SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPORT

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 36, 10 August 1918, Page 5

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPORT

SWIFT ADVANCE OF TANKS AND CAVALRY

' (AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION AND REUTER.) LONDON, 9th August. ' Sir Douglas Haig reports : Tho operations which were begun this morning on the Amiens front by the French First Army under General de Beny and the British Fourth Army under General Rawlinson are proceeding satisfactorily. The Allied troops assembled under cover of night, unnoticed by the enemy. At the hour of assault, the French, Canadian^. English, and Australian divisions, • assisted by ; a large number of tanks, stormed the enemy's lines on a front of over twenty miles, from the Avre at Braches to the neighbourhood of Morlancourt. The enemy was surprised. We made rapid progress at all points. At an early hour our first objective was reached on the whole front. During tho morning the infantry's advance continued, actively assisted by the British _ cavalry, light tanks, and motor machine-gun batteries. The Germans' resist- , ance was overcome at certain points after sharp fighting. The French gallantly attacked, and crossed the Avre, in spita of opposition, and carried the hostile defences. The greater part of our final objectives , north of the Somme was gained before noon, but in the neighbourhood of Chipilly. and southward of Morlanconrt, the enemy carried out a prolonged resistance until finally broken by our troops, who gained their objectives gallantly. The Allied infantry, south of the Somme, gained during the afternoon their final objectives on the whole front. Assisted by light tanks and armoured cars, the cavalry passed through the infantry and beyond the objectives, and rode \ down the German transport limbers in retreat, .surrounded and captured villages, and took many prisoners. We have reached a general line passing through - Plessier, Eoxain, Villers Beaucort, Caix, Framerville, Ohipilly, and / , westward of Morlancouri. It is Impossible yet to estimate prisoners, guns, and material captured, but there are several thousand prisoners and- many I guns." .