ALLIES CAPTURE 112,000 PRISONERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10063, 30 August 1918, Page 5

ALLIES CAPTURE 112,000 PRISONERS

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. (Received August 29, 7.30 p.m.) v . LONDON, August 28 The battlofront is now fifty-six miles, having been extended several miles bv the entry of General Horne’s Army into tho conflict. JLlm Butisli aie fighting over three-fourths of the front—from Vimy Radge to Ohaulnes, wheie tney join General Deheney’s Army. , . t General Horne, who appears tor the, first tune as commander of the iirst Army, was an artillery brigadier at the commencement of tho war. He is t-iie inventor of the cijeeping barrage, and is now fighting between General Byng s and General Plumer’s Armies. , , . ~ T T ;„,i n ,,u, lrtr The capture of Hancourt means a breach of two miles m tho HimteuDurg line. The British arc within two miles of Combles. BRITISH APPROACHING MAIN ARTERIES OF HINDENBURG LINE Router’s Telegrams. (Received August 28, 8.25 p.m.) LONDON, August 28. Reuter’s correspondent at British Headquarters, writing this 'afternoon, states:—The British'this morning by hard fighting in wet, wild weather advanced eastward of Arras, thus carrying their lino a mile further east along tho Scarpe than has ever hitherto been penetrated. Ihc Canadians began pushing boyond Vis-eu-Artois soon after daylight after which a second l Canadian attack was delivered on a front of five miles, fairly evenly outflanking the Arfas-Camtirai road. The significance of the present fighting is that it is carrying us right into the main arteries of tho Hindenburg line; Uroisillea was tamed bv the Guards in the face of tremendous odds, llie Canadians reached the old Gorman lino on a considerable sector, while Ablamcourt and Fay are in our hands. , . . , , ~ The French on the right captured Marchplot, winch is very close to tno Northward of th Scarpo General Horne’s Army, was unablo -to hold all its gains in the face of heavy counter-attacks from Oppy. Enemy reinforcements were rushed up by train and thrown into tho struggle at headlong speed losing heavily from our machine-gunning and artillery fire. Iho English battalions nevertheless hold Arlcux-en-Gohelle, and the Highlanders stand staunchly on tho line Plouvain to Gavrello. INTENSIFICATION OF ATTACK TOWARDS THE VESLE Australian and Now Zealand Cable Association. (Received August 29, 8.30 p.m.) I PATHS, August 28. French critics predict the intensification of the attack towards the Voslo, and tho early establishment' of a lino embracing Perouno, Ham, Guiscard and Noyon. CHAULNES OCCUPIED BY THE FRENCH , NEW YORK, August 28. •The French have occupied Chaulnos. 1 MARGIN’S TROOPS CROSS THE AILETTE NEW YORK,' August 28. General Mangin’s trobps have crossed the Ailctto. OPERATIONS ASTRIDE THE SOMME Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Router. , LONDON, August 28. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—South of Bapaumo, the English and Welsh troops gained ground in tne face of strong opposition. Wo reached the western outskirts of Flers and drove the enemy from Longueval, pclvdlc Mood, •md Bernafav Wood, and repulsed counter-attacks by the Prussian Guards. Astride the Somme, the Australians, English, and Scots drove back tbo enemy on the whole front of our attack. Wo gained tho high ground eastward of Maricourt, and captured Fontanie-les-Cappy and tho woods between that pace and the Somme, taking hundreds of prisoners. Wo also captured Vcrmaiidovillers (two miles north of Onaulnes). In spite of the clouds and rain-storms, a groat amount of aerial Work was accomplished. Our aeroplanes dropped ammunition by parachute to our ma-chine-gunners Low-flyers used bombs and machine-guns against the enemy troops and transports. We dropped 26* tons of bombs. BRITISH CAPTURE BULK OF TRONES WOOD A SLIGHT SET-BACK NORTH OF THE SCARPE’. , ; LONDON, August 28. Sir Douglas Haig reports;—We captured Foucancourt, south of the Somme on Tuesday. The enemy had held tho place strongly with machineguns ’ North of the Somme wo captured tho bulk of Troncs Wood, taking a number of prisoners from a Prussian Guard division. South of the Scarpe tho First Army improved its positions astride tho Arras-Oambrai road, and reached the outskirts of Haucourt and Boiry Notre Dame. North of tho Scarpo, strong counter-attacks along tbo Arrns-Donni railway forced back our advanced troops a few hundred yards to tho old Caiman trenches on Greenland Hill, where the attack broke down under our fire. BETWEEN THE SCARPE AND THE SOMME BRITISH PROGRESS AT ALL POINTS (Received August 29, 11.20 p.m.) LONDON, August 29. • Sir Douglas Haig reports:—The Australians vigorously advanced and reached the general lino of Frosnns-Herbccourt. The enemy is stubbornly re. sistinu before tho passages of tho Somme at Bris and I’oronne. On tho north hank 'of tho Somme wo captured Curlu and Hardoeourt after hard fighting, advancing in tho direction of Maurepas. Between Bapaumo and tho Scarpe wo attacked all day and progressed at all points, tho Londoners gradually outflanking the enemy, who obstinately roWo captured Croisilles. The English fought their way towards Vraucourt and south-oast of FontainoJcß-Croisillos, After severe all-day fighting tho Canadians drove the enemy out of several defended localities. Important trench systems were captured at Boiry Notre Dame and Plcvos. Wo took prisoners in these operations and also advanced our lino northward of Ldcon.

