A COMPLETE SUCCESS

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 57, 4 September 1918, Page 8

A COMPLETE SUCCESS

ENEMY RETIRING ON WHOLE

BATTLEFRONT

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S HIGH

PRAISE.

(AUS. AND N.Z. CABLE ASSN. AND RBDTER,) (Received September 4, 1 p.m.)

LONDON, 3rd September. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Monday's operations south of the Scarpe were completely successful, and the enemy was neavily defeated in prepared defences of tie Drocourt-Queant system, with the result that he is retiring this morning along, practically the whole battle-front. In Monday's cattle, besides inflicting heavy losses, •we took t prisoner about 10,000 men. Our troops are now advancing, and are reported to have entered Pronville, Doignies, and Bertincourt. : ' The Canadians showed tho greatest skill and courage on Monday in storming the Drocourt-Queaiit lines, which have been perfected during the past eighteen, months, and which provided a most formidable obstacle, furnished with every device of) modern engineering. The defences here were reinforced to such a degree that on a front of 8000 yards eleven German; divisions were identified. Undeterred by the strength of the defensive organisation, the , Canadians, assisted admirably by English troops on their left, carried all before them.

Southward of the Canadian Corps, English, Scottish, and Naval troop3 oJ the 17th Corps, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Ferguson, performed a. no less gallant arid arduous task in storming the junction of the Drocoart, Queaufc, and Hindenburg systems. These positions were of the most formidable character, but the troops swept over and around iihem, encircling Queant from tho north, with the result tliat this important pivokf ell into our hands at nightfall. . ■

The Tank'Corps again assisted materially] in the success of the operations.