WESTERN FRONT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17862, 7 August 1918, Page 7

WESTERN FRONT.

THE GERMAN RETREAT.

ACROSS THE A-ESLE.

A. and N.Z. Cablo Association and Reuter.

LONDON, August o. An American official report states:— AVo have taken Fismes, and hold the south bank of the A'eslo in this sector.

RESISTANCE NORTH OF THE VESLE. Router’s Telegrams. (Received August 6, 5.40 p.m.)

LONDON, August 5

A French communique states:— Tliero is nothing special to report. O'tir light units which crossed tho Vesle everywhere encountered ..resistance) by the enemy.

STIFF FIGHTING. Reuter’s Telegrams. (Received August 7, 1.50 a.m

LONDON, August 5. Router’s correspondent at the French headquarters, writing on the afternoon of August 5, says that tlie enemy’s artillery lire is very heavy along tho whole line of the Veslo and tho Germans aro offering a very vigorous resistance. Nevertheless French patrols have crossed tho river at several points between Sermoise and Fismes, where tho Americans crossed, and between Fismes and Muizon. Tho Germans on tho north bank aro abundantly supplied with, machine-guns. Between Mincon and Rheims, wlioro wo aro firmly established on 'the south bank, there has been very hard fighting. A hot encounter occurred at Van tea farm, near Muizon for tho passage of the river. After it was captured tho Germans sent across two detachments to retake it, but both were repulsed after severe fighting. AVest of the Aisno the onomy stubbornly resisted our passage of tho river.

On tho Avro the French occupied tho whole lino of wooded hills overlooking Hie steep river valley from] Brachcs to Mesnil St Georges. Hard fighting is in progress for Hargicourt, on the left bank, where the Germans aro holding tho railway station. The enemy is - still in Morisel.

THE GERMAN SIDE. OFFICIAL ADMISSIONS. LONDON, August 5. A wireless German official messago states:—On both sides of Albert wo withdrew posts without interference to the east bank of tho Ancro.

A. and N.Z. Cablo Association and Router. (Received August 7, 12.5 a-m.) LONDON, August 5. A wireless Gorman official message save:— Northward of Montdidicr wo withdrew from tho west bank of tho Avrc and tho Dom brook. AVo also withdrew to tho north bank of the Veslo before a strong attack on Fismes.

LUDENDORFF’S SECRET ORDER

Rcutor’s Telegrams. PARIS. August o. Tho “ Matin ” has published a secret order by von Ludendorff referring to certain new tactics. Ho says:—“The situation with regard to reserves compels us ’to perfect them, as they aro absolutely indispensable. Avoid the old fault of attacking in mass formations. By all. means wo must reduce our losses.”

AVILD RUMOURS IN GERMANY “ Tlio Times " Sorvico.

LONDON,

August 5

Tlie “Berliner Tagelilatt ” states that the Marne defeat has produced nti unparalleled outbreak of utter discouragement and downheartedness, and wild reports, including ono that the Kaiser and von Hindenburg had been murdered, and another that von Hindenburg had been killed in a duel with Prince Ruppreoht. The police placarded the streets with threats of severe penalties to the spreaders of tho rumours.

A COMMANDER’S LAMENT. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, August 5. A captured Army Order by General von Quast, commanding the Sixth German Army, complained of the steady deterioration of. discipline and the misplaced clemency of courts-martial, tho men’s unsoldierly bearing towards their superiors and their slackness in saluting.

DETAILS OF THE FIGHT. SCENES IN THE RECAPTURED COUNTRY. LONDON, August 5. Correspondents on the If'ranco-Ameri-can front emphasise the importance of tho fact that the Marne salient has disappeared. German leadership during tlie retirement was seen at its best. Tho troops hare shown no sign of broken spirit, though false strategy from tho outset involved defeat. The villages between the A 7 eslo and tho Aisne are stall aflamo. and the district reeks

of. smoko and tho acrid stencil of explosives where tho enemy destroyed clumps. The retirement steadily continues, tho' Allied cavalry meeting only rearguard screens. Tho roads northward of tho Voslo aro choked with transport waggons, progressing slowly owing to tho deep mud.

LOSSES IN RETREAT. Rc-utcr'o Telegrams. LONDON, August 5. Reuter’s correspondent states _ that since tho Crown 'Prince began his retreat his armies have fallen back twenty miles and lost 40,000 prisoners.

ENEMY RETIRE NORTH OF THE

VESLE.

LONDON, August 5. The enemy has retired to the noi th bank of tho Vesle. Tho French crossed the river at four places, despite stubborn resistance by strong rearguards, who destroyed most of the bridges- iho French further progressed in the neighbourhood of Soissous, capturing tho suburb of Saint Vaasfc, giving control of the river bend east of the town. Tho situation, generally, is regarded as highly satisfactory. There arc indications that tho enemy does not intend making a permanent stand on the Aiene, and will probably retreat to Chemin des Dames, which is one of tho strongest positions in Franco. Meanwhile he is endeavouring to hold up the French advance while withdrawing vast accumulations of stores and munitions. NEW YORK. August 5. Tho Germans arc making _ a stand along a portion of the Veslo river. The wet weather is favouring them. General Mangin’s army so far has captured five hundred cannon. Tho French have reached the railway between Montdidier and Amiens.

THE SHADOW OF DEFEAT. (Received August 7, 1-50 a.m.) LONDON, August 5.

