THE WAY OF THE WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12405, 24 August 1918, Page 8

THE WAY OF THE WAR.

THE POSITION MED. Tho methodical local attacks carried out by tho French astride tho Oiso have at last produced substantial results, for General Humbert is in Lassigny and is pressing on Noyon, and on tho other side of tho river tho left wing of General Margin's army has broken tho German resistance and has advanced to the Ailettc. Stated in these terms the advance may not appear to bo sensational, but ndicn the position is examined in any detail tho importance of the results is apparent. West of the Oiso, for instance, Humbert has had to fight his way over very broken and heavily wooded country, and tho advance of five miles from tho original French line south of Lassigny has been made in the face of the most tenacious and most thorough defensive organisation. It cost the Germans an extraordinary number of men to capture this mass of hills iu June, and at that time tho French had by no' moans perfected their defensive tactics. Indeed, it was in that battle that General Humbert experimented with a now system of defence, the advantages of which were proved after the loss of the main positions between the -Mats and the Oiso. The costliness of tho German advance over tho same ground is therefore evidence of the merit of the present French advance; and apart from that consideration it has to bo borne in mind that the Lassigny heights constitute one of the most important tactical positions on the whole front.

Lassigny itself seems to have fallen mainly because it had been outflanked by Humbert’s patient offensive. Tho French worked through the woods from the south and south-west to Belval and Thiescourt, and reached the south bank of the Divette. the little stream that runs into tho Oise below They are now insido the lino on which they established themselves when they stopped the German advance in March, and if they cross the Divette another scries of operations will at once be directed against Noyon. The position, however, cannot yet be defined with any degree of precision, because there is no indication whether the advance came to a halt on tho Divettc, Moreover, the influence of the French operations east of the Oise has to be taken into consideration. It is necessary just now to direct attention to General Humbert’s other wing. Having captured Lassigny, he is presumably free to move forward on the front south of Roye, or, rather, on the front south of Orapeaumesnil, in the neighbourhood of which the Germans have a strong point. If Hill 101, west of Les Loges, can bo turned from the south, nothing will sav e Roye, which sooner or later would be outflanked.

East of the Oise General Mangin is reported to have reached the Ailcttc, not on a wide front, it is true, but in such a way that the development of tho advance ought to be relatively easy It will be remembered that Mangin attacked on a front originally of about fifteen miles. His continuation northward was made on a front of eight or ten miles, and he appears to be facing north still on a front of six or eight miles. The maximum depth of the advance is about eight miles. The simultaneous eastward thrust, aiming at the Chaviguy ridge, north of' Scissous, does not appear to have been so successful, but provided tho flank were effectively covered, Mangin could afford to devote his attention to tho main drive. And once the new positions on the main plateau above tho Ailetto have been thoroughly organised tho French will naturally proceed to push cast along the crest. Indeed it may be taken for granted that this movement has already begun, although from a German communique it is apparent that the enemy has been coun-ter-attacking vigorously in the hope of restricting the scope of Mangin’a of. fensive. The enemy, of course, is bound to attack Mangin’s exposed flank, and if he has maintained his hold on the Ghavigny spur the French position will be anything but secure, but on the other hand Mangin’ 5 rapid advance raises a strong presumption that the German defence on the plateau broke down, and in that case it would be the Germans and not the French who found themselves outflanked.

Tho operation is left in an unfinished condition, and ono can do no more than emphasise its important possibilities. On the left flank the position is highly interesting The French have moved up the valley of the Oise, using the river to cover their flank, and the report states that they reached Brofigny, which is on the left bank of the Oise, due east of Noyon. From Sempigny to Bretigny the French front is therefore defined by the marshy valley of the Oise, and it is scarcely correct at this stage to say that Noyon lias been outflanked. The French at Sempigny may bo within a couple of miles of Noyon, but between them and the town is the valley of the river, with the Oise canal beyond. On the western bank of the Oise the Germans still hold Mount Rcnaud, (he key to tho valley, and although the French are at Villo they arc three miles from Noyon. But the position is full of promise, because a break in the enemy’s defence now would involve him in a big disaster. In all probability the Germans have planned to fall back from Roye to a lino running by Neslc and the formidable Hill 170 to Noyon. If they fail to hold Noyon this line will have been lost.

The British operations call for little detailed comment. The most interesting development leportcd has been a fresh advance of a mile and a half or two miles to Aehiet 1c Grand, which is only about three miles north-west of Bapuume. The proximity of the battle-front to Bapaumo facilitates the arrival of enemy reinforcements, and one would therefore expect an immediate stiffening of the enemy’s resistance, so that it would be unwise to look oonlidontly for further advances. But the menace of the British push is so immediate and so direct that Rupprecht will inevitably have to employ some of Ids reserve divisions to meet it, and the British attack therefore must have the effect of easing the situation for the French in the south. The British attacks on the Ancro continue, and between the Ancrc and the Somme supporting local attacks have been made. The position on the Albert- sector is important at this stage not so much on Us own account as because of its bearing on ‘the position elsewhere. STr Douglas Haig is keeping the Germans m a. state of anxiety, rendering it impossible for them to divert divisions from the Somme region to meet the French offensive, in the region of tho OiSO.