THE ST. QUENTIN-CAMBRAI BATTLE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 81, 2 October 1918, Page 7

THE ST. QUENTIN-CAMBRAI BATTLE

CONTINUED HEAVY FIGHTING

OUTBREAK OI 1 STORMY WEATHER

(AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

' '■ LONDON, 30tl> September, 2.35 p.m. •Sir Douglas JJaig reports: North of St. Quentin on.Sunday the 46th (Nprth Midland Division) captured 4000.prisoners and 40. guns.. The enemy's resistance was obstinate' between Bellicourt and Gonnelieu. The Americans, Aus- . • tralians, and English had heavy fighting ujitil the night. Despite strong opposition we gained ground and took many . prisoners. Counter-attacks pressed us < back slightly to the western outskirts of Bony and VillersGujjslairi. VVe main-" tamed our gains elsewhere, and made fresh 'progress north of Gonnelieu; in the direction of Les Rues dcs Vignes. ' Heavy fighting on the left of the battlefront compelled our advanced troops to withdraw from Aubencheul-au-Bac and Arleux. The enemy was unable to prevent our progress west and north-west of Cambrai, and our advanced detachments reached the junction of the ArrasCambrai and Bapaunie-Cambrai-roads, and entered the northern suburbs of tlw town. We repulsed determined counter-attacks on this, sector,- and inflicted heavy losses. Heavy, rain fell at night, and the weather is still stormy. - . (Received October 2, 8.30 a.m.) . .■■."■■••■•"*■';• LONDON^ Ist October. - Sir Douglas Haig reports: Dsspite the '-bad' weather*, and ■'strong -enemy resistance, we made., important ■ progress oh the St...Qu«ntiu-Cambrti,battl?frojit l ;

The :Ist Division south of Bellenglise resumed the attack in the morning and gained the high ground about Tiiorigny, captured the village and the east end ■/ of the canal .tunnel at Lotronijuoy. Many prisoner* were taken; Here the Ist Division was jpined by the 32nd Division, wtiich, during the night, carried the tunnel defences oh the eastern side and captured ■■ Letronquoy. 'Continuing 1 ,tlie advance to-day the 32nd Division made progress on the high ground northeast of Letronquoy and-east of Nauroy. On the English left the Australians attacked northwards along'the spurs from Nauroy to Oouy, and advanced with great determination astride the Hindenburg system; overcame strong resistance, arid captured 'a greater part of the high ground southward of Gouy. Many prisoners were captured. v . . . ■ ' Further north the English recaptured Villers-Guislain, alsd the spur southeast of the village, and before midday took Gonnelieu and reached the Scheldt Canal alongthe front from Vendhuile northwards. . The New Zealanders cleared the west/bank of the canal as far north as Crevecoeur. The English, after hard fighting at Rumilly and northwards, established themselves along the Ru-milly-Cambrai road. North of Cambrai the enemy again resisted, strongly, con- \ siderable forces, counter-attacking .frequently and violently. Despite his efforts the Canadians made further progress, taking prisoners, arid inflicting heavy losses. ■ ' ■ ■ . ' .•■';■"■:■'../ The. New Zealand High Commissioner reports:—*' * ' , V ",, ' '.■'"'• LONDON, Ist October, 11 a.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We have captured Irever^ies and Vendhuile, arid are dosing in on Cambrai. Proville and Tilloy.have also been taken.