THE ALLIES’ THRUST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12405, 24 August 1918, Page 9

THE ALLIES’ THRUST.

EXTENSIVE AND SUCCESS* FUL OPERATIONS. CAPTURE OF ALBERT. A. and X.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. (Received August 24, 9.45 a.m.) ' LONDON, August 23. Sir Douglas Haig reports;— English eastern, county, London and Australian troops, holding the sector between the Somme and the Ancro, at-I tacked with the object of carrying the j positions in the high ground traversed by the Bray-sur-Sonimc-Albcvt road. The attack was completely successful. We captured the whole objectives nt an early hour and advanced two miles on a front of over six miles, Wn retook Albert. The eneniy strongly resisted at certain points, particularly on the slopes northward of Bray, which in itself did not form a part of our objective. In this latter aeotion a counteir-attack pressed us back five hundred yards. Fighting continued for some time in Albert, until the town was finally cleared by our troops. In this successful operation wo took prisoner 1400 men and captured a few guns. Wo also progressed on the left bank of the Ancro southward of Beaucourt. Northward of the Ancro the enemy counter-attacked heavily at a number of points. After we had repulsed one hostile assault in the early morning in the Alirnninont sector, the'enemy again attacked the sector entered. Chir coun-ter-attack immediately drove him out. The enemy also succeeded northwestward of Aeliict-ln-Graud in pressing back our forward points, hut again our counter-attack re-established our position, and 201) were taken prisoner. Wo repulsed oilier attacks eastward of Courcelles, and eastwards ol Atovcnville. We took prisoner a total of over 5000 yesterday between the Somme and Moyenneviile.’ On blip Lys front wo progressed eastward of Alerville, and in the direction of Non I Berquin. taking prisoners and inaeliiue-guns, Wo also advanced on the Hue northward of Bailleul. on n front of a mile and a half, taking prisoners. We repulsed a raid in the neighbourhood of Dielcebusc. SUCCESS ON ALL FRONTS. Australian ami X.Z. Cable' Association. (Received August 24, 9.45 a.m.) NEW YORK, August 23. General Ahingin’s army has captured 5000 additional prisoners. ( The British between Lihons and the Cojeul River are fighting a heavy battle on a twenty-live mile front. The Germans are reported to be flinging masses of men against the British" in an endeavour to slave off disaster. The British Third Army gained a mile on a front of seven miles. The British Fourth, Army gained two miles on a front jr.f seven miles, and has taken 2000 prisoners already. French troops are across the Oise ciglfi miles mist of Neyon. The Britisn arc nearing Bnpawtte. VILLAGES CAPTURED. Australian am! X.Z. l.Glilc Apsoeinlion. (Received August 24, !).43 a.m.) LONDON, August, 23. The Fnited Press correspondent reports:—The British to-day look 1000 prisoners and readied Boiry-Beeque-relle, H amilmeoinT and Gomiecnurt, while Bray G practically surrounded, GERMANS RETIRING. Australian and X.Z. Cable Association, (Received August 24, 9.15 n.m.) , PARIS, August 22. •ho French on !e Plemont are- üblo to see Germans retreating northward, following ihe captuiC of Lassiguy-

ADVANCE TO AVELUY.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.

(Received August 22, 11.20' a.m.) __ _ YORK. August 23. Hie British held .Miranmont, after live changes in possession. Indications arc appearing that tho Germans will bp compelled to retreat along a line of thirty miles. The British have captured Hcrlcville and have reached a point south of Ave-

THE MOONLIGHT BATTLE.

DESPERATE FIGHTING.

Australian and X.Z. Cable Association. ■ (Received August 24, 10 a.m.) i/O.NDON, August 20. Wr Percival Phillips, describing the moonlight battle at Bcanrcgiml-Dovc-coto, says that the German gunners hold out most ot Wednesday until the FhmJish cleared it late in the afternoon, i her tound two wireless operators budg'd amid the wreckage of their apparatus and a solitary field-gun. Before lh 0 gun ecu Id be salved the German., counter-attacked, and wo dropped hack, lucking our way amidst hot shelling and through 'craters in brilliant moonlight, the batteries concentrating m a. kind of desperation, putting down’ as heavy a screen as they could before the gateway to Bapauiue. The Germans had hardly began to dispose their new macbmo-guns in niches in the redoubt before they wore again overridden, nnyoiiois flashed in the moonlight and the Ingush again manned the redoubt I he Germans, for over an hour, gasshcHed the redoubt. Then fresh troop* re-atiacked at dawn. The impact of tins blow sent back some of onr troop* nearly to the original line. This did not discourage them, however, for they stormed ! bo Dovecote a third time at seven o clock in the morning and got The airmen, s!ruling the ground all (hi.v, eaugiit a. Iransport column in a cutting and obtained night direct hits lue remaining waggons bolted and tned to .imu. bm became jammed in another angle ol ih.e road, where thcr'limen fell upon them with excellent results. The prisoners include an Austrian artillery captain, whoso unit, from the lyrol, had boon m the line opposite to Courcelks. The officer was polite and anxious to please—very different from the Prussians. GENERAL MANGIN’S BLOW. EVENTS BIG WITH PROMISE. Australian anti X.Z. Cable Association. (Received August 21, 12.30 p.m.) I .OX I) OX, August 23. Air (!. M. Perris writes; — General Alangin advance eastward of ilu> Oise was sometimes stoutly re* sistetl, but elsewhere it proceeded with singular ease. I lie capture ol Bout do Choisv, between the Aisue and Cuts, standing •'OO feet above the river valley, was a deei-ive point in the success. : i lie tu rman-i _ viciously de.fouded Cuts, hot. soeiiig- ilioineolves irresistibly pres-ed into the low. swampy land between t*• i■ hill, and t.he river, accepted the inevitable and beat a rapid, somoliuio.K,disorderly.. retreat, G.-neral Alangin ._ holding (be Oise uw'r .Novi.m. necessitated the abandoninont nt the la-c ciu'iuy hold on the r>',-oite valley. Iboi'dav wa-. mainly devoted to eonMiiidalmn work. Mau\ cannon, with material and s'ci'e,, bonded] y abandoned by (lie enemy, acre 'found behind the broken line-. I' ranch cavalry patrols and (auks are on; in all directions sweeping the country tree ol all enemy groups. French gnus are rapidly coming up. Aviatory are incessantly bombing the river crossings. Tiie skill in the plan, the execution of the movement, and the way in which each move aided the other are striking and big with promise.

I „P e r, Bi,, °rre; e 7 9 in this iswo Mcredited to ; The Times fans appeared in that journal, ; but only where expressly stated is Buc h new* ; the editorial opimon of "Thn Times." Otbei oable messages, unless atnt-ca to the contrary, i havo been received through the Australia* . And iNew Zealand Cable Association, '