BRITISH AT SENSEE CANAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1918, Page 5

BRITISH AT SENSEE CANAL.

FRENCH CLOSE TO HUNDING LINE. ENEMY GETS OUT OF AWKWARD CORNER. Received Oct. 15, 7.45 p.m. London, Oct. 14, 4.35 p.m. The Britislii are now along the whole water-line of the Haute Deulle canal and the Sensee canal, but it is not likely that they will be able to cross these for a few days. The French are approaching the river Sierre Souchc, behind which is fee Hunding line, to which the enemy retirement was carried out in good order. They left behind little material, and their movement was in no sense hurried. Moreover, the enemy has been reacting heavily nortUi of Le Cateau, although further developments must be very uncomfortable for him. At the moment he has undoubtedly got out. of an awkward corner very successfully.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

OFFICIAL REPORTS.

FRENCH CLEAR RESISTERS. GERMANS OCCUPY NEW POSITIONS. Received Oct 15, 7.45 p.m. London, Oct. 14, 4.35 p.m. A Frencfii communique states: On the whole front we maintained close contact with the enemy infantry to the south of Chateau Pocien. We drove back to the north bank of the canal the last of the enemy elements, who are still resisting. Wireless German official: Our couaterattack threw out the enemy, wlho penetrated into Aubigny-au-Bac. We occupy new positions northward of Laon and on the Aisne. Our successful battles on the Chemin des Dames and on the Suippe have rendered possible the smooth carrying out of the movements here, also in Champagne.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter.

CROSSING THE SELLE. SPLENDID WORK BY NEW ZEALANDERS. London, Oct. 14. Mr. Gibbs, describing the brilliant feat of the New Zealandera in crossing tho river Selle, says: In order to cover the retreat and prevent Sir Douglas Haig coming on too fast along tlic crowded roads, the German command ordered the rearguard to hold out to the death on the river Selle.

Our men for two days had been trying to force the passage, and, after stubborn and heroic efforts, as astonishing as the storming of the Scheldt canal, achieved their purpose.

We have now crossed the river. It is a strong defensive position, because the banks are cut very sharply down to the stream, whidli is 20 feet wide, and winds around several villages, each having ma-chine-gun fortresses. The Germans held, the line in strength. We had to attack down the glacis swept by their fire.

The feat was done by Yorkshiremen, Lancashire?. Scots, and the New Zealanders, assisted by cavalry. There were three tree trunks by the river, and some of our men got across by creeping out on tho logs among the floating brushwood. Others waded up to their necks in the water, but all had to come back owing to the German machine-guns.

Finally tlie sappers mads bridges, under very heavy fire, and during the nigfct we cut our way into tlie German trenches. The New Zcalandcrs fought their way to Biastre on the river-bank, though the enemy was able to see every movement from high ground. The New Zealanders had already been fighting for days since their marvellous capture of the Welsh Ridge and .La Vacquerie on October 2 and 3, and their capture of Lesdin and Esnes on the Cth. There the New Zealand Rifles and the Canterbury Battalion fired their Lewis guns from their laps, capturing many prisoners and repulsing counter-attacks which the enemy made with tanks captured from the British. It was a battle of tanks. A British tank charged a Germano-British tank, outflanked it and poured in a broadside which blew it to bits. The Sew Zealanders went 011 to the villages of Beauvois-Fontaine and Viesly, capturing Biestre, on I,ho Selle. 011 the 11th. On the 12th they forced the river and forced their way up to tte (heights of Bellevue, where they are fighting now. Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.