EFFORT CROWNED WITH VICTORY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11632, 6 September 1918, Page 5

EFFORT CROWNED WITH VICTORY.

SOISSONS PLATEAU SAINED. ENEMY DEAD PILED HIGHReuter. Loudon, Sept. 4.

American headquarters report: The lonsr, stubborn struggle of the past week on the Soissons plateau has been crowned with victory, in which some of the best German divisions have been pnt out of action by the Franco American troops. We are now in possession of the plateau. The enemy incurred the heaviest losses iu his endeavour to check our progress, especially the Prussian Guards whose dead are piled up aftar five futile .counter at tacks. As a result ot yesterday’s fighting we greatly strengthened our position along the Ailette ' and brought onr lines within a few miles of the line hold before the last German advance gover Chemiu des Dames What the enemy considered his first line of defence in that region is now entirely in French hands. OPINIONS OF GENERAL MAURICE. ALLIED ARMIES IN RESERVE. Loudon, September 5. General Maurice writes; The shortest line the enemy can hold iu Flanders runs from Ypres-Wytscha-aete-Messines Ridge-Liill (53-Neuve Chapelle-La Bassee. He is nearly on this line now. He will probably try to hold it, though he may prefer to relinquish the Lys valley and take a stand on Aubers Ridge This is a shorter front by thirteen miles. In the spring’of 1917, the enemy had 160 divisions on the West Front, of which 110 were iu the line and fifty in reserve. In March, 1918, he had 150'in the line, so it has been _pos pible to make considerable savings in the time given him to resort his troops. We have not yet turned tb’e main north£and south sector of Hinden burg line, which begins east of Moeuvres. To do this we must take Douai. Presumably the enemy’aimmediate plan is to hold the Sensee Oanal, covering Douai, and go back to the Hindenburg line in front of Cambrai Saint Qnentin, to the Ohemin des Dames. There ars still several Allied armies which have not yet had their say, so that Foch has an opportunity of farther improving the situation. THE AMERICAN FIGHTING FORCE. Washington, Sept. 4. General Marsh has announced that, including the Siberian Jexpedition, American troops now overseas number 1,600,000. Major General Graves has been appointed to command the Americans iu Siberia. During August 250,000 American troops landed in France. AIR FMISISTRY’S.REPORT. 9 Lond on, Septemter 4. 2 The Air Ministry reports; On the afternoon of the 3rd, we successfully attacked£an aerodrome hange, dircely hitting several hangars and blowing np two machines on the ground. All our machines returned. On the night of the 3rd we again heavily bombed the aerodromme at Morhange, hitting more hangars and starting fires. We also attacked’an aerodrome at Bonlav and blast furnaces at Esch, directly hitting the furnaces and starting fires at Boulay. All our machines returned. On the morning of the 4th we attacked the aerodrome at Morhauge, hitting at least seven hangars. All bombs burst well. We also attacked aerodromes at I Buhl with good results. Ail our machines returned.