THE WAR.

Western Star, 3 September 1918, Page 3

THE WAR.

STRONG ENEMY RESISTANCE. Sir D. Haig reports; —Operations are proc.eding satisfactorily eastward and northwards of Bapaume, despite increased resistance. Hard lighting has taken place on the greater part of this front. The enemy made a number of heavy counter-attacks. We entered Raincourt, and Bancourt, whore wo actively engaged the enemy all day long. We captured Fremicourt, V’auix Vraucourt, and reached the western outskirts of Beuguy. The enemy arc still obstinately defending Ecoust, though closely pressed. Determined counter-attacks by strong forces at Bullecourt and Hendecourt compelled tits to fall back to the western outskirts of these towns, and to the German trench system between these villages, where our fire stopped the enemy’s attack. The Canadians successfully attacked astride the: AliasCambrai road, and, captured the de fences between Hendecourt and Haucoui't, capturing Haucourt and taking prisoner several hundred. e maintained vigorous pressure southward of Bapaume, and gained ground. We also progressed eastward and north- . westward of Clery, taking prisoner SCO. ■ We are closely following tlie witlidraiwing enemy in the : Lys sector. 11 e look possession of Bailleid.

GERMANS YEILD VALUABLE POSITIONS. LONDON, September 1.

Sir D. Haig reports: Strong hostile { counter-attacks in the Bullecourt j sector led to hard fighting. The sitna- | tion is -unchanged materially. Further j northward the Canadians, engaged in } successful operations immediately j southward of the Arras-Cambrai road ' and inflicted many casualties. They ; captured fifteen machine guns. Be- , tween the Sense© River and the Scarpe we advanced our line fifteen ; hundred yards towards the Friquis River. There is an increasing demand upon the enemy’s reserves, due firstly . to the enormous casualties incurred in his massed attacks during the earlier part of the year and, secondly, to heavy casualties in killed, wlounded, and prisoners inflicted on his armies since the 18th July by the Allies. A series of successful attacks have compelled the enemy to withdraw from the ' Lys salient and yield without a blow positions of high tactical importance which, he wion at great cost. We took - possession of Remand Hill, reached ■ the general line Voormezeele-Liuden- 1 hoek-Lacreche-Boulieu, and are approaching Estaires. We are closely : pressing the enemy in his retirement, 1 and have taken a number of prisoners. ■ A later /message says the enemy in the evening repeatedly counter-attack- 1 cd Mont St. Quentin, and. was repulsed on each occasion. After severe fighting we progressed towardls Le Transloy, > cleared out the enemy at night-time 1 fromj Longatte-, Ecoust, and St. Mein, and took prisoner fifty northward of 1 the Arras-Cambrai road. Eastward of Hamoourt, in the Lys sector, our ad- • vance continues. We have crossed) the 1 Lawe River, and are nearing the La Bassee-Estaires toad. LENIN SHOT BY A WOMAN. AMSTERDAM, September 1. A Moscow message states that Lenin, after addressing a meeting of labourers, was stopped by two women, who discussed recent decrees as to the importation of foodstuffs intoi Moscow. During the interview a young girl of the' intellectual class fired three shots, wounding Lenin in the shoulder and lungs. The girl arrested declared she was a Social Revolutionary. Lenin’s condition is. serious. Another account states that the shots were fired by two women Social Revolutionaries. PRESIDENT WILSON’S SOLEMN DECLARATION. WASHINGTON", August 31. President Wilson has announced that ho solemnly purposes a decisive victory at anus, and deliberately purposes to devote the larger part df the. nation’s military strength to that end, emphasising how this is the nation’s war. Mr Wilson points out that this demands the mobilisation of every national resource its; a. final demonstration of .loyalty to deircoctacy. The will to win is necessary to show t-1 1* ■ world that the people of the 1 nited .Statestand together in common resolution and purpose. INTENDED “ALL AMERICAN” FRONT. LONDON, August 31. Mr Grasty cables from Paris: “Wit! three, months’ battle experience i< guide the American troops, the Frenci and British recognise that the be.s results henceforth will be obtainable by the organisation of an All-American front, allowing, the Americans to complete their own training, furnish then own -supplies, and assume complet. control on the front. The time for brigading the American troops wit! the° French and British hate passed.” WASHINGTON, August 31. General March states: The United States troops are withdrawing from British and French brigades, in orde; to join the First American Army which is now being formed. enemy reargfard pressed. LONDON. September 2. The latest news is most encoding. Pei'onne has been captured, and v. o are pressing the enemy rearguards Fires eastward of Lens indicate that the enemy is destroying stores preparatory to evacuating the town. There are also fires eastward of Armentieres,

indicating that the enemy is contemplating a retirement on a large scale in tuis sector. Our patrols have pu.-iied forward in the direction of Lons-

The Australians hold Peronnc, Flamicourt, and St. Denis, and have progressed on the spurs east and north-east of Mont St. Quentin.