NOTES OH THE WAR CABLES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17427, 23 September 1918, Page 6

NOTES OH THE WAR CABLES.

By Shrapnel. the WEST FRONT. Against strongly entrcnched positions ou the crusts ot tlio elevated country west of tiio St. Quentin-Oaiiibiai Canal from Uouzeaucourt to Holnon (north-west of S't. Quentin) the British, after hard lighting, have made valuable progress in places, giving thorn a view of the canal anil of the country on tlio far side ot it. Tram Gouzeaucourt. to Iliiigieourt they have been stoutly opposed, and as a consequence have not made great progress. On this sector they have taken Teinpleaux* south of Ronssoy, and tliis capture should assist the British on the left at Hargicourt and in the broken country to tile soutli of that village. South of Hargicourt the Australians have reached the canal at Bellenglise, about livo miles north of St. Quentin. Tontruet, being between Pontru, the occupation of which was recently reported, ana liiellenglise miiit | have been taken on the way. South of i Poiitru, it. is necessary still to capture j Gricourt and layet before the British will be able to align their forces along the canal from Bellciigiise to St. Quentin. At Bellenglise the Australians have advanced the British line beyond the limits of the advance ;i> the former oil'ensive. From Hargicourt northward to Mceuvres, the British have not advanced as far as General Byng did just bo fore the Germans began their oil'ensive. which cliove thun Dark to Albert and the Anere. On this sector General Byng is faced with a stiff task; but he is exerting very heavy pressure upon the German defences. liis troops have counter-attacked and recovered from the Germans the greater part of MuHtvros. At Havrincourt heavy lighting is taking pia-e and, tuougn the British are making progress, it is very slow. South of Havrincourt tiie British are eastward of Trescauit and now hold Villers Guislain to the southeast. South of Villers is Goiinelieu, about a mile and a-half east of Gouzeaucourt; but the British appear to have been held up in all their attempts to reach this town. As, however, their reccnt advances north and south have promised to outflank the position, wo should soon hear of its capture. After it is taken the Germans will bo fighting with their backs-so close to the canal that they will as quickly as possible withdraw all but their rearguards. It should not be long before the British will hold the west bank of the Cambrai-St. Quentin Canal from Banteux, east of Gouzeaucourt, to Omissy, a mile or so north of St. Qucntin. We should then hear of another push between, 1 Havrincourt and the Scarpe, since, ds it will be possible to hold the canal front lightly, troops in:iy bo sent to assist General Byng's left and General Home's right. After Marquion and Mtreeing aro taken the advance upon Cambrai should become much easier. South of St. Quentin the French, having taken Essigny-le-Grand, are advancing eastward of that village, and have capturcd Bcnay. An advance of another two miles between the Somme and the Oise, which are only seven miles apart at this point, will outflank St. Quentin on the south. To force the Germans to evacuate St Quentin the British will require to cross "the canal between Bellenglise and Gricourt, It looks as though this may be the immediate objective of Generals Rawlinson and Debeny.