FRENCH GAIN THE RIDGE AT LASSIGNY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 280, 15 August 1918, Page 5

FRENCH GAIN THE RIDGE AT LASSIGNY

. SOME BITTER FIGHTING AHEAD A NEW OFFENSIVE REPORTED By Telograph-Preas Association-Copyright. Tho Allies have renewed the offensive east'of ChnulnS! S,« oyacuat.ni; the trenches on tho Oiso River, west of Bailly (six milessouth of Noyon). The French have. massif of Lassigny " U °* , Th» French have reached the crest of the Lassigny holl the northern corner, and there is desperate fighting. The French are nre ins closo to Roye on tho west and Bouth.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Ann. P GREAT FIRES BEHIND THE GERMAN LINES. ' f . Tho ',' Pp i i(; Journars"' correspondent on tho. British front Chaulnes Garbonnel, Suzanne, llerincourt, and .Pennine are burning.4teuter ' THE FIGHT FOR THE MASSIF HEAVY GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACKS EXPECTED. (Rec. August'l4, 7.45 p.m.) The French have captured l'Ecouvillon, and also ground north'of St" Cliude larra putting them almost on the crest of the Lassigny ridge. T'hceneuv holds the ridge on the highest point of the extreme northern coiner ITnf iln several days before tho French will be able to work down the'slopes of the far side and also get tho artillery on tho crest, when tho' enemy's communications at Royo wiH ho undor observed fire. The Germans are expected to.counterattack in considerable strength oa this sector. Tho'capture of les Lows bv tho French is also important, as they aro now pressing close to Roye from tho" west and south, and apparently hold all the high ground there. The Germans are evacuating the trenches in iho bed of tho Oiso River, west of BaUly-ius-N Z table Assn. J ' ' STUBBORN FIGHTING ON THE RIDGE. . '• (Rec. August 15, 0.10 a.m.) The French repulsed a counter-attack on the massif of Lassigny after stubborn fighting. Although the French hold the crest the German still hold out on the north-eastern spur. There is no news to-day concerning the French .irN^Se^i£. W ° odj _^_ Whioh th * ™ last SFRIGHTFUL SLAUGHTER BY AIRMEN OVER LASSIGNY (Eec. August 15, 0.15 a.m.) i„ ,T reS ?^ deßi at F - ren , ch Headquarters, writing on the afternoon'of fs»i V l at %\ ■a e V?W V 5 t des P er ? tol y. cllll S'«g to the western and southern edge of tho ihiescourt hills, between Lassigny and the Oise. The key to tho whole position is St. Claude Farm, on a hill six hundred feet high, just cast of Mareuil Lamotte, and dominating the whole region. Further north between i J , an • J he B ?'. s - de L °S es > the Germans hold a line of old entrenchments shifted with machine-guns. Tho capture of Bois de Loges on the morning of August 12 was effected with magnificent dash./ The Germans, counter-attackinc in the afternoon, reocennied part of tho wood. Prior to the great attack on Lassigny quo of our air scouts noticed dense columns of men and transport nourine fhrougu the village. The French sent' 121 'planes to attack them. Twenty-seven tons of bombs were dropped on the Germans in tho streets of Lassigny. Men and horses were killed, fires were started, and the streets were blocked with the wreckage of the wagons. The march of the German columns was retarded for hours. —Router. MANOEUVRE TACTICS WINNING THE DAY (Rec. August 15, 1.25 a.m.). -Un i ii XT -c- , <mv „ New York, August 13. ,! ra ? iy ,' « ° I N u W V rlc \ Tim fl, correspondent at the French front, emphasises the tact that the character, of the fighting is undergoing a change and 31"°" tu affa,r .. of .mnnoMivrcs rather thffii the frontal assaults of trench mi Fare. These tactics caused the fall ot Jtontdidier and are now threatening Roye and Lassigny. Meanwhile the enemy is duplicating the retreat tactics of the Marne, and desperately endeavouring to hold back our advance in order to permit the removal of his guns and munitions. There was a wonderful bombing exploit by British airmen who demoralised a convoy. The result presented i ■ hellish scene at Bottleneck Road, whore ndcscribable confusion seized the panicstricken men, stampeding horses,, and Inmb-slnitocd vehicles. The British airmen also flew low, overtaking trains and firing through the window -Aus -N 7, Cable Assn. . ENEMY'S SUPPLIES MENACED AT NOYON (Rec. August 11, 7.15 p.m.) It is authoritatively staled that the Crown Prince, as well as' Prince Rod prccht, is now contributing men to the Ancre and Oiso front, hoping to check tho Allied advance. It is anticipated tint the French heavy guns will shortly bombard Noyon, and cut off the encm.-' s main supply roads.—"Tho Times.'' FALL OF ROYE EXPECTED SOON i (Rec. August 11, 8.35 p.m.) rr i> ii- i ii it i •„. London, August 13. Heavy fighting occurred en the Vcslo at Fismettc, north of Fismcs. Tho Allies held positions on he north bank of the river, but a heavy counter-attack compelled them to retire to the south bank. Subsequently thev regained tho ground Tno enemy is exhausting his reserves, and draw'ing troops from tho lines and extending his divisions on the flanks. This process cannot bo continued lor long Ihe French now- occupy the wholo crest of tho Lassigny massif. It is considered inevitable that the Gorman lino northward of the rid-o mast lull back and Koyo will then become untenable. Its evacuation is exnected within forty-eight hours The -guns wore brought up more quickly than was anticipated, and Noyon will be under fire immediately. Chaulnes mnv bo held for a day or iwo longer but its cvacuahon cannot long be postponed. The battle continues to .rago violently on. the whole of the forty-milo front between tho Oise and the Ancre. Ihe maximum depth over which tho infantry penetrated is thirteen miles, with an average depth of nine to tea miles. Tho Crown Prince and Prince Rupprecht.arc draining their lines elsewhere in order to obtain reinforcements. The British captured four hundred guns, the French 250, whilo tho British haul of prisoners numbers twenty thousand and tho French 10,500-Aub.-N.Z. Cable- Aesru