FRENCH SUCCESSES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10116, 25 October 1917, Page 5

FRENCH SUCCESSES.

THE NEW BATTLE OF THE AISNE. ALL OBJECTIVES CARRIED. Australian-Now Zealand Cable Association. PARIS, Oct. 23. It is officially announced that the new battle of the ‘Aisne lias developed very favourably. Tho French captured all the crests forming- their objectives and pro grossed beyond. Tho troops are now occupying the counter-slopes. The advance is throe kilometres deep on a front of eight kilometres. Fort Malmaison was captured early in tho attack, also the villages of Alleinanl, f.cs Vallons, and Cbavigpon, with the Chavignon ravine. Lacn plain ,s now lying before the French. Three thousand prisoners and nineteen guns wore- captured. I LONDON, Oct. 24 | A French, communique states: North of the Aisne the attack during the day developed most brilliantly, despite fog and vain against formidable defences garrisoned by Germany's best troops. The first rush captured the line marked Fruity• Bobery Quarries. Then Fort Mahnaison in tho centre foil. Tlii> French pushing forward, expelled the enemy from Mont Parnaese I Quarries. Progress on our right was equally 1 successful. The villages of Allemaii and Vandosson were taken. Our right carried the line to the heights commanding Pa-guy and Fillane, Our troops in the centre, hustling the fresh enemy reserves, stormed the village of Chairgctton '1 he advance hero reached a depth of 2\ mi!es ; The. enemy losses are of the heaviest. No fewer than 7500 prisoners have already been counted. Our enormous booty includes twenty-five

££11)13. FIGHT FOR MALMAISON. GERMANS FORTY FEET UNDERGROUND. Received October 25, 10.5 a.m. PARIS. Oct. 24. The battle began in darkness an hour before dawn. The central point, of attack was Malmaison fort, which was defended by German Guardsmen. The Germans altogether massed six divisions on the threatened front. Malmaison fort was in ruins, but it had proved of immense use to (he enemy as an observatory. Its glacis, cleared by shells, was reconstructed and furnished* with machine-gun posts, connected by a labyrinth of caves and tunnels running to the German rear. Many of the German troops were forty feet below the surface. The whole crest _ attacked was honeycombed with ancient cptarries. Fortunately the French held similar caverns on the southern slopes of the hills where they were able to lodge their reserves until they were needed. The French used sixteen-inch guns to break up the quarries.

A GERMAN ADMISSION. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. LONDON. Oct. 25 A wireless German official message says: Litter fighting continues on the r.o'tlcrn slopes of Cliemin tics Dames, and also astride the Laon wood. Ml 10 French advanced as far as Chavignon.