FRENCH REAPING FRUIT OF RECENT SUCCESS ON AVRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16926, 12 August 1918, Page 6

FRENCH REAPING FRUIT OF RECENT SUCCESS ON AVRE.

ADVANCE CATCHES EMMY WHILE BEING RELIEVED.

LONDON, Aw. 0.

5 Eeuter's correspondent at French headquarters, writing at six o'clock on Thursday evening, says: The battle of the Avre is progressing well on tie whole front of attack. Our troops established themselves on the plateau overlooking the Avre Valley from the east and ; are deploying : there for the. continuation of the attack. There is every reason for,confidence. It must be remembered that a series of i important local operations was carried out. on this front between August and 5, which proved successful in pushing back the Germans and taking prisoners. General de Beny since then has - not relaxed his pressure, with the result that he held the banks of the Avre from Braches.to beyond Framicourt when the attack began to-day.

r The French advanced to the assault without artillery preparation,, and found the 'enemy in the act of being relieved and utterly unable ■■ to withstand *he onslaught. It is estimated that the British and < French troops participating in the battle total a-quarter of a million infantry, or half a million of all arms., , , v ,? ,