ALLIES TAKE THE OFFENSIVE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 259, 20 July 1918, Page 7

ALLIES TAKE THE OFFENSIVE

- ON; A FRONT OF TWENTY-FIVE MILES GERMANS COMPLETELY SURPRISED • ; .-.' By Telenraph-PKne-Aawciatton-Copyright. ■■ '...". .-. • London, July 18. •'■ General-Foch has commenced an offorisive on the front between Soissons and Chateau Thierry.. It is expected that the attack will save Paris and Reims. The ■attack is on. a front, twenty-five miliw wide. Splendid and rapid progress is being madci and prisoners and .guns are coming in.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. J "FRENCH GAIN FOUR MILES OF TERRITORY THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS AND MANY GUNS CAPTURED. London, July 18. The French 'attacking on tlio Aisne have gained- four miles of . territory. Thousands of prisoners lj.ive been captured, besides many guns. The French artillery has reached the German railway communications, affecting the area vest of Reims'. The offensive was a complete' surprise to ,the Germans. The Allies' guns dominate' the town of Soissons. It is believed that a general German re■tirement" from the Mnrne is impending.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE FRENCH COMMUNIQUE ■•-.• .'.■,-.'..'-'• .... v (Kec.July 19;' 7.10 p.m.) .'>..:.: . .;j ~.-;. ■ , .;; ;,„.„„, !"•.• :\,-,,:! ,i;i.; ■..<,. i -London, July 18. A French communique aays: "•Wβ attacked• this morning "from the, r.cgipn of >Fonten6y-sur-Aisne as far as 'tho region of 'Belleau. :Wo 'advanced .at certain points' fronl t,wo to three kilometres, and took prisoners. Thcro was no ebango during the night on the Marne and ir. the Champagne, south-west of Manteml-la-Fosse. We stopped a violent enemy attack north of Prosnes. An attack by enemy Guard troops failed completely."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assrt.-Reuter.

AMERICANS CAPTURE OVER A DOZEN TOWNS AND VILLAGES ■ ■•■ '• ■ / .'; '/ .■ V .' ' FKENCH WITHIN THREE MILES OF SOISSONS. Vancouver, July 18. The United Press correspondent on tho West front states that the Americans have captured more than a dozen towns and villages between Soissons nnd Chateau -Thierry. The Americans have taken -1000 prisoners. A Paris message states that the Jfiench are within three miles of Soissons.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. BRITISH ATTACKING AT SEVERAL POINTS ■'■■■•.■•■ . London, July 18, 6.25 p.m. The British have' begun attacks at ccveral points—Reuter. . THE ENEMY'S ALTERNATIVE PLAN : -" ; - -' •' '"■ '■" ' (Rec. July 20, 0.45 a.m.) . ■■-.-. "■■ •• •'■ ■ ■■• ... London, July 18. ' The French are still bombarding the Marne bridges. 'The enemy undoubtedly has an alternative plan in caso of failure. It now remains to be seen what it is. He probably means to combine the present offensive with something else. Epornay is now in no-danger, and it is tinhkely that it will be taken, Ihe enemy is still half a mile from Courcy. There was heavy rain yesterday.-Aus.-N.Z;"Cable Assn. .. . ■ ■"•■ / JUBILATION IN NEW YORK. , .' . . New York/July 18. ' The Americans passed beyond their objectives. The receipt of tho news in Wall Street caused stocks to bound several points. The City Hall bells wore rung to announce- the victory.—Reuter, GREAT ENTHUSIASM IN SYDNEY. ißec. July 19, 10.15 p.m.) -. • •• • ' . Sydney, July 1!). ' News of-the Franco-American success created the greatest enthusiasm. Tho paper sellers were besieged. Impromptu gatherings sang the National Anthem. Stocks havo risen strongly. Bells and steamer whistles proclaimed the victory.— Press Assn. GERMAN ATTACKS MISSED FIRE .". ' PLANS OF THE HIGH COMMAND UPSET.

;.■■'■•'■.' . . London, July IS. ■ Tho enemy renewed his attacks nest and cast of the Reims salient,' capturing the western portion of La Bourdonnerie village and the heights which tho French, retook on Tuesday. Tlin French are again counter-attacking. Ihe Germans remained unable to debouch from Prunay. The advance has lost is breakneck speed, and it is a favourable sign that, villages arc- changing hands repeatudlv. The enemy during tho third day succeeded in advancing Ins line towards 'important positions, which lo may subsequently capture, provided he possesses the. requisite, forces. On tho other hand tho enemy, has tailed to gain the strategic advantages which are the necessary .preliminary to tho vast converging westward movement which was the plan of the High Command. The German pincers have slipped in tho Champagne between Prunay and Jlassiges, ■ where a rupture' would have- enabled the enemy to cross the Roman Kernel and reach Suippes, and tlienco move towards Chalons. Here our line holds. Tho German attacks missed fire. At only one point the enemy succeeded in advancing to-day, after two unsuccessful attempts. At 11 o cock,tins morning tho Germans, attacking on a six-mile front, penetrated to a depth or a mile and a. half at the deepest point,, in. tho Mountains of Reims. The advance was mado at enormous cost. During, the.night the French repulsed two violent attacks at Vrignay and Beaumout-sur-Vesle. The French re-entered two villages, which were strenuously disputed, including Mont Voisin. The French nrtil ery dominates tho Marno Valley, which is being heavily shelled. The Irench hold the whole ot the hirh ground'overlooking tho valley, with tho exception of one point. Jho offensive, which the enemy hoped would develop into a drive, is now regarded as a failure,,and has become u series of iocal and disjointed actions. If can therefore be truly described as a German defeat; but. probably the battle will continue for some time, with fluctuating results. The Germans still possess a large number of available reserves, but it is believed that, owing to this failure,.the High Command may determine to reorganise, and use the reservce to assault another part of the line. The increased" German bombardment of the British front is regarded a* significant. Taking this in conjunction with tho fact that the enemy has at no point advanced one- hird ot the distance set out in his programme, and tho colossal German casualties, tie l'rcncn. are full of .hope that tho '"enemy will not succeed in taking Eeinis. J hey anlicij pate that tho utmost efforts will bo mado to capture the city by ramming tactics. In the event of the Germans gaining possession of tho Mountain ot Reims, tho tenure of the city will become, precarious. It is evident that von Lmlendorff planned a rupture of the Champagne front to isolate the Jjroncli armies and exploit the success by local battles. Further stem fighting is inevitable, because the enemy is compelled to continue his attacks in order to save ins .face.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable'Assn. , FRENCH' STEMMED THE CROWN PRINCE'S ADVANCE. Paris, Juty 18. . Tho French havo recaptured Mont Voisin, stemming tho Crown Prince's adyance towards iipernay.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aran.