EARLY MESSAGES

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16620, 27 August 1918, Page 3

EARLY MESSAGES

r UiSM C AMPAIGN ATTACK COOTBSTtJIgriIGHTEEN THO USAND PRISONERS FOUR 1)A IS. f Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) c .. _ LONDON, August 25. ;T • 5 1 11 ' Douglas Haig reports:—Our attack northward of the Somme continues. He hold the road from Albert to Bppaume as far as the outskirts of Lie Sars. ; behave captured Contalmaison, Waryiencourt, and Eaueourt. J Northward of Bapaume we have :*taken Sapignies and Be-liagnies. The number of prisoners taken by the Third and Fourth Armies on the battleiront since the morning of Wednesdav jnow exceeds 18,000. A counter-attack against our positions recently gained northward of Bailleul p bi'oke down. ,# r "& ~ - ~ r —;——.

DETAILS Oi? ADVANCE-

Tho Australian Press Association -learns that the British Third and Fourth Armies arc pressing the attack south-of-the Somme. 'The Third Army has. advanced from four to four and ahalf miles at the furthest point-, on a thirteen miles front, and is now fighting on the slopes of the Tlu'epval ridge along the eastern bank of the Anere° Our patrols entered Miramount, which is now probably .completely m our hands.

The importance of the advance is that we have been able to get along very quickly towards Bapaume, .which..is- a, ;y.ery important road junction.' ";\Vg ate 'now-two miles from Jiapaume. • Our advance north and south of Thiepval has "seriously threatened the German positions on the old Somme battlefield.

Undoubtedly before our attacks were launched = the enemy contemplated a big retirement, but lie intended taking liis time, and we hustled him, thus preventing him carrying out. his- plans. This is proved by the number of guns we have captured and the very large number of jn-isoners taken. The British Third and Fourth Armies during the last three days have taken a, total of 14,000 prisoners. The Fourth .Army h.is captured a large slice of ground on the eastern bank "of the river opposite Albert. 1 The line now rnns .right, round just west of BseordeU aifd Becciirt,- 'thejice "t urns foucliv. ard to the western outskirts of Bray; -

Although Chaulne? is not yetin our hands, its railway junction is useless to the enemy. The only line now at his disposal is that from Chaulnes to Ham, wlucli can only; be used partially,, as. the Chaylncs •junction is under our lire.

. ' ALL GOES WELL." FOCH PRAISES THE TRpOPS. M-n-iirTT OC r : -- -T ar corre spondent Sj , lUdislal loch said:—"All <rnes u-nll .? u h a X.Q betju' ableT'-to-i observe our .opei ations since July 18'.: iw i lnv „ : We ; . shall c'ontouc , ' s , ,nl P°ssible to speak too highlv t Lh m b, rO ° PS - \ over-praise then bravery and. heroism. Despite , the toirihle heat and fatigue and all stunt! n i ' ltieS v ley st,ck to ft Co "- stantly. and accomplish superblv whatever they are asked to do. The.British -t'ooi- arc splendid despite the heat they continue t0 make progress. *' ? at-s? Vt&S£.gjK """ 1 Foch concluded by comparing the German invasion of France to anrl wn<i had I,! , ,ssed highwateimaik and as now receding.

Australian successT ~ TliA \ f 1- August 25., iho - Australians on Friday took 800 prisoners, including thirty-two -bri-ish Guardsmen took tho same number oi prisoners during a hand-to-hand struggle, in which they had all their own wav

BATTLE METHODS. GUNS FOLLOW INFANTRY. . The expenditure of munitions is unimaginable. There has been little, if any, artillery preparation, but once the infantry were on the go the German lear and communications were plentilullv watered with shells. The Allied attacks extending from the Champagne- to - the;sea are intended to create a. strategic situation equal to all eventualities. The artillerv from Rove santlv U1 ' C ' y " thunderin S a"'ay inceV

