8000 Prisoners Taken.

Manawatu Times, Volume XL, Issue 1372904, 26 October 1917, Page 5

8000 Prisoners Taken.

Desperate Counter-Attacks.

Armoured Cars Operate.

[Aust. and N.Z, Cable Association.] LONDON, Oct. 24. A French communique states: The night was calm. The enemy bombarded our new lines, esxmcially i:i the region of Yaudesson. Wo are organising our gains. We have taken 8000 prisoners, including ICO officers, belonging to eight different divisions.

The fact is continued that two enemy divisions which were jdaced in reserve hehind the front'participated in yesterday’s fighting and were severely handled.

A German official report states: The French, between Ailette and the Ostel Heights, encountered strong resistance, and did not advance owing to heavy losses. The reinforcements, which later Were supported by armoured cars, broke through our positions, reaching Alternant and Chavignon. Wo withdrew from untenable positions, blowing up the advanced batteries simultaneously. Repeated assaults southward of Filain, and also between Brayc and Allies, failed.

A French communique states: —A violent attack north-east of Hill 344 on the right of the Meuse was repelled after a desperate fight. The enemy obtained a footing in our advanced line, but was driven out, and our line entirely restored. A German attempt on the Caurieres Crest failed, with heavy losses. ENEMY MASSED UNDERGROUND. PARIS, Oet. 24. The battle began in darkness an hour before dawn. Tho 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 the 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 quarries. 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. GREAT ENEMY LOSSES. A RETREAT INEVITABLE. (Received Thursday, 9 p.m. PARIS, Oct. 24. The “Matin” states that the German losses in tho Aisnc fighting arc about 26,000.’ The victory means that the enemy, who have been on the defensive since February, 1916, arc still unable to take the initiative anywhere and will be forced to make a strategic retreat in order to avoid disaster, POILLUS ON TOP. IN COMMANDING POSITIONS. [Reuter Telegram.] LONDON, Oct. 25. , A correspondent at the French headquarters says the strategic intention of tho high command in the Aisnc battle is to finally and completely thrust the enemy off the crest of the line. We now hold practically the entire lino of the crest between Craonnc and Vaux Aillon. In addition we have got a commanding view of the Tilette Valley end to eud, also the view up the Arden Valley at the head of which stands Laon, and the view northward across the plain over the enemy communications to Anizy, in the upper Coney Forest. TANKS GREATLY HELPED. i GERMANS CAUGHT IN TRAP. (Received Thursday, 9 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 24. The “Daily Chronicle” correspondent at French headquarters states that the French tanks did good work in tho last battle. Their mechanism is like the British, but the machines are smaller, possessing greater manoeuvring power than our early models. They carry a field gun and several machine guns. The tanks captured ruined farmsteads which were holding up the attack. . The French artillery smashed in caves and tunnels on the two plateaux in the sector. Four hundred Germans were trapped in a quarry and refused to emerge, believing that the French massacre their prisoners, until assurances were given to the contrary.