Picardy Battle

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4953, 21 August 1918, Page 5

Picardy Battle

Mangin Opens Attack Sained

(i Jnitetl Pjcasa Association — Vaxty right.)

Australian and N.Z. Gable Association LONDON, August 19. General Mangin’s Tenth Army has developed an offensive promising important developments. At 6 o’clock on Sunday evening the Tenth Army attacked between the Oise and the Aisne on a front of 15 kilometres, and penetrated to a maximum depth of three kilometres by half-past 10. They had then captured five hundred prisoners. The important factor is the seizure of a high ridge south of Ardignicourt, threatening the German positions and lines in the vicinity of Soissons, which the French may even turn. The new capture has given them on •the east of the Oise what Lassigny massif lias given them on its west,. The French lino now runs from Fontenoy along the Mourionvingre ridge, south of Ardignicourt, Numpoel, the southern edge of Mountain Wood, and Tracy le Val. The French army also attacked in the neighborhood of St. Mard Beauvraignes, also north-east of Nevnuy sur Matz. Little progress was reported, hut 350 prisoners were taken. A French communique reports :—- There was violent artillery fire during the night north and south of the Avre. We took prisoner yesterday four hundred of the enemy west of Roye. At 6 o’clock last evening between the Oise and the Aisne our troops rectified our front on a stretch of about fifteen kilometres, between south of Carlspont and Fontenoy, making on the whole line an average advance of two kilometres: We occupied the plateau west of Nampoel and reached the southern ridge of Ardingicourt ravine, capturing Nouvionvingre, and taking prisoner seventeen hundred.

BRILLIANT FRENCH SUCCESS. THREE VILLAGES TAKEN. 2200 PRISONERS CAPTURED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Eeuter’s. (Received August 21, 1.40 a.m.) LONDON, August 20. A French communique states: — Between the Mat/, and the Oise wo continued our progress and captured Fresnieres, notwithstanding a desperate resistance. We reached the outskirts of Lassigny. Further south we succeeded in debouching in the Thiescourt woods. On our right we captured Pimprez and pushed as far as the southern outskirts of Dreslicourt, north of the Aisne. Completing our success between Carlepont and Fontenoy, we captured the village of Moreain. The number of prisoners we hare taken in this region since yesterday reached 2200.

NEAT SURPRISE ATTACK.

ENEMY MOVING BACK

DISQUIET AMONG GERMAN TROOPS.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received August *2l. 12.45 a.m.) LONDON, August 20.

Air. Percival Phillips states: — Four out of five German armies facing the British are now occupied with a backward movement. It is not a general retirement, but the front involved is sufficiently wide to cause further disquiet among the German troops. Yesterday the German Sixth Army lost its remaining high ground overlooking the Lys Plain, when tli« Scots and Welsh took Outerstreene spur by a neat surprise. The Germans were expecting an early morning attack, but we launched a smoke screen at II o’clock in the morning and attacked from the -north instead of the west. Therefore the Germans were surrounded before they could rally.

SLOW METHODICAL ADVANCE.

ENEMY RETREATING ON THE SCARPE. r HUNS SHORT OF HORSES. j Reuter’s Telegram? ' (Received August 20, 9.10 p.m.) LONDON, August 19. Reuter’s correspondent at British headquarters, writing on the evening of the 19th, states:— From north of Hebuterne to south I of Albert, the Germans continue to slowlv and methodically move back. | There are now signs of a retirement in the Scarpe valley, where our patrols established contact- with the enemy on both banks and made progress on the south bank. Prisoners state that the object of the withdrawal is to secure improved positions before winter and conserve man-power. In a captured document LudendorfF bemoans the shortage of horses_ and urges the necessity for the strictest care as they cannot be replaced. The shortage is so serious that _ officers animals are ruthlessly requisitioned. ROLL OF PRISONERS CROWING. 3000 IN THEItAST 24 HOURS. Australian ajad N.Z. Cat>le Association. (Received August 20, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON. August 19. The United Press correspondent states i During the past 24 hours the Allies have netted nearly 3000 prisoners in various operations. The French gathered in 1700 by a mile advance as far as Nampoel, including a Divisional Staff officer and three battalion commanders. _ Heavy fighting at Beuvraignes resulted in 123 prisoners, while the French took another 33 this morning north-westward of Roye and also captured the Bois de Braquement for the second time in 12 hours after a momentarily successful German counter -attack. ■ , The British took 669 prisoners near Outersteene.

BRITISH SMASH ATTACK.

PE OGRESS AT MERVILLE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter's. August 20. 10 p.m.) LONDON. August 19. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy this morning strongly attacked our positions on a mile front between Lihons and Horlevil e and succeeded in penetrating our lino a* tivo points. . Our counter-attack drove them out and the situation was completely restored, while vre mflict--5 many casualties and took n few Pr Our 6 advanco on, the Merville sector was continued and there was riderable progress on a front of entered Merville and reached the road through. Merville from ers and machine-guns. . Dut total of prisoners m the neighborhood of Ontterstene is no, R7A including 18 offiocis. 6 We brought down six .aeroplanes. Oneßritish mach ine is missing Wo dropped sixteen tons of bombs day and night.

enemy reports.

german communique

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter b. CReceievd August 20. 11.55 P-m-) (IleceievQ NDONj August 19. A German offigal says. We repulsed Bnttsh svo ad _ tween Tetern and ii northward of vanced our lmes at Harlcville%roke withdrew to «.e lasting many hours. LATEST ENEMY REPORT. Admiralty —Per (Received August 21, 1.10 a - m -) LONDON, August 20. A German official report says There was a vigorous day-long battle between the Avre the Oism Drench attacks on a wide front broke down with heavy losses.