ALLIED ATTACK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17881, 29 August 1918, Page 5

ALLIED ATTACK.

SEVERE FIGHING.

ENEMY’S COUNTER-ATTACKS. a. and N.Z. Cable A&sociatlon and Reuter.

LONDON, August 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports: —There was severe fighting on Monday afternoon between Maricourt and Bapaume, also north of that town. Tho enemy counter-attacked repeatedly in strength, incurring great, lasses from our fire, but ho was unable to arrest tho progress of tho English and Welsh, who pushed through Montauban and along the crest of the ridge, capturing High AVood and reaching Longueval. Here a heavy counter-attack at 6.30 in tho evening forced us back towards Bazentin-10-Graud and High AVood. On this line we broke up the enemy’s attack and, again advancing, established ourselves well eastward of High Wood. Early in the night the enemy counter-attacked for the second time, and was driven off by rifio fire before reaching our positions. Northward of High Wood tho enemy twice counterattacked in the neighbourhood of LignyThilloy (south-west of Bapaume), pressing back our advanced troops for 400 or 500 yards. His infantry wore then stopped and driven back. The New Zealanders, after fierce fighting, established themselves on the northern outskirts of Bapaume. Tho English, furthei north, made progress towards Beugnatro. They had hard fighting about Croisilles. On the right of the battlefront the Australians continued to advance astride the Somme, and substantially progressed towards Dompierre (south of the Somme) and eastward of Suzanne (north of the Somme). On the left of the battlefront tho Canadians in the afternoon captured* a ridge eastward of AVaneouri, and established themselves eastward of Guemappe. Northward of the Scarpe the Scottish, renewing the attack at night, substantially progressed towards Plouvain (north-east of Arras). Prisoners since the morning of August 21 exceed 21,000.

CANADIANS TAKE VIS. NEAV ZEALANDERS HEAVILY ENGAGED. A, and N.Z. Cablo Association and Reutor. (Received August 28, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 28. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Wo again attacked astride the Scarpo. The Canadians penetrated deeply between the Sensee and the Scarpo, and captured Cherisy, A’is en Artois and the Bois du Sart, taking many prisoners. On the Canadians’ right the Scottish crossed the Sensee and seized Eontaine loz Croisilles and established themselves on the slopes southward of the village, taking hundreds of prisoners. Other Scottish troops took llceux, Greenland Hill- and Gavrelle. The English took Arleux en Goheljo and the old German line southward of that point. Between Croisilles and Bapaume and further south the English and New Zealanders were again heavily engaged, and repulsed many determined counterattacks, inflicting heavy casualties. Despite tho enemy’s efforts, we stormed Beugnatro and progressed at several points between Beugnatro and Croisilles.

WITH THE EKENCH. COUNTER-ATTACKS REPELLED. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, August 27 (4.30 p.m.). A French communique states: — South of the Avro this morning we increased our progress in tho region of St Mard. after repelling several coun-ter-attacks. During yesterday we took 1100 prisoners, including thirtysix officers.

Between the Oise and tho Aisne the German counter-attack, west of Cluivigny, failed. A\ r o advanced our line twelve hundred metres east of Bagncux. There was lively artillerying in the night time between the Ailette and the Aisno.

GAINS ON THE AVIIOLE FRONT.

Reuter’s Telegrams.

(Received August 28. 7.40 p.m.) LONDON', August 26 (evening). General Debeney’s Third French Army to-day advanced on a front of eight miles to a depth of three miles, capturing Royo and Crapeaumesnil, while between > llerlevillo and the Somme the British reached the outskirts of Dompierre and the outskirts of Bapaume. The advance was about three miles at the maximum depth- A\> enptured Cherisy (on tho Sensee) and Gavrelle (north of the Scarpe). The entire Anglo-French advance is between two and threo miles on practically the whole front.

FIGHTING FOR ROYE. Router’s Telegrams. (Received August 29, 1.45 a.m.) LONDON, August 28

Reuter’s correspondent at French headquarters, describing tho fighting in the vicinity of Royo, which is now encircled, says that tho captures of Fresney k Croisette AVood and St Mard constituted a considerable achhievemont, becauso the fighting occurred in the old fortified lines which the enemy had reorganised. The Germans were surprised at Fresnoy, where the prisoners included a battaljpn commander. The bridges over the Avre during tho last few days were seized by the French, whose infantry, fighting waist deep in the water for hours, gallantly withstood all attempts to retake them.

