THE OFFENSIVE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17860, 5 August 1918, Page 5

THE OFFENSIVE.

GERMAN RETREAT

FURTHER FRENCH PROGRESS. LONDON, August 2.

A French communique reports:— We made fresh progress during the night north of the Marne.

RECAPTURE OF SOISSONS

ALLIES ADVANCE NORTH OF VILLE EN TARDENOIS.

A. tad N.Z Catilo Association and Koutei. (Received August 4, 6.5 p.m.) PARIS, August 3 (1.30 a.m.). A French communique states: —Attack in the last two days by the French und Allied troops north of the Maine obtained complete success and pressed hard on the whole line. The Germans hare been forced to abandon their position of resistance which they had organised between Fere on Tardenois and Ville en Tardenois, and we have expedited their retreat. On the left the French troops' entered Soissons. Further south we crossed the Crise on Its whole length. In the centre wo progressed on a wido front north of the Ourcq. We advanced'beyond Arcy and >Ste Reitine ,and penetrated the Bois d 6 Dole. Further east we took possession of Coulonges. On the right we took .possession of Goussancourt, Villers, Aougny and Ville en Tardenois. On this part of the front we carried our lines five kilometres north of the Dor-mans-Rheims'road, on tho general lino of Vezillv-Lhery. Between tho Ardre and the Vesle we occupied Gueu« and Thillois.

During July 31 seven German aeroplanes were downed. Twenty-two tons of explosives were.dropped omaviatioa grounds between the Aisne and tho Veslo and cantonments and bivouacs in the valleys of the Ardre and the Vesle. An American official report, dated August 2, states:—Yesterday fin the -line of the Ourcq in hard fighting we captured Hill 230, southward of Coulonges, and tho woods eastward of tho hill. On the morning of August 2 tho enemy commenced to fall back. We ore in close pursuit and our advance has already progressed to a depth' of five miles and continues. Our aviators successfully bombed railroad, station and yards at Conflans, causing several fires and a large explosion.

PROGRESS ON THE AISNE. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Bentex. (Received August 4, 6.5 p.m.) PARIS, Aumist 3. A French communique issued on August 8' at 4.50 p.m. says-:—At nighttime our troops continued to advance towards the Vesle. They reached the Aisne between Soissons and Venizel.

ON THE VESLE LINE. The High Commissioner report*:— LONDON, August 3 (9 p.m.). A French official message says:—We reached Courvelle and Champigny. More thaa fifty villages were recovered yesterday/

THE GERMAN SIDE.

OFFICIAL CLAIMS. A. and T- .'.. Cable Association and Reuter. (Received August 4, 5.5 p.m.;, LONDON, August 2 (11.40 p.m.). A wireless German official nressage says:—We lepulsed attacks in front and on both sides of Villemontoire and as far as Hartennes. Strong Franco-British forces attacked from a line northward of Grand Rozoy-Fere en Tardenois. Their tanks on both sides of Bretfgneux crossed our front lines ;>nd reached the heights north of Breugneux but were shot to pieces. We sanguinarily repulsed the infantry attacks Enemy attacks north of Uiergos also failed.

END MUST COME BEFORE NEXT YEAR. . (Received August 4, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 3. Persistent reports from Germany indicate the Higb Command's conviction that the war must bo concluded, whether won, lost or drawn, before 1919. The German activities during the past four months on the west front have been conducted on a more costly scale than ratioual command would

permit, indicating a headstrong policy, aiming at results regardles; of the loss in men and material. Tho German casualties have been very great, but |pn accurate calculation is impossible. Another two months of fighting on tho rame scale would put tho Allies in an immensely superior position., Although Germany has called up this year 400,000 recruits, the quality is poor a because the best have already been iaken. Scarcity of food and other conditions of distress in Germany have had a severe effect, which is reflected apon the army.

A CHANGE IN TONE.

AMSTERDAM, August 3. There has been a noteworthy change From the boastful comments, of the perman newspapers. Tho '' Frankfurter Zeitung, reviewing the war, says:—"Wo must admit that tho Entente has overcomo tho crisis consexjuent on Russia's defection and also the submarino campaign. Four years' war still leaves the situation tolerable for the enemy."

