NEW FRANCO-BRITISH ADVANCE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 311, 20 September 1918, Page 5

NEW FRANCO-BRITISH ADVANCE

•■ : ■ DEFENCES. PIERCED 01 ■-."'".. w . WIDE SECTORS THE DRIVE IN THE ' BALKANS BIG HAUL OF PRISONERS AND ■■ : . BOOTY ■ • After a bridf period of comparative quiescence/ save for local operations, the British, in co-operation ■ with the French, havo launched a new offensive against the Hindcnburg line from Holnon to Gouzeaucourt (British) and Holnonto Essighy-le-Grand (French). The British front of attack is sixteen miles,-while the French front is over seven. Alroady the British and Fronch have penetrated the defences to respective depths of three miles and ono and a quarter miles. The tally >of prisoners so far as the news to date goes is 6000, with many guns. A "Tim.es" message states that part of the objective is to regain the lines held prior to the German offensive on March 21, which fronts but nowhere crosses the Hindenburg line, and that already that, objeotive has been attained on a front of ten miles. The Germans aro fighting desperately, evidently with a Ml understanding of the strategic value of their positions. There is no material ohange in the situation elsewhere in the West. The Allied offensive in the Balkans is attaining important dimensions, and there is a perceptible weakening of the Bulgar resistance. The advance has attained a depth of ton miles along the i Zborsko-Cherna front. On the Italian front Austrian attacks have been repulsed with heavy losses.