Tho United Press correspondent states Iho Germans are now at bay. They arc in full retreat to the Aisnc- They were forced to abandon positions on the Avro and the Ancre and near Givenchy. Besides tho failure of their summer campaign, there is the steady disappearance of their'reserves- Tho Germans are equalled, if not outnumbered, by the eager forces, which are weekly increasing by tens of thousands, of absolutely fit Americans. Hindcnburg and Ludendorff aro seeking to arrange the western front and to shorten tho line here and there, adopting a defensive attitude behind rivers and other natural barriers. They have one Chosen spot where they will collect, all the available remnants for one last try for a decision. Meanwhile the oppressive shadow of defeat hovers over their army. Prisoners admit that tho spirit of hopelessness is spreading. The following letter, from a soldier on the Marne to a friend newly-arrived on the British front from Germany, fairly represents the sentiment among a large part of the enemy: —“ You will bo in the thick of things now. Shirk all you can. Wo arc only fighting for the bigwigs now. Wo were in tho Marne* lighting. Wo did not got far. Our regiment was nearly wined out. This war is becoming the biggest massacre that ever was. Germany is slowly crumbling to pieces.” .There are indications that Germany is making desperate efforts to coerce Austria, to help in France, and that she is soliciting neutral labour and assistance from Austria. Bulgaria, Turkey and Russia, with a view to freeing German workmen for military duty. German prisoners frankly say that they do hot believe it possiblo for Germany to continue tho offensive.

Entente opinions at tlio front go i"n tho direction of declaring that the fifth year of the war ought to see tho finish.

ALLIED COMMENT

OFFENSIVE ABANDONED

PARIS, August 5. Since Friday the Germans have retreated between seven and eight miles along the Rhoims-Soissons front, evacuating nearly two hundred square miles in forty-eight hours, and leaving thousands of unburied dead and millions of rounds of artillery ammunition, and vast quantitos of other material. Critics consider the withdrawal beyond the Veslo, together with the retirement on the British front, indicated that Germany’s decision is to definitely abandon offensive tactics.

mo present battle marked a complete change in the methods of warfare. Infantry can be seen marching on the roads instead of creeping along communication trenches and saps, and wriggling through barbed wire. Widely extended cavalry scouts precede the infantry, boldly spreading out over the fields and passing in and out of thickets seeking out enemy detachments and machine-gun nests. *'Tho Thaos ” Service. PARIS, August 5. It is unlikely that the Germans will risk a great battle with tho Aisne behind them, but whether tho retirements tiro a prelude to a vast retreat liko that of 1917 will soon he revealed. TWO GREAT FACTORS. LONDON, August 5. Hilairo Belloc, writing in tho “ Daily News,” says:—Two great factors dominate tho situation: Firstly, the Allies' recovery of the initiative on July IS; secondly, tho steady mechanical increase of tho Allied numbers. THE SUPER-GUN'. Router’s Telegrams. PARIS, August 5. Tile long-range bombardment ot Paris has been resumed. THE BRITISH LINES. POSITION ON THE ALBERT SECTOR. LONDON, August 5. Mr Percival Phillips says:—Tho Germans’ ■ retirement on a twclvo miles front in the Albert sector apparently began on Thursday night. The enemy sent up signal lights all night long in order to deceive, tho British. A correspondent understands that Albert has been evacuated, but as it is lying in a hollow, exposed to fire and observation from both sides, it is little moro than a great shell and gas trap.

WITHDRAWAL NORTH OF LA BASSEE. NEW YORK, August 5. The Gormans are retiring north of La Basseo.

LOCAL OPERATIONS.

A. and N.Z. Cable Association ancl Reuter.

LONDON, August o (evening). Sir Douglas Tlaig reports :—We took prisoners a few in the neighbourhood of lo Neuvillo Vitasso. Hostile artillery is active at nighttime opposite La Bassee, northward of Bctluino and at points between Hazebrouek and Ypres.

A, and N.Z. Cable Association , and Router. (Received August 7, 12.5 a.m.) LONDON, August 5. Sir Douglas Haig reports :—Wo advanced our posts slightly at Pacaut Wood, east of Robecq. There was hostile artillery fire south of Ypres-

THE GERMANS DESPONDENT. Reuter's Telegrams. (Received August 7, 1.15 a.m.) LONDON. August 5. Router’s correspondent at British Headquarters, writing on the evening of August 5, states:; —The now situation in the Aucia area will presently settlo

down. The enemy front lino across the Ancre now skirts tho high ground north of Dernancourb, thence eastward to Meaultc, so that tho two sides face one another across a wide, deep. valley, with open observation, rendering infantry operations difficult and costly. The ebbing Gorman morale, under the influence of recent events, is vciy real. Tho High Command is paying tho penalty of concealment and misrepresentation. Prisoners aro unanimous in discrediting tho statements of von Ludendorff. They generally agree that sixty thousand prisoners and eight hundred guns havo been captured since July 12.

WAR IN THE AIR.

ALLIED AIR RAIDS,

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, August 5.

Sir Douglas Haig’s aviation report states: —We dropped five tons of bombs, and night fliers dropped five tons on railway stations at Steenwerck and Fismes. Threo British machines are missing.

A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter (Received August 7, 1.15 a.m.) LONDON, August 6. Sir Douglas Haig’s aviation report states: — Weather hampered our operations on August 4. We dropped 7£ tons of bombs during daytime and brought down six hostile machines. Night flying was impossible.