FRENCH PROGRESS STEADILY CONTINUES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10057, 23 August 1918, Page 5

FRENCH PROGRESS STEADILY CONTINUES

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and Now Zealand Cable Association. NEW YORK, August 21. The British attacked on a wide front north of tho Ancre. The troops captured Courcelies, and reached Moyeuvillo and Beaumoiu-sur-Ancre. Many guns were captured. The British have captured Ablainzeville. Many hundreds of pnsosers were taken. German, counter-attacks were bloodily repulsed. A local British attack in the Lys salient threatens the German hold on Dranoutre. LONDON, August 21. General Byng made a surprise attack on a nino-mile front, and captfired Courcelies and Aohiet-le-Petit. , Tho British offensive was undertaken by the Third Army, commanded by Sir Julian Byng. Tanks took a prominent part in tho attack. High Commissioner’s Cable. LONDON, August 22, 1 a.m. British official.—On the whole front wo penetrated deeply into enemy positions. English and New Zealanders, accompanied by tames, stormed tile enemy’s foremost defences, aided py mist, capturing five villages. IVe reached the neighbourhood of the Albert-Arras railway after severe fighting at different points. Strong enemy counter-attacks were repelled. HOW BYNG’S OFFENSIVE OPENED Australian and Now Zealand Cable Association. (Received August 22, 5.5 p.m.) , . LONDON, August 21. The United Press Agency’s correspondent writes: — . General Byng’s offensive opened through a camouflage of mist, which lay thickly over the ragged and worn battle field, adhering to the, ground, while tho tanks, cavalry, and infantry advanced over and around old trendies and now wires. By 9 o’clock the sun burst through, and revealed that the Germans hod cleared out from most points on this side of the high embankment of the Arras-Albert railroad. The artillery crash preceding the advance agitated fog along six miles of the northernmost front. Fifty minutes later tho big guns, which had. been concealed in readiness for several days, were loosed on tho lower part of the lino, and the other troops swung into action. ! Before the end of fifty minutes parts of the old lino had been passed, and tho Germans lightly holding the northern, end wore identified as a section of the Guards’ Reserve Division and Fourth Bavarian Division. The latter was recently hard hit and is incapable of resisting. Resistance at Moyennsvill? was weak. Two hundred prisoners were taken there. Some state that tlie British attack was expected for a week past. The British casualties were few. Ten minutes later Courcelies was captured with equal ease. The German company strength revealed only fifty men. Altogether the conditions for the attack were ideal, no smoko barrage ever .equalling the effectiveness of fog so far as tanks are concerned. Tho latter’s crows were able to see as far as was necessary, while the tanks wore bidden from the Germans until too late. Tho Gormans fought desperately before permitting the crossing of the Ancre, and the railway near Beaucourt. The combination of tho railway and the river made this gain more costly than the town itself, where the casualties are said to be only three, though we took 90 prisoners. Some of the hardest nuts were cracked by the afternoon. Lonjeast Wood has apparently yielded, but Miraumont still holds out, the defences thereabouts forming a marked salient in. the British line. The immediate rear of the fighting lino affords odd contrasts. Soldiers are harvesting wheat fields, while the zone of women farmers ends a couple of kilometres further back. Meanwhile fresh troops, headed by cheerful bauds, swing past towards the front. LONDON, August 21. The Australian Press Association’s correspondent learns that General Byng attacked from Moyenoville and Bcaumont-sur-Ancro without artillery preparation, The enemy was completely surprised. Tho number of prisoners is not yet available. The capture of Courcelies and Achiet-le-Petit means an advance of two miles or three at the maximum. A local operation of some importance also began in the Lys salient, this going from the Lucre Hospice south to Kukedot. On a front of two thousand yards wo advanced about eighteen hundred yards, capturing fifty prisoners. Tho enemy in turn attacked the new British positions south of the Scarpo in the vicinity of Fampoux. He gave us a heavy bombardment, but nevertheless wo completely beat him off. BITING INTO BERNHARDTS FLANKS BRITISH HAVE ADVANCED FOUR MILES TOWARDS ARMEINTIERES. i LONDON, August 21. Mr Porcival Phillips writes:—Covered by temporary belts of wire, tho German 6th Army is still retiring slowly across the Lys Plain, towards Armontieres. We have now advanced to a maximum of four miles since the withdrawal began. Tho German General most concerned in this operation is our old friend von Bernhardi, war writer and hater of tho British. He commands the 55th Corps, which badly dented Mcrvillo salient. The British continue to bite his flanks and disturb his retirement. It must bo a bitter blow to him to strip the ground of the depots, dumps, railheads, bridges, and other works which ho had constructed at groat cost and sacrifice, preparatory to another drive on Hazebrouok and Calais. REPORT BY SIR DOUGLAS HAIG Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, August 21. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Wo attacked at 4.55 o’clock this morning on a wide front north of tho Ancre, and are making, satisfactory progress. Wo repulsed strong attacks on our now positions north of the Scarpo. Wo advanced our lino during tho night botwees Fcstnbort and tho lower river, and captured Lc Touret. English troops made a successful local operation on a mile of front on tho Loore sector (in the Kommel hills). “THE FATHERLAND IS IN GREAT DANGER” Australian and Now Zealand Cable Association. (Received August 22, 7.15 p.m.) PARIS, August 21, A captured German Order instructs battalion commanders to employ the smartest men on. the front lino with tho greatest mobility in order to prevent the enemy knowing that tho linoholdors have been reduced. Tho Order adds: “Tho Fatherland is in groat danger. Wo must make the greatest efforts to avert tho same.” HINDENBURG REPLACES LUDENDORFF Router’s Telegrams. (Received August 32, 7.40 p.m.) LONDON, August 21. A Berne telegram states that General yon Hindenburg has returned to tho front, replacing Ludendorff at tho Kaiser’s request. An unconfirmed report states that the Kaiser, in order to placate popular opinion, has given tho Crown Prince six months’ leavo of absence. GERMANS GriNIVWtWWrH UNEXPECTED READINESS Australian and Now Zea’ nil Cable Association. i LONDON, August 21.Tho United Press _ Agency’s correspondent states that whether because the men’s fighting spirit is gone or because the High Command is deliberately retiring wherever tho enemy is pushed, the British find that in various parts of their lino tho Gormans give way with unexpected readiness. It is 1 like fighting a. shadow. A notable example of the German fighting spirit was given on Sunday night, when a regimen* having retired too far was ordered to attack. The officer in charge of tho. regiment refused, and sent a written protest to tho commander, who repeated the order. The regiment then attacked half-heartedly, and lost heavily, some of the companies having only twenty-five enrvirora.