ST. MIHIEL CAPTURED

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 September 1918, Page 5

ST. MIHIEL CAPTURED

WESTERN THEATRE. CONSIDERABLE GAINS. AN AMERICAN REPORT. LONDON, September 13. An American official report states : This morning our troops, operating in the St. Mihiel' sector, made considerable gains. Assisted by French units, they broke the enemy’s resistance and advanced at some points to a depth of five miles. We have- hitherto counted eight thousand prisoners. The operation is still in progress. A French communique states: The American attack in the St. Mihiel region is developing under the best conditions. AMERICAN SUCCESSES. TEN THOUSAND PRISONERS. OTTAWA. September 12. The “New York Times’s” London correspondent states: The Americans on the east of St. Mihiel have advanced at tlie point of greatest depth a distance of five miles.

The “New York World’s” correspondent on tlie West Front states: The Americans on tlie St. Mihiel salient have captured approximately 10,000 prisoners, nine howitzers, guns, and considerable supplies. .

ST. MIHIEL CAPTURED. UNOFFICIAL REPORT. OTTAWA, September 12. The United' Press- correspondent on the West Front states: It is unofficially reported that the French have captured St. Mihiel. ST. MIHIEL CAPTURED. TWELVE THOUSAND PRISONERS (P ress Extraordinary.) Received This Day, 9.30 a-xn. NEW YORK, September 13. The Franco-Americansi captured the St. Mihiel salient. Twelve thousand prisoners were taken. AMERICAN ATTACK. SPLENDID ARTILLERY WORK. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, Sept. 13. The Daily Chronicle’s correspondent on the American front says: General Persian g* has launched a limited objective attack on a front of 32 to 37 miles for the purpose of straightening the St. Mihiel salient. We put up a night artillery preparation on a grand scale. The guns were unlimhered at 1 o’clock. The roar of the artillery recalled the attack on Yerdun. Details of the battle unfolded slowly, but it can be said that the Americans swept towards the second enemy positions ahead of schedule time. The resistance was not stiff, though it was not

IS IT POSSIBLE?

BAD WEATHER

tame before the second line was readied, but there the sharpest encounters developed, delaying the advance. The Americans were undaunted and valorously pushed on. The operations augur well for the future.

Nothing at present is more outstanding than the skill of the American artillery fire. The Germans _ attempted to silence the American batteries fifteen minutes after they started, but the Americans blotted out the counterfire in exactly thirty-five minutes. Other accounts show that the American advance narrowed the bottle neck at St. Mihiel to six miles and probably cut off the German divisions.

The total prisoners are 0500. The United Press correspondent reports that the Americans completely flattened out the salient. The prisoners thus far number 12,000. IMPORTANT RAILWAY. IN ALLLIED HANDS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 18. The Yerdun-Toul-Nancy railway is now in the Allies’ possession.

TWELVE THOUSAND PRISONERS AMERICANS’ BIG SUCCESS FRENCH DRIVING AHEAD GERMANS ON THE DEFENSIVE RESISTANCE INCREASING

FRANCO-AMERICANS, GOOD PROGRESS MADE. LONDON, September 13. The United Press correspondent at the American Headquarters says: The Americans and French attacked on the western side of the St. Mihiel salient. They are pushing on in the region of Fresnes on a 15-kilometre front. The French, who were on the peak of the salient, kept pace with the Americans, thus pinching in the sides. More than 100 tanks, manned by Americans, aided in smashing in the powerful concreted Bosohe first line. The tanks operated behind a. dense smoke screen. The weather is ideal for air fighting.

Many prisoners are already passing to the cages and the total will probably be large. Many prisoners are from the crack Tenth Division, which took part m the Marne offensive in July. There is little infantry resistance. The first villages were captured in 45 minutes. The woods and other stroiifr points were then enveloped.

A FURTHER. ADVANCE

PARIS, September 12.

