BRITISH ATTACK ON WIDE FRONT TOWARDS CAMBRAI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16968, 30 September 1918, Page 4

BRITISH ATTACK ON WIDE FRONT TOWARDS CAMBRAI.

OBJECTIVES REACHED DESPITE DIFFICULT GEODW).' CANAL DU NORD CROSSED AT SEVERAL : POINTS. AMERICANS !N OUTER DEFENCES OF HINDENBURG LINE. Australian and N.Z. and Reuters (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Bept. 28—2 ».m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Portions of our First and Third Armies, under Generals Sir H. S. Home and Sir Julian Byng respectively, attacked before dawn yesterday on a wide front in the general direction of Cambrai. Notwithstanding the great strength of the enemy's positions, especially on the northern sector, where the Canal du Nord and the open ground sloping towards the enemy rendered the advance most difficult, all our objectives were reached. American detachments on our extreme right captured a series of trenches and fortified farms forming the outer defences of the main Hindenburg system south-west of Le Catelet. More to the north the Fifth Division captured Beaucamp and, combining with the Lancashiremen of the Forty-second Division, cleared Beaucamp Ridge . running north-east towards Marcoing. On the right centre the Guards and the Third Division of the Sixth Corps, under General Haldane, breaking through the enemy's defences east of Havrincourt, carried the village of Flesquieres and took possession of the long spur running east from Flesquieres towards Marcoing. On their left the Scottish and naval units of the Seventeenth Corps, having stormed the link of the Canal du Nord east and south of Moeuvres, were first checked by the defences at Graincourt. Outflanking Graincourt from the north, they seized Anneux and carried forward the whole corps front. We captured Graincourt and continued to advance to Cantsing and Fontaine Notre Dame. On the left centre the Canadian corps, under General Currie, attacking with the First, Third, and Fourth Canadian Divisions, forced the passage of the Canal du Nord and captured the villages of Sains-lez-Marquion and Bourlon, and also the wooded heights of Bourlon Hill: Pressing on with the assistance of the Eleventh English, they made substantial progress towards Eaillencourt and Haynecourt. Our deep advance astride the Arras-Cambrai road was greatly assisted by the close co-operation of the Twentysecond Corps, under General Godley, operating south and north of the Sensee and Scarpe Rivers, and the Fifty-six London Division. This corps crossed the Canal du Nord and, attacking northward, captured Sauchy-Lestree and Sauchy-Cauchy. North of the Scarpe,' on the extreme left, English and Scottish troops completed the capture of Arleux-en-Gobelle and tha trench system about the town. Perfect co-operation between the commanders of the neighbouring units, and between the infantry, artillery, tanks, and aircraft, and the gallantry and resource of all ranks again enabled a complete success to be achieved at a datively small cost Several thousand prisoners and many guns were captured. An earlier report stated: During the past few days the first and sixth divisions of the Ninth Corps under Lieutenant-General Braithwaite, have captured by hard fighting at small cost, an intricate system of trenches and strong points in the woods and villages northwest of St. Quentm, taking 1500 prisoners. Enemy counter-attacks were repulsed with great gallantry and determination. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, Sept 27 The British have already crossed the Canal du Nord defences on a front of three miles, and have advanced along a total front of 13 miles to a depth of three miles. A total of 6000 prisoners was taken in the first day of the attack, and the advance took the British within three miles of Cambrai.