GERMANS RETIRE TO EAST OF ANCRE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 185, 5 August 1918, Page 5

GERMANS RETIRE TO EAST OF ANCRE.

SHORT BUT SIGNIFICANT WITHDRAWAL NEAR ALBERT. • * (Received 9.15 a.m.) / LONDON, August 4. The enemy in the neighbourhood of Albert and Avcluy Wood retired to the east bank of the Ancre. It is only a small retirement on a front of four mi%s, but it is significant, as the former positions were good for launching an offensive, but no good for defence. — (A. and N.Z. Cable.) Sir Douglas I/aig reports: Our patrols are still making progress in the Albert sector. We hold tlie greater part of the ground previously in tlie enemy's possession westward of the Ancre. We arc closely following up the enemy in his withdrawal, indications o_*-whieh were previously observed. We repulsed strong raiding parties south-eastward of llebutenie, S miles north of Albert and eastward of Robccq, in the Ypres sector. Increased hostile artillery is reported from Kcmmel. J j Sir Douglas llaig's aviation report states:— weather interfered with air work. We dropped 13 tons of bombs in the daytime, three tons of which fell on Bruges docks. Night flying was impossible. | AUSTRALIANS' HARASSING POLICY COMPELS RETIREMENT. '(Received 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 4. The British advance in the Albert sector follows the harassing policy which the Australians persistently carried out at Morlancourt and Villers Brctonncux. The scries of recent Australian pushes on the Somme, apart from strengthening the defence of Amiens, enabled the British to compel the enemy to cany out a considerable readjustment of the line.— (A. and N.Z.)