ENEMY RETREATING RAPIDLY.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1918, Page 5

ENEMY RETREATING RAPIDLY.

§mx WORK BY FRANCOAME2UCANS. , fhi KK S-METZ EAILWA\ THREATENED. > '»»eived Oct 13, 53 pjn . London, Oct. 12. -TMMfflgß this afternoon states that are retie&ting rapidly on J"? 18 ' ™® 111034 pronounced being a» the Champagne. 8 French have advanced considerably being practically unExperts consider the Americans' victory Mtnde of the Meuse of the utmost at it threatens the Mezieres•Mets railway, which is the oaiy direct wymnfataon between the Germans in norui-wtet Fnuiee and those eastward *nd south-eastward of Verdun. Two hundred and hfty w Mrrote&«s f which participated in the bombing thd enemy unmercifully, co-operated in regulating the ipnlbirand supplying ammunition to the advanced potts, dropping smoke screens to conceal the movements of the inJtttoy, and attacking observation balloon far behind the lines. ■An American communique of the 12th (3JO 4un.) tmy»: On boti sides of the Hens* violent counter-attacks failed to stem the advance of the FrancoAmericans. We took Molevflle farm, northward of the Bois de Consenvoye, *»d passed through the Bois de Foret and are before the villages of Landres, St. George's,' and St. Juvin, which is oft fee. The American army corps operating with the British fought over ten miles through the enemy's defensive system •nd prisonered 11(00 since October 5. To-day this corps took Escaufourt, St. Benin, and St.* Souplet (near Le Cateau). The American army prisonered 8000 since October 8, whereof French units took 2300.—Am. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

WORTH OF THE SUIPPE AND THE AISNE. KM£MY COMPELLED TO ABANDON POSITIONS. 4LLIES REACH CHEMIN DES DAMES. Received Oct. 13, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 12. French communique: Before cur incessant attacks the enemy was compelled to abandon on a front of sixty kilometres all the positions wfhich he hid been defending for days north of the Suippe and the Araes riven. Preceded by cavalry, which are pressing on the heels of the enemy rearguards, our ihfantry are overcoming all resistance. * Machine-gunners charged with their doty are delaying our march, which has during the day advanced at some points tin kilometres, taking prisoners and capturing material. We crossed the Suippe and captured Bertricourt, Aumenincourt le Grand,, Bazancourt, Isles-snr-Suippe, and St. Eticnne-snr-Suippe. The whole of the enemy's first positions north of the Suippe are in our hands. YVe advanced beyond Grands Usugowood, advancing in the wooded region ■West of Mesnil le Pinios in the direction of the Retourne river, which we reached between Houdilcourt, Sault, and St. Remjr. Further east we occupied the villages of Anuance, Laneuville, Cauroy. Maehoult, Contreuve, St. Morel, Savigny-sur-Aisne.

Continuing our progress we reached the outskirts of Bignicourt, Ville-sur-Retourne, Mont St. Remy, St. Jarie, three kilometres sc-i'h-west of Vouzieres. In the Chemin des Dames the Italians, cs-operating with the French, brilliantly continued the advance. They occupied Vendresse, Troyon. Conrtrecon, Cernv-en-LaonnoU. We captured Cuissy, Etgeny, .Tumigny, Paissy wood, and reached the Chemin das Dame.:. Xumtror.t fire*, kindled by the eneir.y. are reported in the villages of the Oise valley and the Guise region, attesting the systematic intention of the fiermah? to destroy everything before their retreat. An aviation communique stetes: Thirty-five tons of bombs were dropped in the daytime cn October 10 in the Vounieres region.. Ammunition dumps ■wtte exploded. Tiiere were numerous fight*. Seventeen machines were felled ai>d light balloons fired. Twenty-lour tons of dropped at nighttime on bivouac*, stations, convoys. #na trains. Two itinirej and e'even enemy machine: were fired in September, mostly over the enemy lines: »nd -'2 l?Iloons ir*re fired, whilst 370 tens of projectile' vr*re dropped.—Au;. N.Z. Cab'e Assoc. CAPTURE OF LE CATEAU. A WOXDERFUTXY RAPTW ADVANCE. Received 0;t. 13. 5.5 p in. ToinU t. 0.-t. 12. Mr. Thomas writ?* that tin mo-t int#re'ti»g sight of the wonderfully rapid advance was the cnvplry's sweep'alors the Roman road from Yermand to 1-c Cateau, rupturing the outer defences at foil gallop,., and then advancing more (jowly into the outer tuburbs. where nw-chine-guns the horses. The 60tli Division assisted the cavalry in the capflire of the outskirts of the town. The continuous pursuit in the open lighting ha« compelled the rearguard * to frequently turn and fight. Le Cateau i« in • fair state of preitrrttioit." M Strvice,

A GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACK. 'BEATON BACK BY BELGIANS. Beeeived Oct. 13, 5.5 p-rt-London, Oct. 12. , A Bdjotn communique »t*teS: There great activity by hostile artillery against our communications. After violent artoler7 preparaton the enemy »t----tMktd «nr lues Wore Roukrs, but wag npokbd.—Am. N-Z. OaM® and Batter.

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