Innumerable local actions are being fought m Lorraine and numerous prisoners liuv© been brought in. FRENCH SUCCESSES. GAINSSTEADILY INCREASED. . LONDON, August 25, 5 p.m. A- X' rench communique states: An enemy coup-de-main north of Rove only resulted in our taking twenty prisoners. Theie was a fairly violent bombardment in the region of Beuvraignes. Between the Ailette and the Aisno we jjugtfeased .our advance east of r.eux.'. " ! ° Oil the.right of. the Meuse and in the Wqcvr? our patrols brought back prisoners, who include Aus'trians and Hungarians. THE GERMAN REPORTS. - A German; official .message states:

Our advanced troops, in accordance with orders, withdrew lighting on the C'roi-.silles-Saint Leger line. A renewed enemy assault- gained ground in the direction of Mory. The enemy pressed hack our lines towards Biliagnies and Pys, where he was brought to a. standstill .by our reserves, Four attacks on both sides of Miraumont were shattered. The enemy gained a footing on the east bank of the Ant-re, eastward of Hamel. His attacks from Albert broke down eastward of tho town. For the. purpose of joining' our line near Pys we removed our lines at Miraumont to eastward of Albert from the Ancre. A German evening official communique states:—English attacks southeast of Arras and against Bapaumo failed. The enemy gained ground east of Thiepval. Repeated English attacks from eastward of Albert to tho Somme broke down. French attacks between the Allelic and the Aisne were repulsed.

ELEVEN INCH GUNS. TO BOMBARD AMIENS. PARIS, August 25. The Australians captured some 11inch guns, y.'bieh have a range of 19 uules. They aro of a recent model and were intended for the bombardment of Amiens. They will be publicly exhibited in Paris.

BAPAIDtE CAPTURED. LONDON, August 25 Bapaume lias been captured. PARIS ENTHUSIASTIC. OYER BRITISH SUCCESSES. PARTS.. August 2oAn 11-inch gun fiom the Australian front lias now arrived at the Champ do Mars, the trophy evoking enthusiasm among many 'thousands of Parisians. This was heightened later by the Australians' great surcess in capturing Bray and the New Zea!anders' splendid achievement north-westwaard of tho outskirts of Bapaunie. coupled with the British victory at Thiepval and tho surprisingly rapid advances at many points along the whole battle front.

FRENCH GENERALS HONOURED

PRESIDENT'S CONGRATULATIONS. Tho President, M Poincare, accompanied by M. Clemenrcau, visited Central Petain's Headquarters. and decorated. him with the Modaille Militaire. Subsequently they visited Marshal Foeh's Headquarters, and presented him with a Marshal's baton in tha presence of -tho Allies' military representatives. ".

JL Poiucaro declared that by wise and successful operations, combined with surprise, the' enemy had b'eon defeated on the Marne, the Aisue. tho Avre, the Sommo and the Oise. "Von, hay© broker. _ the enemy's offensive," he said, "disconcerted his plans, exhausted his reserves and captured on masso his men. guns, machine-guns and munitions. Glory to you. Monsieur k- Marechnl, and to all the Armies you command."

HOW PARIS WAS SAVED. ! WASHINGTON, August 24. A member of the House of Representatives asserts that only two Allied .Generals were court-martialled as the result, of the Allied retreat before the ■Ger.mair drive to tlie_ Marne. Another committed suicide. ' Only Americans held Belleau Wood against the Huns: otherwise Paris was certain to have fallen."'" 1 "-' - ■ / ■

.- . - OTTAWA, August 24. Sir Robert Borden." who is returning from the Imperial Cabinet, states that the- arrival United States troops freed the Allied commanders from the necessity of remaining on tho defensive. The victory of the last few weeks •would have been impossible unless American reserves had been available. The most effective and harmonious co-operation lias been maintained between the United States, Britain and France.

The Canadians captured 10,000 prisoners in the recent, advance and 150 cannon. The mastery of • the air was rapidly passing to the Allies.