Huns Still Retreating

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4964, 3 September 1918, Page 5

Huns Still Retreating

How “Aussies” Took Peronne

Positions Gallantly Stormed

Enemy krmles How Lack Gc-ard-inatson

His Retirement From Scimme Certain

MJnited Pxnss AssBeuter’s Telegrams.

iaiiot:—Csiyyright.)

LONDON, Sept. 1

During August we prisonered 57,318, of whom 1,283 were officers and took 657 including 150 of the heaviest and 5750 machine guns, 1000 trench mortars and other captures included three trains, nine locomotives and numerous complete ammunition and engineer dumps containing many thousand rounds of gun and small arms ammunition and immense quantities of other war material.

Reuter’s British Headquarters correspondent says: The unanimous spirit at the front is calm confidence. Everything lias gone excellently. The great machinery of our initiative has continued to work perfectly smoothly. The way the transport facilities crept forward in the wake of the advancing line was a marvel of organisation. To-day broad-gauge trains are carrying troops and stores in. places that a week ago were in enemy occupation. Considering the extent and importance of tlig operations, the nett casualties are very light. Moreover, a great proportion are clean bulletwounds caused mainly by machineguns. The British Third Army since the 25th have captured one hundred guns and eighteen thousand prisoners. The First Army since the 26th has captured) twenty-six guns and four thousand prisoners. Til© Neiv Zealanders took, inter alia, some 59 howitzers at Bapaume. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The Australians, showing great dash, enterprise, and daring, brilliantly executed night operations, seizing the hill and village of Mont St. Quentin, northward of Pcronne, thereby gaining possession of an important tactical feature commanding Peronne and the angle of the Somme river, capturing Feuillaucourt andj over fifteen hundred prisoners. Our' causalties were light.

FRENCH CONTINUE TO PROGRESS. MANGIN REACHES CRECY LA MONT. VIOLENT FIGHTING NEAR SOISSONS. * The Times. LONDON, Sept. 1, 8.40 p.m. General , Mangin, after a great fight, reached Crecy la Mont. Tlie French stormed Loury and captured 1000 prisoners. They also captured Fouy Le Petit. LONDON. Sept. 1. A French communique states: — The battle continues with extreme violence in the region of the Canal du Nord and north of Soissons. We made progress foot by foot, successively carrying stubbornly-con-tested centres of resistance. We carried Oampagne on the east hank of the canal. The enemy’s resistance was particularly violent at the village of Chevilly. which the Germans twice recaptured, it finally remaining in our hands. We enlarged our gains north of Happlincourt and Morlincourt and carried by assault Juvigny and Grouy. . W© reached the western outskirts of Leury.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association, and Beuter’s. (Received Sept. 2, 9.10 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— The Australians captured Peronne after beating off the enemy counterattacks at Mont St. Quentin last night. The Australians this morning renewed their advance in conjunction with the English on the left. The Australians soon stormed the German positions west and north of Peronne and pressed cn, while fighting continued among the reined streets and buildings, and earned the eastern suburbs. The Australians hold Peronne, Flamicourt, and St. Dennis, and have progressed on the spurs east and north-east of St. Quentin. On. the Australians’ left the London regiments attacked south-east of Combles and took Bouchavesnes and Rancourt, with the high ground overlooking them, and reached the western outskirts of St. Pierreevaaste wood. The Anglo-Australians overcame stiff opposition and prisonered 2000 and took a few g^is.

SOMME TOO HOT FOR THE HUNS. BRITISH THREATENING ALL THEIR POSITIONS. ENEMY ARMIES FIGHTING DISJOINTEDLY. The Times. (Received Sept. 3, I a.in.) PARIS. Sept. 1. M. Hutin says : “It is unlikely von Buelow will remain long on tlie Sonime as the British are threatening all his positions below the bend. “The feeling now is that the enemy, has so generally lost the initiative that lie is no longer able to coordinate even in defensive actions. “His armies give the impression that each is fighting independently.”

LATEST NEWS MOST ENCOURAGING.

ENEMY PREPARING FOR BIG RETREAT. MANY MORE TOWNS CAPTURED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received Sept. 3, 1.40 a.m.) LONDON Sept. 2. The latest news is most encouraging. Peronne has been captured and we are pressing the enemy’s rearguards. Fires eastward of Lens indicate that the enemy is destroying his stores preparatory to evacuating the town; also fires eastward of Armentieres indicate that the enemy is contemplating a retirement on a large scale. In this sector our patrols have pushed forward in the direction of Lens. South of the Scarpe we have reached the western edge of Hatnblain capturing Bullecourt and MorThe First French Army lias taken Roye le Petit; also Campagne, northward of Roye. . Mangin’s army is operating between the Aisne' and the Ailette We have captured the villages or Leury, Couchy, and Thierry and have reached the western edge of Cresy. Two thousand prisoners were captured on Sunday. On the whole front small local operations show only strong rearguards holding the b»er man lines.

ALLIES’ CAPTURES FOR AUGUST

57 000 PRISONERS; ENORMOUS BOOTY.

A GLORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association, and Reuter's. (Recdvea MS pvfnor Soured sSralfncourt We J-®"/, enemy hard m of' Bullecourt X o &nic°ourt “taking SrisoSer tangefcjn Ster-attaok Pg; continues Le-rarier and We reached Douhev g® ing enemy f*STNe“e Wise end Wplverghem.