BRITISH CORPS PRAISED. NEW ZEALANDERS IN THE BATTLE. . (Received August 4, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, August 3 General Berthelot, commanding between tho Marne and Rheums, in an army order to tho British, Australian and New Zealand troops, says: Directly you arrived you threw your army corps ardently into tho struggle, harassing tho enemy in the Ardre Valley, which was so liberally sprinkled with German blood, thanks-to the proverbial heroism and tenacity of tho Briton 3. You mauled four enemy divisions, took 1300 prisoners, and captured 140 machineguns and forty cannon. All these are added to the glorious pages of your history. Marfnux, Ghaumazy and Bligny must be inscribed in letters of gold in the annals of your regiments. France will remember with deep emotion your brilliant bravery and perfect comradeship in tho battle." Mr G. H. Perns, describing General Borthelot's reception of tho Britons, Australians and New Zealanders, who marched past tho General along a road within tho enemy's gunfire, says:— What every Frenchman murmured was, " Just look at their stride How sturdy they are. Thoy must bo a fresh division." Mr Perris says: Tho Frenchmen wore wrong. The British corps had been fighting for ten days ceaselessly, and had taken a brilliant part in defeating the Crown Prince, but they swung alone to tho sound of bagpipes and brass bands in perfect order, Though some of the companies were sadly thinned, all wore brushed clean of the" trench mud, their, rifles were polished, horses were groomed, and their waggons spotless. They fully deserved General Berthelot's praise.

DETAILS OF THE FIGHT

HILL 205 CAPTURED Router's Telegrams.

LONDON, August 2. Router's Correspondent at tho Frenoh headquarters, writing Jate on Thursday evening, said:—Tho English and Scotch co-operated with tho French in an attack on the Flossier Muleu-Fcra en Tardenois sector. Tho infantry attacked at four o'clock in tho morning, aided by squadrons of light tanks, which proved very useful. The region is one of deep valleys and steep hillsides, and the enemy resisted strongly. Every thicket hid machineguns,' and the woods and villages were all organised fortresses, which must be outflanked.

They were taken singly nevertheless. _ Tho Allies advanced considerably by six o'clock, and the important Hill 205, a mile north-east of Grand Rozoy, was taken two hours later. The British-French battalions have taken up new positions on the captured ground.

The Germans, depending mainly on machine-guns, made little use of their big guns. They counter-attacked heavily further north against the Scottish at Buzancy, but our troops are holding magnificently.

Beuter's Telegrams. (Received August 4, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 3

Router's correspondent at French headquarters, writing at 11 p.m. on August 2, states: The retreat is general. The Germans may hold on tho line of the Vesle, but it is possible that they will be obliged to retreat to tho Aisne. Anyway they have lost all they gained in the offensives of May, Juno and July. The question now is whether they will risk the remainder of their reserves in a sudden blow on another part of the front. If they decide to tempt fortune again they will find the Allied armies ready. The British are now pressing through Concroy Wood, a mile east of Villemontairo, and the French army is advancing steadily. Cavalry patrols ore far advanced and horse artillery and engineers are accompanying the infantry. It has been raining heavily all day and tho condition of the roads retards the advance.

(Received August 4. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 3

Mr G. H. Penis, writing on Friday morning, says:—lntense fighting ensued when General Mangin resumed tho offensive between lye Plessier Hulou and Fere en Tardenois, to tho north of the Oureq. The'British joined the French in an onslaught which resuited in the capture of a number of strongly organised villages, woods and important heights commanding the solo railway, whereby tho Germans were bringing up food, ammunition and reliefs lor the sorely-harassed troops. Every thicket and hamlet was a miniature fortress, ' bristling with machine-guns, but they failed to stay the Allies' rapid advance. The important village of Hartennes, which was tho scene of most desperate combats a week ago. when tho Allies wero crossing the Soissons Road# was captured.

Eeuter's Telegrams. (Received August 4, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, August 3 (evening./

A semi-official message .says:—The capture of tho heights north of Grand Rozoy was desperately resisted. Woods, villages and thickets were so many fortresses, swarming with machine-guns, but the assault, assisted bv tanks, was pressed with such vigour that tho chief positions were captured after two hours. Violent counter-attacks were superbly met, and by tho evening the Germans were fleeing northwards. Tho French completely hold Soissons. Tho cathedral was shelled and is riddled. Yesterday's progress on a fifty kilometres front between Soissons and Rheims averaged a depth of three to four, and in some places ease, kilometres. Somo of tho pursuing elements have already reach-

cd the Voslo. Tho retreating enemy is burning crops and villages. Braine and Fismes are in flames.

