EARLIER MESSAGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17427, 23 September 1918, Page 5

EARLIER MESSAGES

BRITISH ADVANCE. MCEUVRES RETAKEN. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. 'NEW YORK, September 20. The British have recaptured Mceuvres (seven miles west of Cambraij. AUSTRALIANS ADVANCING. PENETRATION OF HINDENBURG LINENEW YORK, September 20. The Australians are continuing their penetration . of the Hindenburg line, and have reached Bellenglise (five miles north of St. Quentin). LONDON, September 20. The United Press correspondent states that the Australians advanced on a line northward of Saint Helene, near Bellenglise, and are now within half a mile of of the canal nearest the Hindenburg line at any point between Hargicourt and St. Quentin. ATTACK BY BRITISH. GOOD PROGRESS MADE. DESPITE STUBBORN RESISTANCE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, September 20. Sir D. Haig reports: Towards midday on Thursday the British attacked the Lempire-Epehy sector, and despite considerable opposition and in the face of heavy artillery and machine-gun fire made valuable progress to a depth of over a mile beyond the line previously gained in this locality. We captured, after obstinate resistance, a strong point called Malassise Farm, also a number of small woods and posts, the defended localities forming part of our old defences. We attacked last night and recaptured Mceuvres. Obstinate fighting continues, and a few prisoners were taken. Local engagements occurred elsewhere on the battle-front; also north-eastward of Hulluch. We repulsed raiders northward of Lens. CAPTURES BY THE FRENCH. DESPERATE ENEMY ATTACKS. RESULT IN HEAVY LOSSES. LONDON, September 20. A French communique reports: in the region of St. Q.uentin last evening we captured Essigny-le-Grand, and took more prisoners south of the Ailette. The night was marked by violent enemy reactions. Five times counter-attacks smashed against our new positions north of Allemant, east of Moisy Farm. The enemy, whose losses were very heavy, has not achieved the slightest result. We'gained ground west of Aizy, and north-east of Vailly. The enemy attempt to cross the Vesle at Jonchery failed. Our reconnaissances penetrated the enemy lines north-west of Souai. A SPLENDID VICTORY. COMPLETE FAILURE OF GERMAN EFFORT. HONOURS WELL DISTRIBUTED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, September 20. Mr Percival Phillips writes: The battle of the ridges overlooking the St. Quentin Canal fought by our Third and Fourth Armies proved one of the most satisfying victories since August 8 (when Sir Douglas Haig began his offensive). ° As the day wore on the enemy's discouraged troops began to wilt under the steady British pressure. The grand German counter-attack at 5 o'clock was a complete failure. The Germans were broken. Their officers who were taken prisoner attributed our victory to our smoke screen, which blinded them. Others simply cursed their men, who would not fight. The honours of the day were shared by battalions from all parts of Britain. The First Australian Division took Hargicourt and Velleret. The Fourth Australian Division took Le Verguier. Both«divisions went through the Hindenburg outpost system near the St, Quentin Canal, which they stormed and held in greater part, by nightfall completing its occupation, so far as concerns their front, by a fresh attack just before midnight. The Germans opposite these two Australian divisions held a series of well-fortified positions with three divisions—the 38th and sth Bavarian and the 119 th German. The Australians commenced a frontal attack on the canal at 11 a.m. They had to go over naked country from one ridge to another across a valley swept by machine guns, then through deep belts of wire. Before noon the Australians were through the wire, fighting their way along the first trenches on the northern half of the front. They were held up by a sunken road on the south, but waited patiently until 11 p.m. Then they attacked, clearing the road and goin" through to the remainder of the Hindeiv burg outpost system. 'This last advance of the First and Fourth Australian Divisions took the British army where it has never been. In this region we now have complete observation along the canal over all the country behind, the English and Scottish troops on the Australians' right had harder fighting, attacking over extremely difficult and well-defended ground between Pontruet and Holnon. At the same time the French attacked the "Manchester Redoubt," an historic mound, which was defended to the last man on March 21 by the Manchester (in General Gough's army). The losses were slight, and many battalions took twice as many prisoners as they had casualties. The spirit of the German divisions generally is not good. HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS. BIG VICTORY AFTER HARD •FIGHTING. BLACK DAY FOR. GERMANY. LONDON, September 20. Mr Philip Gibbs writes : Wednesday was one of the great days of the war—far more important and successful than' I guessed when I went among the Australians early in the day. It developed into a big victory before nightfall, after many hours of desperate fighting. We aro now overlooking the main defences of the Hindenburg line. The enemy launched very fierce coun-ter-attacks against Gauche Wood, which the 7th Division—Lancashire and Yorkshire troops—crushed with superb courage. The achievement was more memorable because the division had been fightins: incessantly since August 8. Meanwhile the enemy was making fierce attacks at Mceuvres and Havrincourt. The German commander ordered the 6th Division to break the British line, and gave 40 batteries to help the attack. The Germans advanced under cover iii face of a frightful line of fire; but the Guards were there and the glorious old 3rd Division, who were the heroes of the defence of Arras last April. _ They found auick targets among these masses of Gex-

mans, and slaughtered them. It -was a black day for the German hopes and manhood. The 21sfc Division, including the Lincolns and Leicesters, fighting south of Villers-Guislain, captured the famous position of Vaucelette Farm, advancing, like the Australians farther south, under cover of a dense smoke screen. The Lincolns and Leicesters so confused the i enemy that the farm was surrounded before a shot was fired. Near at hand were the Wiltshires, and these met the Germans advancing to counter-attack in the Linnet Valley. The Wiltshires never halted to consider a "withdrawal, but charged straight into the German wave of assault, and destroyed it, capturing eight field gains. It must never be forgotten that these men of the 17th and 21st Divisions suffered grievously in the March retreat j yet they fought their way back, and captured all the old ground. Our Eastern County men had a very hard time at Epehy, where an Alpine corps fought like tigers. Epehy contained a strone earthwork, caller Fisher's Keep, which was finaly taken after a trench mortar bombardment. The Londoners repulsed counterattacks throughout the day and night farther south. Nearer St. Quentin were the Buffs, Shropshires, Sherwoods, and Norfolks, fighting at Holnon: and near by were the Camerons and Black Watch, at Berthauconrt, Fresnov, and Esome. The of the 119 th Division ran away panic-stricken, hut' small bodies of brave men kept machine guns busy in copGes.