LASSIGNY UNDERSTOOD TO BE CAPTURED

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 40, 15 August 1918, Page 7

LASSIGNY UNDERSTOOD TO BE CAPTURED

EFFECT OF THE ADVANCE

ROVE PROBABLY UNTENABLE

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(BX TELEOBA2H. — TOUTED PRESS ASSOCIATION. — COPYRIGHT.)

(AUSTEAIiIAN-NBW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

(Received August 15, 8.30 a.m.)

LONDON, 14th August. The Pall Mall Gazette understands that Lassigny has been captured. LONDON, 14th August. General Rawlinson's Army is meeting with desperate resistance west of Chaulnes. LONDON, 13th August. Heavy fighting has occurred on the Vesle at Fismette, north of Fismes. The Allies held positions on the north bank of the river, but a heavy counterattack compelled'them to retire to the- south bank. Subsequently they regained the ground. The enemy is-'exhausting his reserves, and drawing troops from" the lines and extending his divisions on the flanks. This process cannot be continued for long. The French now occupy the whole crest of the Lassigny massif, and it is considered inevitable that the German line northward of the ridge must fall back. Roye will then become untenable; and its evacuation is expected within forty-eight hours. The guns/were brought up more quickly than •was anticipated, and Noyon will be under fire immediately. Chaulnes may be held for a day or two longer, but its evacuation cannot long be postponed. Tho battle continues to rage violently on the whole of the forty-mile front between the Oise and the Ancre. The maximum depth over which the infantry has penetrated is thirteen miles, with an average depth of nine to ten miles. The Crown Prince and Prince Rupprecht are draining their lines elsewhere in order to obtain reinforcements. The British have captured 400 guns, the French 250, while tho British haul of prisoners numbers 20,000 and the French 10,500.

(Received August 15, 11 a.m.)

NEWVYORK, 14th August. The Australians have conquered all tfte enemy positions on the western buttskiris of Bray, and now hold Oatcaux Wood.;

(published in the times.)

LONDON, 13th AugUßt.

1$ is authoritatively stated that the Crown Prince, as well as Prince Rupprecht, is now contributing men to the Ancre and Oise front, hoping to check the Allied advance. It is anticipated that the French heavy guns will shortly bombard Noyon, and cut off the enemy's main roads of supply.