am.

WHERE THE ENEMY WILL STABILISE. No Strong, Organised Defences. For the Enemy to Fall Back Upon Kecoh ed Oct. 2, 7.35 p.m. London, Oct 1i Keuter's correspondent at British IToaquarters, writing on tha evening of the 30th, says the battle for St. QuenUn and Cambrai was resumed to-day in . ft howling wind and slashing rain. The , enemy brought up fresh reserves, which s resisted desperately, chiefly with ma-chine-guna. 1 The Canadians, north-west of Gam--1 brai, are attacking along the railway, - and progressed knee-deep in slush. A > German counter attack drove them back, _ but later the Canadians re-attaeked and carried the line well north-west of Cambrai. Regarding the pending enemy retirement between the Scarpe and the Oise, It -appears that the Germans have no strong, organised defences to fall back on, and it is difficult to indicate where the enemy line w?'l stabilise for the win- . ter. if, indeed, it does stabilise.—Reuter ONE OF THE FINEST FEATS OF THE WAR. Crossing the Steep Canal. Received Oct. 2, 7.35 p.m. London, Oct. 1. Mr, Murdoch, writing from Australian I Headquarters on the 30th, says the great r battle begun yesterday sundered the Eindenburg lines for a distance of three miles on a front wiicli, with the combined successes! at Cambrai. are certain ' to have a far-reaching effect- - Referring to the feat of the English troops in crossing the canal, he says that they succeeded in a seemingly impossible task. This daring crossing of the . steepbanked, tunnelled, and entrenched can#l was one of the finest feats of the war. The men went out equipped with lifebelts, ladders, light bridges, and thinsr* like firrmen's apparatus. Other division? thought they would be compelled to abandon tli" attempt and work northwards, filtering through the gap made >bv the American and Australian advance, but not so. This which, wac confident throughout, prisonered 4090. At the same moment that these British advanced, the Americans started behind a barraec. accompanied by nearly 100 trinks, for a distant objective. Every l battalion was full of bone and entbusii a«tic. beins? confident that theirs was one - of the hardest jobs that could be given f to oomrorativaly inexperienced troop* The Herman ?osition= here seem to be ' absolutely- battle-old- Wire belts of the > TTindenbur? line were broken through. ' The artille*y had Tit lanes, nml the tanks 'broke further nathwavs. Bitter ! fighting followed, resulting in the capture of Vurov. thus seirinsr the second lin» of the Tfindenbw? system. The ! Australians mnrchrd throusb this can four hours later with th D >r own irtillerv s eouinped for Ihe new hnttle, end IvnVetf rn between tbe and the 'Briti«h. All dav and all nirrht Ion? the fifhtinp continued round Xurov and the TTi-ndep.burp svstem. to the north-west. TV"* number of Rermnn depd shows the bitterness 'of tbe fighting. Tt is believed tbat 50P prisoners, sent hack by tlie Americans from <Tuoy. freed themselves on tbe way baric and ioined others from dug-outs and filtered through the v#l'ev» down to the old trench .systems, and thus re-traTrisoned tbe nositions, i The Germans' fighting was skilful, tcE sonrcern!. and brave. One mnchine- • gunn»r is still holding out near Qiternie mont Farm. The pat-pat of his fire " can be heard every few minutes, but ' though nearly surrounded he remains oneaught. J The Australians' losses were lisht. hut 1 tbe Americans, with prodisral bravery, generosity, great dash and enthusiasm shed their Mood freelr —TTnited Service. THREE MILES FROM COURTRAI Enemy's Hold on Seaboard Imperilled. > Received Oct. 2, 11.10 p.m. : London, Oct. 1. r The Anglo-Belgians continue to pro- - gress in the centre. They crossed the Roulers—Menin and Roulers —Zerrcn ■ railways. ! The British are 3 miles from Courtrai. A further big advance has been made towards Thorout, where British progress > threatens the enemy's hold on the sear board. Jlr. Percival Phillips writes: The Auss tralians resumed the attack this morn- : ing between Bonnet and Joncourt. They captured Estrees, and are threatening Gouy. The New Zealandevs entered Crevecourt.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. A HEAVY BATTLE. Being Fought By the Americans. Received Oct. 3, 2 15 a.m. Washington, Oct. 1. The Americans are fighting a heavy battle on the Hindenburg line, south of Gouy, the Australian units co-operating, i Around the St Quentin tunnel the German defence was strenuous, the Ger- , mans holding the positions by means of t airmen, who manjed electrically-lighted 3 barges. j The tunnel galleries, radiating froin ;. the canal, which here runs under the 8 hill, required a vigorojis mopping up. t The Germans allowed the Americans to 1 pass north of the tunnel and then at* " tacked in the rpar- The Australians in- ® tervened., the funnel mouth being choked t with German dead. Wintry winds and rain ere making progress difficult—Aus.-KZ. Cable As- ' sociation and Reuter. London, Oct. 1. I A wireless German official message | states: We captured some hundreds of Belgians near the coast. The Canadians ' temporarily advanced to northward and beyond Cambrai to Ratnillies. We threw ' the enemy back on Tilloy. Southward 3 of Cambrai we completely held our posi- " tions against repeated assaults. The 8 French gained heights northward of I Breuil. We took prisoner two French companies near St. Marie Eipy. We drove ba«k strong American forces at Apremont and Montrebeau forest with b carry losses.