Military critics here are discussing The Allies’ prospects of a. further advance, now that the German retreat has stopped at the Ilindenburg line. Floods and wide trenches prevent the use of tanks, so there is a reversion to the old system of artillery preparation- This is necessary to shatter immense stretches of entanglements. Vast numbers of aeroplanes are dropping great quantities of explosives, and thus will assist the artillery and probably will help towards effecting surprises. The actual fronts attacked may ha limited, but surprise and secrecy are necessary so as to avoid the Germans) massing troops at threatened

points. General Ludendorff is labouring under a delusion if he believes that General Foch will not attack before the spring.

BRITISH UNDAUNTED,

LONDON, September 12

Late to-night Sir Douglas Haig reports '• Despite had weather, nr operations were continued successfully this morning. In the Havrincourt sector, English troops captured Treseault and the old British trench lines, east and north thereof. On their rig!it the New Zealanders progressed east of Gouzeauoourt Wood. They overcame an obstinate resistance by the Jaegar Division. At Havrincourt the G2nd Yorkshires. who' carried this village on the 29th November, 1917, attacked for the second time over the same ground, and with like success. Other English troops attacked the place across the Canal du Nord, from the north of Havrincourt, and alter sharp fighting we captured the village and canal.

North of the> Bapaume-Cambrai road the Lanca,shires, after sharp fighting completed the capture of Moeuvres.

Wo took prisoners of a thousand in these operations. We have further progressed south of La Basse© Canal and north-west of Armentieres.

BRITISH ATTACKING. . NEARING ST. QUENTIN. LONDON, September 13Sir Douglas Haig- reports : Attilly, Yernmnd and Yen defies have been captured by us. These positions are directly fronting St. Quentin. Further north, the British hare crossed the Canal du Nord, northwestward of Havrincourt, wlr’oh is now ours. Y r e have established ourselves! on the west bank of the canal, eastward and northward of Moeuvres (directly fronting Cambrai, and about five miles westward). The attack before Cambrai, round Moeuvres, is being made by General Bvng’s army. That before St. Quentin is bv General Rawlinson’s forces.

THE ENEMY STANDS EIRM. STRONG DEFENSIVE LINE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received this day at 8.40 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 13. Tlie enemy shows no inclination to abandon the Passchendaele-Wytschaete-Messines lines. The recent enemy withdrawal along the whole Western front resulted in the shortening* of his lines, compared with those occupied on July 14th by over 70 miles, thus economising between thirty and forty divisions. The Germans now occupy a highly defensive zone and are unlikely to abandon it except as the result of heavy fighting. Although the enemy carried out his retirement with great skill it was only done by a heavy strain on his military machine. Our men are also tired, hut in splendid spirits. ENEMY REPULSED. A BRITISH REPORT.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

Received this day at 9.25 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 13. Sir Douglas Haig reports : English troops on Thursday gained possession of Holmon Wood, expelling the enemy from ilie locality wherein he resisted. Our line further north was ad vended eastward of the village of Jeancourt, which fell into our hands. During the evening strong forces, assisted by low-flying aeroplanes, attacked our neAV positions at Havrincourt, hut were repulsed with great losses. Opposite Woevres the infantry, assembling* for a counterattack, was subjected to heavy accurate artillery fire. The attack which developed subsequently, was completely unsuccessful, the few Germans reaching our positions being killed or made prisoners. RECENT FIGHTING. A GERMAN REPORT. LONDON, September 13. A wireless German official report states: English attacks were made in the evening against Marguion. They failed. In the Harvincourt Canal sector an attack also failed. Another later German official report states: Renewed English attacks between the Arras-Cambrai and the Peronne-Cam-brai roads have failed. GERMAN MORALE'. DETERIORATION APPARENT. LONDON, September 13. Reuter’s correspondent at British Headquarters, writing on the evening of the 11th, says that the state of the morale of the German Army is indicated by the demeanour of the prisoners from the Second Guard Division. It was recently withdrawn from the fighting less than a thousand strong. These prisoners are heartily glad to surrender and urged our men to continue attacking, assuring them that swarms of Germans would be only too anxious to surrender. Letters found on the prisoners were nearly all couched in terms of hopelessness and resentment. GOOD PROGRESS. FRANCO-AMERICAN REPORT Tlie Higb Commissioner reports as follows : LONDON, Sept. 12, 11.35 p.m French official.—Westward of St. Quentin, in conjunction with the British, we reached the Hob-non-Savy road. The American Army attacked this morning in the region of St. Mihiel, and the operations are developing with the best conditions. LONDON, Sept. .13, 1.5 a.m, American official—ln the St. Mihiel sector we made considerable gains, and assisted by French units broke the resistance at some points to a depth of three miles. Two thousand prisoners were counted and the operations ax*e still progressing. SUCCESSFUL RAIDS. A FRENCH REPORT. LONDON, September 12. This evening’s French report says; North of the River Ailettei we raided and took' prisoners. Two enemy raids have been repulsed in the Champagne and the Vosges. Artillerying is going on in the region of Rlieims and Fresnes. HAM IN RUINS. GERMAN VANDALISM.

