FRENCH STORY OF VICTORY

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11633, 7 September 1918, Page 5

FRENCH STORY OF VICTORY

A GLORIOUS ADVANCE. THIRTY VILLAGES CAPTURED. fAuet.'and N.Z, Cable Association,) Received September 7, 11.10 a.m. London, September 6. A French communique-., reports: During the day the French continued to pursue the retreatiug enemy, and bv the evening on the Canal du Nord-Yesle front we made an important advance despite local resis tanee. We hold Falvy Olfoy on the north bank of the Somme. Canal. To the south’our lines approach the Ham road, ■which°is the border between Plcssis Patte, Doil and Berlancourt. Southeast of the latter our front passes through the outskirts of Guivry, Caillouel, Crepisuy, north of Maresfe. Dampcourt, southern outskirts of Abbecourt. On the whole Ailette front the enemy exhausted by bard fighting since the twentieth of last month to-day began to give ground, and our units are'pursuing the German rearguards rapidly. We progressed north of the Ailette. Pierreman and Autreville are in our hands, as well as the greater part of the lew forest of Coney. Further east we occupy Fiimbray, Coucy, Lo Chateau, Coney Laville and have advanced a kilometre south of Frisnes.

On the right our front passed east of Landricourt. South of the Ailette we hold the line Neaville-Surmargi-val Vregny and the western slopes of Conde Fort. Over thirty villages have been recaptured today on this part of the front. South of Yesle we border the Aisue between Conde-Yiel-Arcy. Eastwards the line passes north of Dhuizel to Barbouval and over the Beauregard plateau. Airmen were prominent in the battle, flying at the lowest, and machine gunning retreating troops, transport and bivouacs. Thousands of rounds were tired and six tons of bombs dropped on stations, causing the utmost confusion.