ENTENTE CAPTURES. 295,000 Prisoners. Eeceived Oct. 3, 1.30 a.m. 1 London, Oct. 1. According to the latest calculation, Entente captures since July 18 total 295,000 prisoners, 3900 guns, from 20,000 to 30,000 machine-guns, and nearly a '' thousand French, Serbian, and Belgian | towns, besides many millions worth of " material.—Aus. X.Z. Cable Assoc. i i Eeceived Oct- 3, 1.30 a.m. J ] Paris, Oct. 1. The newspapers attach great importance to General Plumer's advance upon - Courtrai, threatening Turcoinj;, Roubaix , and Lille. —Aus.-X.Z. Cable Assoc. Received Oct. 3, 1.45 a.m ' London, Oct. 2. An Amefican communique states: We advanced our lines in the Argonne forest. Further eastward our patrols pass- > od beyond Clerges, and are operating ' north thereof, and are ia contact with ' the enemy on the road between Exer- ! inont and Gennes. In the north we advanced with the Franco-British, participating in their Successes, Since September 26. our aviators have shot down over 100 planes and 20 bal-loons.—Aus.-ST.Z. Cable Assoc. and Eeutef. Eeceived Oct. 3, 1.15 a.m. London. Oct. 1. Sir Douglas Haig added: Notwithstanding this, we progressed at Tilloy, which is the northern suburb of Cambrai, and in the neighl>orhood of Blecourt. Since September 27, on the St. QuentinCambrai battlefront, we have engaged ' and defeated with heavy losses thirtysix German divisions. ! The British captured during Scptem- ! oer 0C.300 prisoners, of which 1500 were " officers. They also captured 700 guns of • all calibres and some thousands of ma-chine-guns. The British captured during i August and September 123,018 men, of > whom 2753 were officers, and about 1400 - guns. f t "UNEQUALLED FEROCITY." t ■ THE GEB'MAXS AT BAY. i Eeceived Oct. 3, 1.45 am. London, Oct. 1. Eeuter's correspondent, writing from British Headquarters on Tuesday evening, says that the battle on the St. r Quentin-Camlirai front was resumed this 7 morning with unequalled ferocity. The Germans threw in large reserves, re- » slating and counter-attacking desper- , ately. The fiercest sector wns north of Cam- , brai, wher* the attacked thi;i , morning against at y-ast eight divisions. The struggle H going well, but de- | tails are ItoWnsj V tfce Canadians sue- , ceed in cracking the line they will step on into Blue Joncourt. A large portion I of the Nanroy trench system was carried , by Fourth Army units. —Aus.-N.Z Cable ! Assoc. and Renter. ! ATTACK. ON BELGIAN COAST. Extremely Effective Eeceived Oct. 3, 1.30 a.m. 5 Amsterdam, Oct. 1. f The Telegraaf states that 100 aero- . planes co-operated with the British war. . ships in Saturday's attack on the Bel. - gian coast. The bombardment was ex- . tremely effective, especially at Zeebrugge and the Bruges Canal. Many fires were > caused and munition explosions.—Aus. } and N.Z. Cable Assoc. f GREAT FRENCH SUCCESSES. !n All Sectors. Eeceived Oct, 3, 1.30 a.m. London, Oct. 2A French communique states: —The First French Army, cu-operating with the British ra the region of St. Quentin, achieved important lesults to-day-Pursuing the retreating enemy, we . penetrated St. Quentin as far as the > canal. The Cfermans are still stubborni !y resisting at the extremities of the town, which outflanked northwards. We . reached the canal between Troquoy ajid ; Rouvroy. i Southwards, we progressed towards ■ the Hindenburg line to a point two kilotnetres east of Guacliy. On the Yesle, the Third Army's vigor- " pu? pressurr was crr.vnsfl with success. ' the Germans being forced to abandon ' the plateau between the Aisne and the " Rheims region, and fell back along the whole line. We occupied Maizy and Concevrcux, and. further to the right, Meurival, Yentilav, Bouvencourt, Trigny, Chenay, and St Thierry. We have captured, since yesterday, 2100 prisoners, also 20 guns, including ■ 10 heavies. The gallant. Fourth Army, in the Champagne, is continuing its effort of the preceding days, and has increased it" ' advantage. We conquered, on the right. ' in the Aisne Valley, Autrv and Autry • Wood and Yaux les Mourona, five kilo- ' metres north of Bouconville. Farther " west, we reached the southern outskirts f of Challe rangi-, We tried the lines one I kilometre south of Ciry, penetrating the OfTeuil Woods south-east thereof. We have taken during the day nuiner--1 o'is prisoners, guns, and much material which it is impossible to count. —Aus.- ' N" Z. Cable Assoc. and Eeuter--1