THE GERMAN SIDE. OFFICIAL CLAIMS. k. and N.Z. Cable Association and Rente*. LONDON, August 27. A wireless German official message states: —The enemy penetrated our line running west of Mory and Bapaume to Marbinpuich. "We threw him back on the Thilloy-Martinpuich line, recapturing both places The enemy' took Gappy and Fontaine (south of the Somme). Southward pf the Ailette wo captured the height south-eastward of Pont St Mard, taking 400 prisoners. The evening official message states:— We regained Longueval and Montauban. ‘

THE AMERICANS. FIGHTING ON THE VESLE. (Received August 29, 12.40 «.m.) WASHINGTON, August 27. The Americans attacked the Germans on the Bazoches front. The Gormans attacked the Americans, and the struggle is continuing, on the Fismes front.

DETAILS OF THE FIGHTING

ENEMY RESISTANCE NEAR ROYE,

Reuter’B Telegrams,

LONDON, August 27. Reuter’s correspondent at French headquarters writes:—General Debeny at 5.45 in the morning attacked Fres-noy-les-Roye, the capture of which is announced in the French communique. The attack on the village which covers Roye from the north was preceded by heavy artillery fire. The village was strongly defended, and the Germans desperately resisted. Furious street lighting with bayonets and grenades ensued. The French repulsed several violent counter-attacks. The capture of St Mard apparently was the result of a brilliant little operation, the net result of which is a considerable improvement in our position round Roye.

HINDENBURG LINE PENETRATED AT MENINE'L. NEW YORK, August 27. The New Zealanders during the night outflanked Bapaume, and reached the railway north of the Bapaume-Cambrai road. There is street lighting in the outskirts of Bapaume. The French advanced south-west of Ro.ye, capturing 1100 prisoners. The British are nearing Beugnatre, north-east of Bapaume. There is hard fighting around Croisilles. The Germans have evacuated Bapaume. The Hindenburg line has been smashed in the Heninel neighbourhood.

FIGHTING FOR TIME.

LONDON, August 27

Mr Percival Phiiups says:—The Germans are clearly lighting a rearguard action, and are no longer wildly attempting to stabilise the line, though they are counter-attacking at some points in order to gain time. The enemy’s withdrawal south of Bapaume was difficult, because we had cut the roads. The Albcrt-Bapaume road was cut on Saturday and the MainetzPeronne road was cut yesterday. Oombles is constantly under the tiro of our heavies. 'Longueval, Ginchy, Guiilemont and other places are also being accurately shelled. The BapaumePeronno road is practically untenable. There is no wild forward rush on our part. The infantry keeps in close touch, and our supports are well forward.

A Prussian division advanced from Beugnatre in the direction of Favreuil. It was spotted by our airmen, and mercilessly cut up. Only a remnant reached Favreuil, where they fell as victims of the North Country troops, mostly by bayonet work. Many German dead ho in the village. We then pushed towards Beugnatre, where the British are reported to bo on the outskirts.

The Australians’ progress toward Pcronne is difficult, owing io the erratic course of the Somme and the outlying marshes, but the Australians are showing remarkable speed over the higher ground, which is rough and hilly, offering plenty of cover for machine-gun nests.

The Australians captured Cappy and Suzanne during the night time. Prisoners declare that they had expected to be left in pence. The principal obstacle was a solitary field-gun, which was fired industriously until the Australians, tiring of it, stalked it and disposed of tlio crew. Then the mop-pers-up chased the machine-gunners through cellars and the place was cleared. The resistance at Suzanne was slight, most of the garrison being taken prisoners. The Australian progress apparently continues. The latest news is that they are approaching the steep Vans Ridge, on the north bank, within seven miles of Peronne bridgehead, and Biaches, on the south bank. Tbe intervening country is rolling, mostly covered with old trenches. Apparently the guns and stores were nearly evacuated and only detachments of infantry remain.

EXCELLENT PROGRESS Router’s Telegrams.

LONDON, August 27. Reuter’s correspondent at the British Headquarters states: —Until Sunday night it is estimated that the enemy had been forced to use at least seventy divisions between the- Scarpe and the Aisne since August 8. Two thousand prisoners and some guns were captured as a result of yesterday’s extension of the battlefroni to the northward by the attack behind Arras. Our progress was excellent, considering the difficulties of the ground, and the casualties were of the lightest. A few tanks co-opeiateU, but perhaps it partook more of the character ef an

infantry battle than any in the recent fighting. Northward of the Scarpe we merely adjusted our flank. In the course of this operation tho Highlanders occupied the famous lteeux chemical works. The enemy has withdrawn into the wooded contours* eastward of Monchy-le-Preux, where ho is stiffening his resistance in favourable defensive country, especially in Sart Wood and “Jigsaw” Wood. Meanwhile ho is now well eastward of the SuzanneGappy line, while northward of the river he lias entered Vaux Wood. The enemy is still in Thilloy, and is reported in considerable strength easjt of Bapaumo and along the Cambrai road. It i 3 understood that at 4.45 this morning some Britishers attacked near the Somme, but details are at present unavailable.

