GERMANS' TROUBLED RETREAT.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14857, 3 September 1918, Page 5

GERMANS' TROUBLED RETREAT.

HARD PRESSED AT ALL POINTS.

PERONNE UNTENABLE.

MONT ST. QUENTIN TAKEN BY AUSTRALIANS.

ADVANCE IN THE LYS SALIENT

BRITISH NEARING ESTAIRES.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and ißeuter.)

London, Sept. 1. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— The Australians, showing great .dash, enterprise, and daring, brilliantly executed night operations, seizing the hill and the village of Mont St. Quentin, northward of Psronne, thereby gaining possession of an important tactical feature commanding Perpnne and the angle £& the Soinme river. They also captured Feuillaucourt -and over 1500 prisoners. Our casualties were light. The English on tho Australians' left attacked this morning with complete success, and captured Marrieres Wood and high ground eastward and northward thereof, and prisoners in considerable numbers. We successfully repulsed day-long counter-attacks, and drove off with heavy eaiemy loss strong hostile attacks astride tlie Bapaume-Cambrai road. We completed the -capture of Rien-court-les-Bapaume. We slightly improved our position at certain points between "Vaulx Yraueourt and Bulleeerart. Strong Jio stile counter-attacks in the Bullecourt sector led to hand to hand fighting. The situation has iiot,changed materially.. ■.:-•., •!' ' Further northward'the'Canadians' etigaged in successful operations immediately southward, of .the Arras-Cambrai road, and inflicted many casualties. They captured fifteen -machine guns. Between the Sensee river and the Scarpe we advanced the line 1500 yards towards the Friquis* rrwer. The increasing demand upon the enemy's reserves, due firstly to the enormous casualties ioeurred in the massed attacks during the earlier part of the year, and. secondly, "to the heavy casualties in killed, wounded and prisoners inflicted on their armies since July 18th by the Allies' series of successful attacks, has compelled them to withdraw from the Lys .salient and ■yield without a blow positions of higb >£actical importance, which they won afe ■great cost. We took possession of Kemmol Hill, :and reached the general line of Voormezeele, Lindentock, La Creche and and are approaching Estaires. "We are closely pressing the enemy in ■fiheir retirement, &nd have tal«m a number of prisoners. A later message says:—The this evening repeatedly counter-attacked at Mont St. Quentra, but were repulsed on each occasion after severe .fighting. We made progress towards Le Transloy. and cleared otrt the enemy last night'from Longatto and Eeout-St. Mem.. We took fifty prisoners norfihward of the Arras-Cambrai road in successful minor operations. Eastward of Hauconrt, in the Lto sector, our advance1 -continues.. .We -crossed the Lawe river, and are nearring the La Bassee-Estaires road.