BRITISH ADVANCE ON FOUR-MILE FRONT ON LYS SALIENT Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. LONDON, August -5. Wo carried out a successful operation astride the Neuf road, advancing the lino on a four-mile front, and taking a numbei ox p** soners. FURTHER DETAILS OF THE FIGHTING IN THE SOMME REGION LONDON, August 28. Mr Percival Phillips writes The Canadians, in penetrating Green Mood (Bois du Vert), east of Monchy, are in country untrodden by Entente troops since the beginning of the war. They are not yet firmly established, but aie fighting ham and slowly forging ahead. . , ~ The New Zealanders, pushing north of Bapaumo, actually reached tne Cambrai road, nearly encircling the town, but machine-guns forced them o retire. They arc now resting on the railway to the north-east. Ihough small detachments reached the outskirts of Bapaumo, it does not mean ue aie attempting to storm the place, which will fall unaided. t . The sector which gives the enemy the greatest anxiety is the ten-miles strip botyveon Bapaumo and the Scarpe. When the Canadians went ovci a 3.30 on Monday morning, they found only an inferior division opposed to them. They had to go over six thousand yards. The first stage was done in darkness, relieved by bursts of brilliant moonlight. They covered the distance in splendid time, though the German batteries made good their escape. ‘ Meanwhile the Scottish attack from Neuvillo Vibasse was equally successful. Their object was to turn Honin Hill, but there was no opposition on the hill. It was quite a spectacular affair. the Scots going forward steadily while the enemy retreated iu disorder. Thus the Scots were enabled to make contact with the Canadians. . The attack was renewed on Tuesday morning on the entire iront ino Canadians near Honin, having rested at nighty bega mopping up the Hindenburg line, working towards Fotaine-les-Oroisilles, and behind Croisiileb, while the Guards pushed around the other side of Croisilles from St. Lcgei. Thus the whole German line of resistance is being pounded hard, and is steadily sagging into the Hindenburg defences. It may be expected the enemy will fight his hardest on this northern sector. A good fresh (Prussian division is already engaged against the Canadians. , The Australian advance on both banks of the Somme may be described as “peaceful penetration.” By noon to-day the_ patrols on the south side were within a mile of Dompierre, clearing the machine-guns out of the neighbouring woods. The Australians had penetrated Vaux Wood north of the river, and continue to move towards Ourlu. No serious attempts to hold them have been nyjde, and tho German rearguard is weak and listless, and has apparently been ordered not to resist if pressed hard. Ihc Australians are again traversing wholly devastated country, and progress is naturally slou, and is, on tho whole, a deliberate and almost leisurely journey towards Peronno, in marked contrast with the sharp and jerky attacks south or Bapaumo. REVIEW OF THE SITUATION HOW AMIENS WAS SAVED. FATAL MISTAKES OF THE GERMAN HIGH COMMAND. LONDON, August 28. General Maurice, in his review iu the “Daily Chronicle” of the military situation, after a visit to the front, states:—Amiens must- have fallen at ex the enemy’s attack on Villors-Bretonneux on April 24th, if the Germans had pushed on. Fortunately, General llawliuson, who realised that the enemy must not bo given time to dig in, counter-attacked with a small force, mainly Australians, and tho Germans were driven east of Villere-Brotoiineux. Equally fortunately, the enemy made the mistake of embarking on the I 1 landers offensive and diverted forces which if used on the Amiens front would almost certainly have resulted in the separation of the Allied forces. liindenburg and Ludeudorff made exactly the mistake Moltko made in 1914, when his force was frittered away on side issues. Wo are now witnessing the consequences. It took too long to shape the Heims offensive. Tho American forces grew, and we were allowed time to recover. The turn of tho tide dates from General Gourand’s repulse of tho Crown Prince’s Champagne attack, where fifteen of the best German divisions, which had been carefully nursed and trained, were smashed. General Foch took a chance by one of the great masterpieces of generalship. The German policy of selecting storm troops has enfeebled the German defence, for tho “corps d’elite” was formed at the expense of the whole army. .. , . . We capturd numerous orders signed by Ludendorff, advertising in storng language to the weakening of the discipline of tho troops, as the slackness in the rigid Prussian discipline would not stan the strain. Prisoners were taken more easily than ever. Parts of the German army were fighting slackly. This was shown by the state of their trench defences. That they had been content with a single front trench, without support lines or communication trenches, indicates,jp-eat slackness or scarcity of labour. The commanders were moving reserves about in a manner betraying nervousness * ' General Maurice does not wish to convoy the'impression that tho German armies in the West are within measurable distance of collapse. They are still fed and equipped, and are formidable. AVe have not yet that superiority of force necessary to crush him, but if wo play our cards properly tho German decline will become a collapse. ENEMY FURTHER RETIRES ON WIDTH OF TWELVE MILES FRENCH CONTINUE TO ADVANCE NORTH OF THE AVRE. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, August 28. A French communique states;—Yielding to our continued pressure, the enemy was to-day compelled to increase his withdrawal on both sides of the Avre front to a width of twelve miles. Our troops, overcoming all opposition, realised an advance exceeding two and a-half miles at certain points. AVo hold a general lino running immediately west of Chaulncs. Punchy, Liancourt, Verpilliers; we occupy Hnllu, Fransart, Oremery, Grimy, Carrepuiss, Koyo, Laucourt, and Crapeau Mesnil. We took prisoners. There is a lively artillery duel in the region of Lassigny, and between tho Oise and the Aisno. Wo are maintaining contact with tho enemy’s rearguards. AVo continued to advance during the night north and south of the Avre, and occupied Ohaulnos, Omiecourt, Balatro, Bgiglisc, and Vcrpilliers. Further south we penetrated Crapeau Mesnil AVood and captured Dives. This morning wo continued our prograss towards tho Somme. Wc reached, north of the Avre, the general line of Licourt Potto, Mosnil-lc-Petit, and Ncsles. Since yesterday wo have retaken about thirty villages, and advanced twelve kilometres (seven and a-half miles) at certain points. High Commissioner’s Cable. LONDON, August 28, 12.40 a.m. French official.—The energy vigorously pressed, accelerated his retreat on a front of thirty kilometres. To-day we advanced more than ten kilometres at certain points ami recaptured forty Tillages and secured three trains of war material. The Americans stopped a strong German attempt to cross tho Vesle. BELGIAN ATTACK ON A TWO-MILE FRONT ENEMY’S POSITION PENETRATED AFTER STUBBORN FRONT. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Reuter, i LONDON, August 28. A Belgian communique states:—After short artillery action, we attacked yesterday evening on a front of nearly two miles, north and south of tho Langoraarck railway, and penetrated the enemy positions despite stubborn resistance and counter-attack, and reached and maintained all our objectives. ' ■ A NEW ADVANCE BY THE FRENCH Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. LONDON, August 28. Router’s correspondent at French Headquarters, writing this evening, says;—Fresh nows of a new advance is coming in every 'minute. Rove is completely in our hands; also Carrepuiss, to tho north-east of Roye, and Grimy, to tho south, and wo hold Koiglisc and Verpillioros. To-day’s advance at certain points has reached a depth of four miles. Tho feature of this now retreat was tho swiftness with which tho German lino broke up following our counter-attack at St. Hard, on both sides of which, when the troops got an order to advance, they found tho enemy retreating and tho offensive changed into a pursuit. Reuter’s Telegrams. LONDON, August 28. Tho French cavalry are in Ncslo. General Mangin has captured Chavigny, north of Soissons. 112,000 PRISONERS TAKEN AND 1300 GUNS CAPTURED BY ALLIES • ■ WASHINGTON. August 28. General March has announced that tho Allies’ prisoners to date exceed one hundred and twelve thousand. Tho gnus captured total thirteen hundred. LONDON, August 28. Croisilles, Ablnin court, and Fay have been captured. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT Admiralty—Per Wireless Press. . . LONDON. August 28. A German official report states: —AVe arrested enemy attacks north of the Scarpe before, our line, which, bent back on Bqeux. South of tho Scarpe wo withdrew to the Monchy heights. After a bitter figbt the enemy crossed the -Monchy and Guemappo heights. The enemy took Thilloy and Martini puieb. The Frapch captured St. Mard ahd Fresnoy. A Gorman evening official report states: —Wo stemmed an English thrust .south of the Scarpe in positions astride the Arras-Cambrai road.

ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS OF ME® BEING USED TO REINFORCE THE HUNS. Reuter's Telegrams. LONDON, August S 3. Reuter’s correspondent, writing from British Headquarters on \Vednosdaj 1 morning, says:—Tho Gormans are massing on the .Bapaume-Guedecourt-Guille-moiit'lrtit'," Gift fehiaiu conspicuously woax in. guns, having lost so many and withdrawn others to the far rear. The Germans are putting in bandsmen, sanitary units, and road menders to reinforce the amazing jumble of units swept up from wide distances to try and stew tlio*tide. ■ We capturcck-an immense quantity of new equipment. St. Oon and Miraumont yielded vast quantities of engineering stores, whilst in many places we have retaken whole ammunition dumps which we abandoned in our retreat in March. These are proving of unestimablo service to the swiftly-advancing gunners, as,well as relieving the transport of one of its heaviest tasks. It is quite understandable why the Germans are resisting eastward of Arras, as an Allied success here would constitute a serious strategical menace REINFORCEMENTS FROM RUPPRECHT’S RESE r • i 1 Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. ! LONDON, August 2U. There are further signs of German reinforements arriving, particularly southward of Bapaume, from Prince Rupprocht’s reserve.