LONDON, September 12

Reuter’s correspondent at. French Headquarters says: Ham is the largest town in the devastated country which the Germans spared in their retreat last year. It has now been visited with a destruction even more complete and more unjustifiable than Noyon, They methodically destroyed it by lire. The inhabitants evacuated and • infernal machines placed in the houses and fires were started. By pressing a button miles away bridges were blown up. Ham was undamaged by shell fire, neither side being interested in firing on the town. Lb*' only excuse that the Germans could make was that it blocked the roads against pursuit. This was invalid. The destruction of bridges alone had made it impossible for the French to enter the town until they were replaced. AERIAL WARFARE. “GERMAN BRAVERY.” HUNS METHODS EXPOSED. LONDON, September 12. The Belgian paper Libre Belgique, secretly published, contains under the heading “German Bravely,” an account of British soldiers, captured near Kemmel, being confined like birds in steel cages at the Evre aviation works, horribly neglected, with dirty, festering and untended wounds, the object being t» cause British airmen to abstain ( T'om bombardments.

THE ENEMY’S TASK

RUSSIA. A SANGUINARY FIGHT. GERMAN GARRISON WIPED OUT. STOCKHOLM, September 11. Advices from Kieff state that a sanguinary fight took place at Buiselooka, between a well armed body of peasants and the Germans. The peasants occupied the village, and wiped out the German garrison. A large number of the Germans were killed. the soviet government. PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFETY. AMSTERDAM, September 12. A German report from Moscow states the Soviet Government has ordered all the Peoples’ Commissaries to take careful measures for thensafety and to use only strongly armoured cars in the streets of Petrograd and Moscow, thus securing them against sudden attack. THE INDEMNITY TO GERMANY. A PORTION FORWARDED. COPENHAGEN, September 12. A part of the Russian war indemnity to Germany has been sent from Moscow to Berlin. It i§ .being car-' ried in four waggons, by a. special ’ train, and consists of gold and bank notes. TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY. PORTION IN ALLIES’ HANDS (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association^

Received tin’s day at 8-40 a.m. LONDON, September 18. The whole of the Trans-Siberian railway from , Vladivostock to Samara is now in our hands, and the process of dispersing the Red Guards in the neighbourhood of Chita is continuing satisfactorily. There ];,as been considerable lighting in the neighbourhood of Ekaterinburg, where it is reported that Trotsky personally commands the Bolsheviks, assisted by German officers.

The Czechs, when they captured Kazan, secured a large amount of bullion transferred by Bolsheviks from Petrograd and Moscow for greater security. Further south there is evidence of the concentration of Germans under Von Erchorn, the intention being to capture Tsartisin, with the object of separating the proEntente troops northward from those operating between the Volga and the Caucasus, and so obtain control of the western shores of the Caspian.