FISMES IN FLAMES. (Received August 4, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, August 3. Fismes is in flames. The Germans have retired east of tho Ardre. The French havo reached the Aisno east of Soissons, near Veniel, procuring a big haul of prisoners. After Soissons was captured tho enemy retreat becamo general. The Allies arc preparing to cross tho river Vesle.

SANGUINARY STRUGGLE FOR SERGY. LONDON, August %

Tho "Daily News" Paris correspondent gives some remarkable details of the Americans' forty-eight hour battle for Sergy. No prisoners were taken. Tho Germans received an order ;o throw the Americans back on tho left bank of tho Ourcq. Tho American battalion took an oath to bo killed to the last man rather than retreat. The Germans made fourteen attacks, bu'u the Americans held firm. The Germans flew a red cross from a ruined church in Sergy, which was a nest of machine-guns. The earliest American attackers, seeing tho flag, advanced in tho open, but. were mown down by the machine-guns. The Germans paid heavily for the uso. Their losses were teirible. Finally, three hundred Germans, who wero defending tho Cc-ulonncs Road, wero surrounded and exterminated by the bayonet.

Tho Franco-British attacks captured the watershed between tho Ourcq and tho Aisne. On a ftvc-milo front they advanced three miles, and now command the country as far as tho Crise Valley. This probably deprives the onemy of facility for retirement. It will bo difficult for the enemy to avoid retirement to tho River Vesie. Some circles consider that this is the turning point of the summer campaign, possibly of the whole war.

IMPORTANT POINTS UNDER FIRE Router's Telegrams. (Received August 4, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 3 (evening). The anniversary of Franco's entry into the war was appropriately marked by the stirring news- that the Crown Prince's army was Jigain in full retreat. The immediate cause of tho retreat is tho brilliant success of the armies under Generals Mangin and Degoutte north of tho Ourcq, who effected a junction at a right angle, making it possible for a beginning to made on August 1 with the task of clearing tho important ridgo dividing tho Crise and the Ourcq. Tho British in General Mangin's army started their operations * from Grand Prozoy. Tho French, co-operating with them, carried not merely the summit but tho reverse slope of the ridge, sccurino: observation behind tho Hartennes plateau. Meanwhile in the centre the enemy bastion in Meuniero W6d, two square miles in extent, was carried. Thus the enemy's hope of establishing his lino disappeared. He has indeed already suffered a strategic disaster, owing to the reversal of the strategical position brought about by General Fooh's counter-stroke and his hasty retirement upon the Vesle cannot be easy, as tho only jrocd road availablo passes through Coulonges. which the French captured yesterday. The Allies' guns aro now within rango of Bazoches, where the only railway connection from the nortli crosses the Vesle into the salient and also to Fismes, which is the main storehouse for tho Gorman offensive, while Braine, between Barzochcs and Soissons. through which tho main road out of the salient passes, is also exposed to gunfire. Hence experts aro now prophesying that tho withdrawal is likely to continue ovor the Aisne.

ALLIED COMMENT. GENERAL MAURICE'S REVIEW. LONDON, August 2. Major-General Maurice says that Britain cannot look back with much satisfaction to the fourth year of the war. That we muddled through a period of great peril we may say with a thankful heart. Tho prospects for the fifth year were much brighter than there was reason to anticipate a few weeks ago. We must admit, after four years of bitter experience, that wo havo not yet learned how to wage war. The Germans are not our superiors in generalship. Our failures have bdCn mainly due to the fact that our statesmen havo not realised that military advice to bo effectivo must be organised. Consultations by statesmen with individual commanders instead of discussions with tho staff had involved delayed nction. If this year's war is to bethe last, the Government must organise our war machinery on scientific lines, equip the general staff to give advico and take no other, and also to ensure plans of action should bo prepared in due time.

WHAT RETIREMENT MEANS. ■ LONDON, August 2. The French attacked yesterday between tho Ourcq and tho SoissonsChateau Thierry railway, capturing a ridge forming tho watershed between tho Ourcq and the Aisne. On a fivemile front the maximum advance was three miles.

