MANGINS GRIP.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14711, 17 September 1918, Page 3

MANGINS GRIP.

VERY IMPORTANT ADVANCE. LONDON, Sept. 4. Re-uter's correspondent at French headquarters telegraphed : General Mangin's advance between the Ailette and the Aisne is most important. The enemy is being gradually thrown back to the Chemin des Dames'. Tanks and aeroplanes are playing a most prominent part m the battle. The enemy on General Debeney's front continues to cling to his positions on the Somme between Epenancourt and Voyeuries. The French at Hill 77 are meeting very heavy machine gun fire from Voyennes. Our progress continues m the direction of Coucy. THE RED BRIDGE, Reuter's correspondent at American headquarters, telegraphing on Monday night, says: — A great fight has been progressing all day long north and north-east of Soissons, where tlie enemy is vigorously defending the Pont Rouge plateau,' east &£ the Soisons railway, and also the line of his right along tlie north of the Aisne. We are bombarding his position from the south and west. The villages which the enemy holds are burning like vast torches, and the fires are spreading through the neighboring woods. Tlie enemy drenched our position at midnight with gas, but our retaliation barrage silenced his guns. Reuter's correspondent at French headquarters telegraphed this afternoon : — j General Mangin's attack on the plat- ! eaus between the Ailette and the Aisne' yesterday afternoon resulted m another important advance. On the left, opposite Guny, we have a bridgehead across the Ailette, and French troops have occupied the wotxks westward of Coucy le Chateau, and also established a footing m a little wood south-eastward of Moulin de Nogent, so that we are now barely a mile from Coucy.The plateau of Tcrny Soriiy, which resisted, several attacks, was taken, and a footing was obtained on the plateaus north-eastward of Crony. North-east-ward of Crony we are on the edtre of the second plateau across the Marpival valley, through which the Soissons-Laon railway runs. Over 1200 prisoners were taken during the day. GOOD RESULTS IN FIVE DAYS' FIGHT. Tanks played an important part m the attack, and so did airmen. The enemy is naturally defending the plateaus tooth and nail. The Prussian Guards deliveed five futile counter-attacks, leav'ng the ground littered with their derd. Five days' hard fighting between the Ailette and the Aisne had given good results. The first powerfully organised lino across the Tern Sorny plateau hn« been taken, and the second line is already being attacked. The French are. also across the Ailette at nevera! points. The battle has used "up several of the enemy's' best divisions, who are no match for Mangin's colonials.

PRINCESS MARY'S COLONELCY. LONDON, Sept. 4. Princess Mary has been, appointed colonel of the Lothian Regiment of Royal Soote,