OPERATIONS IN THE WEST

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10085, 26 September 1918, Page 5

OPERATIONS IN THE WEST

LOCAL FIGHTING ON BRITISH PROMT POSITIONS -LMPROVKD NEAR MOEUYR-ES. By Telegraph —Press Association—Copyright. Australian and aow Zealand Oabie Association aud Router. ,' JLU.NUU.N, September 24. _ Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Fighting is taking pwee to our advantage m the sector ease, or Vennund, whero wo arc progiu^uig. We successfully repulsed a. local attucii uoriii u.: uittle 1 nel J)arm, taking attacke< i our now positions south of Gavrclle in the night, supporting the assault with a heavy barrage. Tins attack was completely repulsed and our lino kept intact. _ ~„-.. j Wo slightly improved out- positions northward of Moeuvres, and a. successful minor operation in the night time regained portion of the old iiritish front line south-east of Voormezcele. Wo urovo on raiders west or Beilengiiso and east of Ncuve t'Jiapelie. The enemy made raids west and south of the Scarpa river. SUCCESSFUL OPERATION IN ST QU'EMTIM SECTOR EIGHT HUNDRED PRISONERS TAKEN. (Received September 25, 8.40 p.m.) LONUON, September 24. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— We carried out 'this morning a successiul operation in co-operation with ' the French in the St. Qucntin sector. The English attacked at dawn over four miles of front'in the neighbourhood of the Omiguon river and southwards and ruado good progress on the whole of this tiont, tailing SUO prisoners. Vigorous resistance- was encountered at a numder of points, especially in tho neighbourhood of Seioney, where righting continues. We slightly improved our positions north-east or r.uehy as the result or local fighting. _____ BRITISH AViATiON REPORT (Received September 25. 9.15 p.m.) LONDON, September 24. Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report states:— l he weather improved during the evening.' aucihy activity was slight and intermittent. We destroyed eight hostile machines and drove down two. Four British machines are missing. • We' dropped one and a-half toils of bombs in tiie day tune and ■Mi tons at night time on aerodromes, railheads, aud hutments. All our night-flyers returned. RAIDS IN CHAMPAGNE DISTRICT LONDON, September 24. ' A French communique states: —There was marked artillery activity during the night in the region of St. Quentin and between the .rtilctte and the Aisne. In tho Chanipaguo we made two raids in the region of Perthes and near the Butte du Mesnil. FRENCH REACH OUTSKIRTS OF GIFFECGURT (Received September 26, 1.40 a.m.) LONDON, September 25. A French communique states:—'West of St. Quentin, in conjunction with the British, we made a fresh advance during the morning and captured Franciuy and Selency and the village of Dallon despite vigorous resistance. . Further south we reached tho western outskirts of Gitfecourt, capturing prisoners and numerous machine-guns. The Germans, violently attacking in the Glerines region, on the IVesle front, gained a footing in our advanced elements. Our counter-attack completely restored lino aaid. yielded prisoners belonging to three regiments. GERMAN OFFICIAL CLAIMS (Received .September 25, 7.25 p.m.) LONDON, Septomber 24. A wireless German official message states: —We recaptured trench sectors southward of Villers-Guislain and eastward of Epehy. ALPINE AND SERBIAN DIVISIONS TAKE PART IN . WtSfEKN.'fIb'HTrKG" United Service Telegram. (Received Septomber 25, 7.25 p.m.) LONDON, September 24. The Germans suffered heavily in their at/tempts to retake posts eastward of Elpehy. Five fresh Serbian divisions, including crack Alpine divisions, two of which have apparently arrived since Sunday, participated iu the fighting. According to captured documents the ground the British captured is an essential part of the defence of the Hindenburg system, and the troops were ordered to hold it regardless of cost. ... ■, Tho reference to the Serbian divisions proba-bly means divisions brought from the Serbian front. KAISER SPEAKS REGARDING ALSACE-LORRAINE Australian and Ne.v Zealand Cable Association. COPENHAGEN, September 24. The Kaiser, addressing: Austrian officers on tho West front, said:—"Tha Americans are saying that they will give France My army are sure you will give the enemy the right reply to his daring enterprise." "WAYS THAT ARE DARK AND TRICKS THAT ARE VAIN" . _ - ■ _ , NEW YORK, September 24. Tho correspondent of tho ' Chicago News" on tho American front states that the Americans captured German material to the value of forty million dollars in the St. Mihiel offensive. The booty includes several "fake" German tanks, duplicates of real tanks, but made of wood covered with canvas, and with wooden guns. Thoso camouflage tanks were used in the daytime to make the Allies think tho Gorman forces were moving preparatory to an attack. The Americans also found a place whero a picturo of an aviation field, with hangars and aircraft, was painted on the ground to deceive tho Allied observers. AN OPTIMISTIC ENEMY GENERAL (Received September 25, 9.15 p.m.) ' , ._, . , ~_ AMSTERDAM, September 24. General Ardenne, writing in. the "Tageblatt," says that probably the Germans in a short time must give up St. QuentiX Despite heavy losses they will undoubtedly bo able to extend their attacks to'a front between tho sea and Ypres.

BRITISH GENERAL ELECTION PUBLIC FEELING AGAINST IT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association - LONDON, September 24. The newspapers state that a general election in November is unlikely, unless circumstances change in the meantime. Though the Government never actually decided in favour of an election in November, it still considers there are arguments in favour of it. On the other hand ; there appears to bo strong public feeling opposed to the idea. RETURNED SOLDIERS WILL COST £12,000,000 A YEAR. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright MELBOURNE, September 25. The Minister for Lands (Mr F. J. Clark) has announced that for two years sifter tho war Victoria must raise and spend nearly twelve million pounds upon returned soldiers.

U.S.A. VI&E-PRESIDENT NARROWLY ESCAPES FIERY ' DEATH. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. AVASRINGTON, . September 24. A fire, which endangered the lives of tho Vice-President of the United States (Mr Thomas Marshall) and a number of Senators, broke out in a loading hotel. The Vice-President, attired in a bath-robe, brought his wife and child down a fire-escape, and tho other guests escaped in night attire. Several attempted to jump from the windows. The outbreak was easily suppressed. UNITED STATES PROHIBITION AGREED TO BY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Australian and 1S T .Z. Cable Association WASHINGTON, September 24. The House of Representatives has adopted, by 171 votes to 34, National Prohibition during the war, to take oifect in July, 1919.