Hopeful Signs along the Line.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IV, Issue 240, 24 September 1914, Page 4

Hopeful Signs along the Line.

ENEMY’S JIGHT TURNED. French Capture St. Quentin. Germans Attempt to Retake the Town. (Received 24, 9 a.tn.) London. Scot. 2 U “ Ihe Times," 111 a leader on the bat.tle of the Ai.»u< , . .iy.s . "All along the Imo the signs are hopeful, and at all point-' there are indications of advantages hating been gained.’ ('Received 24, 1.1 5 p.m.) After terrific fighting between Pcioimrt and Saint Quentin, the German right appear-, to have been turned. •The Germans occupied Pcronnc on the 16th, holding a strong position, with the hills behind and marshes in front. The French were ordered to take the position at all costs. They combed the German trenches with artillery, but the Germans stubbornly held on, the guns from the heights causing severe execution among the French. I lie hitter then stormed, and advancing in several narrow columns, bayonet ted. the Germans in their trenches, and gamed the position, the Germans falling back to Saint Quentin. Fresh reinforcements arrived and pursued the Geimans to the suburbs. Savage street fighting ensued, and the Germans were driven back, until ordered to abandon the town. The Germans are now making an effort to retake the town. OPERATIONS NEAR BELFORT. FORTRESS NOT ATTACKED. London, Sept. 22. A correspondent touring 111 the Dijoji and Belfort regions supplies the first intimate news of the doings of the French eastern armies. The French occupied German villages in Alsace, bolding them for outpost purposes. Belfort had never been attacked, although Germany reported its capture. The French defended the village of Montreuxvieux. Ihe German infantry approached the canal on the boundary. A French sergeant rushed out under heavy lire and coolly lowered the canal bridge, earning a decoration. Ihe Germans, under heavy fire, retreated. PROGRESS OF THE BATTLE. SITUATION PRACTICALLY UNCHANGED. Paris, Sept. 23. OFFICIAL. —On the Woevre the enemy* made a violent attack on the heights of the Meuse on the Tresauvaux-Vigneulles front, but were unable to gain a footing on the heights. The enemv on our right in Lorraine have again crossed the frontier with services of small columns, and re-occupied Domeux, sjouth of Blainont. We, on Sunday and Monday , captured twenty supply motor cars belonging to the staff, and a number of prisoners. The enemy along the entire front of the Oise and the Wocvrc was active on Monday without appreciable result. The enemv on our left on the right bank of the Oise was forced to give ground. The situation between the Oise and the Aisne is unchanged. The enemv has made no serious attack, but continued the prolonged cannonade 011 Monday evening. The enemv between Reims and Louvain ( ?) attempted the offensive, but were repulsed. We made some progress between Louvain and Argonne. There is no change between Argonne and ti c Meuse. [Note.—Trcsauvaux and Louvain, or Souvain, arc unidentified towns.] FICHT ON THE NOYON HEIGHTS. GERMAN BA TTERIES WIPED OU T. London, Sept. 22. Wounded prisoners report that the Germans made a determined stand near the Noyon heights. I lie French brought more artillery' from the cast and put a number <>l guns out 01 action. Two batteries were wiped out. The French pressed home their opeiatioiis. lhe lurcos behaved splendidly, participating in the 1 rem hmen's final rush, their bavonets compelling the enemy to retreat. Nine guns were captured. BATTLE IMMINENT NEAR BRUSSELS. ALLIES ADVANCING IN STRONG FORCE. G 1 RM ANS STILL GOING SOUTH. Antwerp, Sept. 2J. Several divisions arc advancing against the German army’ coips basqd on Biussels. Ostend, Sept. 23. lhe Germans 1:1 Belgium are still going southwarci. THE FIGHTING FROM THE 14th TO 18th. A SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT. The Government has received an extensive cablegram from the High Commissioner, supplementing and continuing the account published on the 18th, covering the operations during the period from the 14th to 18th of September:- ** On the 14th (he Germans were making a determined resistance along the Aisne. Their opposition was at first thought to be possibly of a rearguard nature, not entailing a material delay' of our progress, but the action was developed and it proved to be more serious than anticipated. lhe Germans are acting to gain time for some strategic operation, and this may not be their main stand. The fighting, however, is such as to make it indistinguishable from what is known as a pitched battle, though the enemy showed sigils of disorganisation during the early days of their retirement. “ Whether it was originally intended by them to defend the position thev took up as strenuously as they have done, or whether the delay gained for them by artillery during the 1 2th and 13th has enabled them to develop their resistance and reinforce their line to an extent not originally contemplated, cannot yet be said.”