THE ADVANCE CONTINUES

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11611, 10 August 1918, Page 8

THE ADVANCE CONTINUES

AMIENS OUT OF GUN RANGE. ALLIES’ AIR SUPREMACY.

Received August 10, 11. a a. m. London, August 0

The advance is still progressing. Xiute yesterday afternoon our cavalry, armoured cars and tanks reached Framerville-Lihocs. This means an advance of eleven miles. Tne greatest depth of tlie infantry advance is seven miles,or an a erage of live or six over the whole front. Between nine acd ten thousand German prisoners have now been driven beyond gun range of Amiens. They will be unable to stay on the Avre, where their line is completely outflanked on the north. The German position on tiie Aisne is not affected by the advance, but the enemy can hardly sc and on the Montdidier iront, which will undoubtedly be evacuated. The Germans continue to retire from the Lys salient, and have withdrawn approximately two thousnad yards on a *Tont ot six miles.

Correspondents declare that even the Mesaiues bat'le did .not equal yesterday’s brilliant success. A German officer’s captured diary fruukly and bitterly admits the Allies’ air supremacy The drop ping of bombs is past all counting day and night with clockwork regul rity, from a height well beyond the reach of anti-aircraft guns.

ENEMY RETIRING IN CONFUSION.

CAVALRY CUTTING UP RETREATING

COLUMNS.

Received August 10, 1 p. m. London, August 0. The United .Press [correspondent states: The advance continues amid growing enemy confusion. {.British cavalry have taken further villages and the troops are approaching Chaulnes. Prisoners rare now proha hly over twenty thousand. The British were unable to retain the summit ' Chippilly Hill, and fighting * there continues heavy. Progress was made elsewhere, null axupered. The Franco-British cavalry are cutting up retreating columns. The enemy has destroyed bridges at Peronue and Brie.

GERMAN COUNTER ATTACK

RETAKES A SMALL VILLAGE. New York, August 0. The Germans recaptured chipiily by a strong counter attack. One general, referring to the captures of guns, laughingly said “It will take days to count them.” This swift surprise drive on such a length of front, and to such a depth gives the enemy no time to get his batteries away or even destroy them. The infantry in many places overran our artillery’s support, but this did not matter 'because, firstly, they had advanced beyond where any Gi-rmsn gnus were posted because we bad plenty cf German guns to swing round and serve. Our own batteries advanced with wonderful smartness. In one instance n whole field battery brigade got beyond the original « front line and we’r»‘ in action twenty minutes after. We were successful in getting two companies of tanks across the Lu e river under cover of darkness, and they did invaluuble work in clearing wb t it was feared would p-ove b difficult situation, owing to the strong Geiman positions on Dcdo woo * and the neighbouring high ground. Such casualties as the tauks suffered were inflicted by gunfire from the south hank of the Somme; v?o therefore directed on a converging attack against Bois Greassiro ' and chipilly. securing hauls of prisoners a-ul field gnus in both places. Otir men apeak of the wonderful effectiveness of our barrage. The enemy machine gun fire was less intense than anticipated, doubtles* owing to tiro smothering of observation bv the mist. The prisoners are of a good typo of soldier, hut are much depressed by the news of the Marne defeat.

THE MARNE DEFEAT

OFFICERS PUNISHED

Berne, August 0.

In addition to General Yon Plauitz two Major-Generals ami sixteen high officers’ have been retired as punishment for the Marne defeat.

BULGARIAN ROYAL FAMILY.'

Copenhagen, August 9. It transpires that tbe„Kiug ot Bulgaria and family have arrived at Nduheim incognito, probably for a long stay. gT BRITISH SHIPBUILDING. Received August 10, 1.5 p.in. London, August 9. Mr Pirne, in an interview, stated that 240 separate shipbuilding and repairing marine engineering establishments are under this department. A better synchronising of hulls machinery resulted in a marked acceleration of the output. There is now very rarely any delay in awaiting machinery for standard ships, because'it is interchangeable. Any immediate material increase in the present rate of output can hardly be expected until additional skilled men have been obtained. Fifty-six small concrete ships are under construction. Thev are built in wooden moulds, into which steel rods are placed and the concrete poured in. The number of vessels salved after being damaged has recently increased owing to the improvement in the Admiralty’s salvage organisation and devices to minimise ti e damage.