FRENCH ADVANCE DRAWS NEAR TO FISMES.

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

FRENCH ADVANCE DRAWS NEAR TO FISMES.

MORE THAN FIFTY VILLAGES DELIVERED, - - ' ~ LONDON, August- 4. A French communique states:We have Tcachcd Courville, three miles due south of Fismes, and Champigny, on the Vesle, two miles west of Rheims. More than fifty villages were delivered yesterday.— (High Commissioner's Cable.) Mr. G. H. Terris, special correspondent with the French forces, writing on Friday morning, says:—lntense fighting ensued when General Mangin resumed his offensive between l'lcssicr Huleu and Fcre-en-Tardenois. To the north of the Ourcq the British were at the head of the onslaught, wjhich resulted in the capture of a number of strongly-organised villages and woods, and important heights commanding the sole railway by which the Germans were bringing up food, ammunition, and reliefs for their sorely harassed troops. Every thicket and hamlet was a miniature fortress bristling with machineguns, but failed to stay the rapid advance of the Allies. The important village of Hartenncs et Taux, which had seen the most desperate combats of a week ago, when the Allies were crossing the Soissons road, was captured. Military critics state that the Germans have now put in 72 divisions in their latest attempt, including 11 from Prince Rupprecht's army. Eight of the latter have been in the line twice. Tlie Germans have used the equivalent of SO divisions since July IS. The Allies have used nothing like that number. The main enemy difficulty is to keep his battalions up to strength. The Allied reserves in this quarter are larger than the enemy's. The critics declare that in the face of the latest developments it is no matter whether we kill Germans south or north of the Aisne. The situation generally is satisfactory beyond the most optimistic calculations of a few weeks ago. The completeness of the success is evidenced by French and British batteries being established at eight o'clock on ground from which they began to drive the enemy at four o'clock. The Germans are able to use artillery only to a very small extent, and are compelled to rely on machine-guns, which arc steadily silenced. The German casualties have been exceedingly heavy. Their bTavery is unquestionable to the point of hopelessness. The advance showed the splendid combination of the British, French, and Americans. The Crown Prince's offensive may be regarded as having collapsed, at least until September, when the newest German recruits will appear iv the field.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)