Tho French, with British co-opera-tion, pushed tho'line well down the northern slopes. Tho operation is probably tho most important since the German retirement on tho Marne began, because tho ground gained commands tho whole area north-west to tho Criso, and probably to the Aisne and tho Vesle. It attacks tho flank and rear of the wholo western gatepost of tho pocket through which the Germans had been retiring, and on which the safety of tho retirement depends. Tho valley of the Criso is a nest of Germnn reserves and field artillery. The importance of the operation is almost incalculable, and it is difficult to see how the' enemy can avoid retiromfent with all speed beyond the Vesle, and also how ho can bo safe until ho gets there. The most interesting developments may be expected shortly. Tlio situation is regarded as extraordinarily good in homo circles, which look upon the latest movement as the turning point of tho summer campaign, and possibly of the whole war. The enemy can only remedy it by a successful coitnter-attack or employing heavy forces to stavo off retreat. If ho lights to the utmost, it will bo all the better for us, as he will use up more divisions and suffer greater wastage. Tho situation on the whole West front is now good. Tho enemy's numerical superiority is very small.

GERMAN MORALE WEAKENED. (Received August 4, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, August 3. It is probable that tho Veslc-Ardre lino has already been turned. The Anglo-French po.unding was the direct cause of tho fall of Soissons. The Germans retreated without burying their dead, loaving enormous quantities of guns and supplies. A further advance is expected. There was great rejoicing at tho French entry into Soissons, which is hailed as an important victory. Semi-official advices show that' tho German morale js greatly weakened by the Allies' success. German officers are now so enraged that hey have ordered the Germans to shoot any Allied soldiers attempting to bury their dead or to recover wounded.

SEYENTY-TWO DIVISIONS USED

(Received August 4, 6.5 p.m.) LONDON. August 3. Military critics state that tho Germans have now put in seventy-two di-

visions in the latest attempt, including eleven from Prince Uupprccht s anny". Eight of the latter have been m the lino twice. The Germans have used tho equivalent of eighty divisions since dtuy 15. Tho Allies have used nothing like that number. The main enemy difficulty is to keep his battalions up to strength. The Allied reserves in this quarter are larger than the enemy s. Critics declare that in face of the latest developments it is not a matter whether the Allies kill the Germans south or north of the Aisne. Tho situation generally is satisfactory beyond tho most optimistic calculations of a few weeks ago. The completeness of the success is evidenced by the fact that the French and British batteries by eight o'clock were established on tn<3 ground from which thev began to drive the enemy at four. Tho Germans are onlv able to use artillery to tho smallest extent, and are compelled to rely on machine-guns, which arc steadily silenced. The German casualties are very heavy. Their bravery is unquestionable, even to the ppint of hopelessness. Tho advance showed tho splendid combination of the British, French and Americans. Tho Crown Princes offensivo may bo regarded as having collapsed, leastwiso until September, when tho newest German recruits will appear in the field.

THE BRITISH LINES. ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Router. LONDON, August 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports increased hostile artillorv flic south of the Sommo and south of Ypres. RAIDING OPERATIONS. A. «nd N.Z. Cable Aeßochtion and Bcutei(Received August 4, 5.5 p.m.; LONDON, August 3 (1.30 a.m.) Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Wo raided east of Dickcbusch Lake, and wo repulsed a raid in the neighbourhood of Fouchy. Patrols, occupied a portion of the enemy front line in tho Albert sector. The "hostile artillery is active between Bethuno and Bailleul.

Our avirtors dropped over twentyfour tons of bombs on August 1, a large numbci being directed against an aerodrome from a, very low height, and greatly damaged the hangars. Six hangars and sixteen; machines were sot on fire, and one machine was blown to pieces on the ground. Wo downed twelve aeroplanes and drove down three. Our night fliers also downed two night bombers over their own aerodrome. Two British machines are missing. Wo at night time dropped ten tons of bombs on railway lines, stations and aeVodromes.

MAN POWTt IN FRANCE. CALLING THE 1920 CLASS. PARIS, August 2. The Chamber debated the calling up of the 1920 class. Many Socialists demanded that beforo France made fresh sacriiices tho Government should obtain from all tho Allies the effectives of the class corresponding to France's effort. M Abrami, Under-Secretary of War, announced that the older classes will be scut homo when tho 1920 class will bo serving. No man of the 1891 class, or earlier, will bo serving.

Reutcr's Telegrams. (Received August 4, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, August 3

Tho Senate passed a Bill preparatory to calling up the 1920 class if necessary. M. Clemenceau said that the French had made enormous sacrifices, but would go on. doing everything necessary for victory.

DEPORTED BELGIANS. A TOTAL OF 227,000. WASHINGTON, August 2. The Belgian Legation announces that of 227,000 men deported from Belgium to Germany to tho beginning of 1918, 200 havo been allowed to return. They arq victims of typhus and tuberculosis owing to underfeeding and cruel treatment.