RAPID PROGRESS IN NEW SERBIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 228, 24 September 1918, Page 5

RAPID PROGRESS IN NEW SERBIA.

DRIVING NORTH ALONG THE CZERNA.

LOXTJON, September 23. A French eastern communique states:—The French and Serbian armies, , on Saturday, on the Dracheviso massif, broke the serious resistance of the Bulgarians, reinforced by German troops. Pursuing their successes, the Allies northward passed Vozarei and Kavadar, in the direction of Negotin, 40 miles north-west of Ghevgeli and Demir Kapru, on the Vardar, 21 miles north-west of Ghevgeli. The enemy are destroying material wholesale in the region of the VaTdar and Doiran, where they are burning stations, munitions depot, and aviation parks. The number of prisoners and guns captured is increasing. The Serbians captured a complete group of mountain guns and a battery of 105 millimetre guns. The aviators continue to harass the retreating enemy. In the eastern part of the Czerna bend the enemy has begun to retreat. The French and Greeks north and north-east of the Dzena massif continue to make progress in conjunction with the Serbians. An earlier communique stated:—The pursuit of the defeated Bulgarians continues, despite increasing resistance by the enemy's rearguards. The Serbian forces have reached the Middle Yatasha. On the left Allied troops have crossed the Czerna in the region of Cebren. They have captured the high summits of Poraa and Dzena. The Bulgarians are setting fire to abandoned villages. One of their field batteries wae captured intact. The airmen are indefatigably bombing the. retreating columns and attacking them with machine-guns. A Serbian communique states:—We advanced over 12 miles northward on Friday. We are now several miles north of KavaTda. We captured 12 more guns. German and Bulgarian reinforcements are continually arriving. An Italian official report from the Macedonian front states:—ln the Czerna bend, in conjunction with the general Allied offensive, the Italians began a vigorous advance on Saturday, capturing the enemy's ixpiil positions. (A. and 2f,Z- and Beuter.) ....._ . --___. L_L'_ l_