THE CAPTURED SUPER-GUN. LONDON, August 27.

Mr Gordon Gilmour, writing, says: —The fif teen-inch gun among the Australians’ spoils is a costly weapon, with an immense steel emplacement on top of concrete. It had its. own electric power plant in the vicinity, but tho gun barrel was cracked the entire length, apparently by a premature hurst, and the gun had not been used for some time.

THE NEW ALLIED LINE. Editor’s Telegrams. (B,eceived August 28. 8-25 p.m.) LONDON, August 27. - General Debeney’s advance was between Crapeaumesnil and Hallu, south of Ghaulnes. The line now runs from east of Liancourt to Hallu, and east of Rerleville to the Somme through the outskirts of Dompierre- We captured Maricourt. Thence , the line runs to Flers and north to Bapaume. We leached the outskirts of Vaulx-Vrau-court. Thence the line goes to the out. skirts of Ecou3t, when it bends hack to Croisilles, which is still in German hands. From Cherisy the line runs to the outskirts of Roeux. Heavy fighting occurred in Delville Wood, and also at Longueval. Military critics attach great importance to the Somme offensive, because it affects the Hindenburg line.

Reuter’s correspondent at British headquarters, writing on Tuesday evening, states:—The concerted attack this morning by the Australians and other British troops began at 4-45 on a front of 8000yds northward of the Somme. It was completely successful, and by ten o’clock we apparently overran Moulin de Fargny, Maricourt, Bernafay Wood and Trones Wood. We captured hundreds of prisoners. Not the least important of the day’s success is theclearin of Vaux Wood. It is becoming increasingly clear that our pressure is forcing the enemy to expedite his retreat far beyond his original intention. Ihe talk of prisoners suggests that the rearguard fighting began on the'night of August 24, and that all the enemy attacks since liavo been in the nature of delaying actions to cover the withdrawals.

About six o’clock last evening a determined counter-attack was launched by the remains of the 100th and 17th German divisions, which are known to have lost 2600 in prisoners since August 8, irrespective of other casualties. The Welshmen fell back a short distance before the weight of numbers, and took up a position between High Wood an! Bezentin le Grand. Southward of the Somme the Australians are carrying out what they call “peaceful penetration,” consisting of patrol stalking, which is most demoralising to tile harassed enemy. Yesterday the Australians advanced to Fontaine le Gappy, which only a few days ago was a German divisional headquarters. This morning some Australians were reported six miles from Peronne. Eastward of Arras the battle, which began yesterday morning, reached great intensity by night, when the enemy attempted 4 o oust- us from the Wancourt spur. Ho failed, and since has steadily lost ground. We gained valuable ground in the Bois du Vert.

Reuter’s Telegrams,

(Received August 28, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 27. Reuter’s correspondent at British headquarters states:—There is an unconfirmed report that we have captured the Bois du Sart. In any case, we have passed the point attained, after long and bitter fighting, last year. This morning our troops worked towards Plouvain. The enemy’s artillery retaliation was comparatively weak. Croisilles still remains in German hands, and the sunken roads north and west of it are strongly held by the enemy infantrv. We are following the policy of not forcing tlio pace by the sacrifice of lives. The weather is gloomy, and aircraft visibility is bad.

OLD GUNS CAPTURED. LONDON, August 27. The British Fourth Army captured over 200 guns. They were a very .mixed lot, several being 5.9 naval guns and the others twenty years old. The fighting at Bapaume and along the Scarpe is of the fiercest character. There were many hand to hand encounters with bayonets and grenades in the glare of fires duo to the explosions of oil reservoirs caused by the British aviators, ulio continually harass the enemy. The prisoners include a number of Austrians.

WAR IN THE AIR

ALLIED AIR RAIDS

A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Router. LONDON, August 27.

A British Admiralty report says:—• Between August 19 and 25 aeroplanes, co-operating with the Navy, dropped twenty-seven tons of bombs on docks and aerodromes in Belgium, direct hits were secured on a submarine shelter at Bruges, and two largo explosions occurred, and big fires were caused at the docks. The enemy shipping and land batteries also were attacked. We destioycd five machines and drove down five others. Four British machines are missing.

THE RAID ON MANNHEIM.

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

LONDON, August 28. Tlio Air Ministry reports:—An attack on Manneim on the night of August 25-26 was delivered from a height of 200 feet, the pilots just avoiding tlio chimneys and an intense barrage over the housetops. Our bombs caused very heavy explosions, and every bomb burst on its target. It is certain that considerable damage was done. All of our machines returned.