IN ENEMY COUNTRIES. THE GERMAN CAPITAL. HAS IT BEEN TRANSFERRED? BERNE, September 12. Herr Haase, on behalf of the Independent German Socialist Party, is raising a remarkable question a\ the Reichstag. He isi asking: Why has the seat of the German Empire been transferred from Berlin to Spa, where. General Ludendorff exorcises his powers a® Military Dictator? Herr Haase also is asking why the Great General Staff has its political, diplomatic, economic, financial and commercial sections 1 , exercising supreme authority over Count Hertling (the Imperial Chancellor), who holds only a subordinate position in the political department of the General Staff, with only the rank of major, and therefore takes orders from Ludendorff and Ludendorff’s staff. THE ARCH HYPOCRITE. KAISER’S APPEAL TO GOD. AMSTERDAM, September 12. One consequence of the crisis with the enemy isi a series of “Kaiser telegrams.” These are insisting that the Divine help, which hitherto has been granted to the Fatherland, will not fail now, and begging the people not to be demoralised by fluctuations in the situation. The unity of the nation and the aid given by God, declares the Kaiser, will doubtless withstand the enemy, and secure Germany’s future.

TO FIGHT THE WORLD. LONDON, September 13. The Kaiser, replying to an address from the Soldiers' League, described the soldiers’ tasks as b(jing to defend their homes at the front against an enemy, who, from all parts of the earth, were charging upon the Germans.

PEACE PROPOSALS. BURIAN’S FEELERS. AMERICAN CRITICISM. (Australian and N.Z, Cable Association. Received this dav at 8.55 a.m. NEW YORK, Sept. 12. The Times’ Washington correspondent says: Official circles are suspicious of the motives of Count Burian’s peace conference suggestions to the Austrian journalists. The opinion is that the most sterling feature in the statement is the frank doubt of the impossibility of.a German victory when it recalled what happened to Dr Kuhlmann. Officials declare that it is a confession of weakness, which no German statesman could make and retain his portfolio. Count Burian’s peace feeler will fall on deaf ear’s here. Members of the Administration realise that one of the greatest dangers to a just peace is the possibility that the Allies would be inveigled into a premature peace with an unconquered arrogant enemy.

THE WAR SITUATION. AN INTERESTING REVIEW*. BY BRITISH PRIME MINISTER. . , ■ LONDON, S.ept. 12. Mr Lloyd George dealt at length with the war situation in: a speech, at Manchester. He declared that the only thing' that could prevent a real victory was a failure of heart by the British people. He w r ent on to say that a League of Nations would not, itself, secure the world against a fresh catastrophe. ■ A League of Nations with Prussian military power triumphant would be the league of a fox and geese—-one fox and many geese — and the geese would greatly diminish iu numbers. He was all for a League,of Nations. Indeed such a league had begun. The British Empire is a League of Free Nations. The Allies also were now a League of Free Nations, and if, after the war, Germany repudiated and condemned the perfidy of her rulers, Germany also would be welcomed to the great League of Nations. The only sure foundation of peace, however,, was a victory for the Allies. Peace must be such as would commend itself to the commonjsense and conscience of the nations generally. It must not be dictated by the extremists on either side. We could not allow the Bolseviks to force upon us a peace so humiliating as to dishonor the national flag and make a repetition of the horrors of this war inevitable. When a satisfactory peace was secured we could proceed, with a clear conscience, with the building up of a new world. The first lesson of the war was the importance of maintaining the solidarity of the Briiish Empire. There must bo healthier conditions in the workshops. Bad health of the nation was a bad business for all. We must pay more attention to the schools, and initiate the best conditions for production. There must be a bold reconstruction policy after the war, but the war must first be won. There were disturbing social and economic symptoms all over Europe, which we must provide against in the time when we should enjoy the settled weather for the great harvest which is coming. Referring to the question of reaching peace, by negotiation, he declared that there could be no compromise between freecTom and tyranny. “We will fight,” he said, “to the end.”