FRENCH ATTACK THREE-MILE FRONT ON AVRE

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 167, 15 July 1918, Page 5

FRENCH ATTACK THREE-MILE FRONT ON AVRE

EASTERN EDGE OF VILLERS COTTERETS FOREST CLEARED. STJCCESSFTJX RAIDS ALONG BRITISH FRONT. LONDON, July 14. A French communique states:—Our troops this morning carried out a brilliant attack west of the Avre on a front of three miles between Castel and 4he north of Mailly-Raineval. All objectives were secured, including the capture of the village of Castel, Anchin Farm, and a number of strongly organised spinneys. The advance in some places was a mile and aquarter deep. We took over 500 prisoners. We accentuated our progress on the edge of the Villers Cotterets Forest, north of Chavigny and east of Faverolles, and occupied the village of Langpont and Javage Farm. We made & coup de main north of Montdidier and another in the Champagne. There is lively enemy artillery activity on the right bank of the Meuse. A later French communique states:—During the night between Montdidier , - end the Oise our advanced posts advanced 500 yards in. the region of Porte Farm. ''Kγ Douglas Haig reports:—We took 120 prisoners and 10 machine-guna on Thursday in an enterprise south-west of Merris, in Flanders, and repulsed so attempted raid couth of Bucquoy, in the Arras sector. We made successful raidß north-east of Merris, near Meteren and in the vicinity of Hamel, taking prisoners. A later report states:—English and Australian troops on Friday carried <rat successful minor enterprises in the neighbourhood of Vieux Berquin and Herris, west of BailleuL Our casualties in this sector' during the past few days have been exceptionally light. We made a raid north of Hamel, and repulsed a raid north of Meteren. Hostile artillery has been active opposite Beaumont HameJ, south of the Somme and in the Strazeele and Locre sectors, in Flanders. A German official report states: —We repulsed strong enemy thrusts and frequent reconnaissances south-west of Ypres and north of Albert. Lively French activity continued between, the Aisne and the Marne. We captured prisoners in engagements along the Forest of Villers Cotterets, and drove back reconnoitring thrusts in the neighbourhood of Rheims. We shot down tax American aeroplanes raiding Coblenz.—(A. and N.Z. and Reuter.) A French semi-official report states:—The capture of Corey completes the clearance of the enemy from the forest of Villers Cotterets. This was the object of the series of recent Jrench local attacks, which resulted in securing naeful positions and valuable information previous to the resumption of the enemy offensive. The bastion formed by the forest is now intact. Renter's correspondent at British headquarters, writing on Friday, states: An operation by the Australians north-west of Merris was one of those enterprises for advancing the line and gaining more tracts beyond No Man's land. The Australians, attacking suddenly, overran a chain of German outposts, and established a new line. Our series of raids between Flanders and the Somme, which everywhere resulted in securing prisoners, will probably be the means of obtaining more information regarding the condition of affairs behind the enemy's line. Yesterday there was much hostile artillery activity in Flanders and on the Somme, between the rainstorms and thunderstorms. Wet weather has now set in. If it continues it may disturb the German preparations for the next offensive. It will therefore be in our favour. Peuter.)