SOISSONS RETAKEN

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13815, 20 July 1918, Page 5

SOISSONS RETAKEN

BIG CAPTURES OF PRISONERS. FRANCO-AMERICANS TAKE 30,000. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received July 20, 10.15 a.m. PARIS, July 19. The French haw captured 15,000 Germans. VANCOUVER, July 19. The United Press Washington correspondent learns officially that the French have captured Soissons. WASHINGTON, July 19. Official advices state that the FrancoAmericans have captured 30,000 prisoners.

FRENCH LINE OF ADVANCE. TWENTY VILLAGES RECAPTURED. IMPORTANT BOOTY TAKEN. AMERICANS PENETRATE SEVER\L MILES. (Australian and N.Z. and Reuter.) Received July ::. 10.50 a.m. LONDON, July 19. A French communique states that, starting from Ambleny, Longpont, Fresnes and Bouresches, we considerably advanced into the enemy lines and reached the plateau commanding Soissons on the soutli-west and the region of Chaudun. Violent lighting is going on between Villers Helong and Noroy sur Ourcq. Our troops south of the Ourcq passed the general line Marizy-Saoevevieve-Hautevcsne and Hauteves-nes-Belleau. Over 20 villages have been recaptured, and several thousand prisoners with important booty have been taken. There is nothing important elsewhere.

An American communique reports that the American troops, co-operating with the French between the Aisne and the Marne, penetrated the enemy lines to a depth of several miles, capturing many prisoners and guns.

FRENCH FIRST DAY'S CAPTURES. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received July 20, IO.iO-a.m. LONDON, July 19. The French captured 48 guns in the first day's attack.

THE GERMAN REPORT. LOSS OF GROUND ADMITTED. THEIR RESERVES THROWN IN. (Admiralty per Wireless Press.) Received July 0, 10.40 a.m. LONDON, July 19. German evening official: Between the Aisne and the Marne the French attacked with strong forces and tanks, capturing some ground. Our reserves participated in the battle.

ATTACK ON TWENTY-SEVEN MILES FRONT. AFTER ENEMY OFFENSIVE BROKEN. (Reuter's Telegrams.) Received July 20, 12.25 p.m. LONDON, July 19. A French communique states that after breaking the German offensive on the fronts in Champagne, and at Moutagne de Rheims, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the French, in conjunction with the American troops, on Thursday advanced to attack the German pos ; tions between the Aisne and the Marne on a front of 27 miles.

FRENCH COMMANDER'S ORDERS. KILL GERMANS IN PLENTY. UNTIL THEY ABE EXHAUSTED. FRENCH POSITIONS PRACTICALLY IMPREGNABLE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received July 20, 12.50 p.m. LONDON, July 19. General Oourand's army order on the eve of the offensive pointed out that a defensive battle was never undertaken under more favourable circumstances. Strong infantry and artillery reinforcements bad arrived and the whole ground had become a formidable fortress, which was invincible if well guarded. Every man must have only one thought—to kill (iermans and kill them in plenty, until they are exhausted.

NO PRELIMINARY BOMBARDMENT. THE ENEMY SURPRISED. RAPID FRENCH ADVANCE. UN A 27 .MILES FRONT. TO A DEPTH OF FIVE MILES. (Australian and N.Z. ('able Assn.) lb cived July 20, 12.r>0 p.in." LONDON, July 19. The French counter-attack, which was a surprise, opened without bombard nl on a front of 27 miles. from the heights northward of Fi.nlermy In Helleau. The French at 1 o'clock had captured the heights overlnokin.ir Foiiteii'iy on the extreme |ef| and progressed tn Mont de Paris, overruiiniim' the plateau in front of Soissmis and reaching within a mile of ||je city. They also gained the ra\ ine il the r\> r <".!n'i>''. which runs iub> Sii»on- on ~ fl'olll of live links In 111 • - easlw n'il id' Mil-bamy, which means a maxiimmi advance of |iy ( . |,|j|,. s ill ||,j s ,„,: :l | -|-|,,, ariiix corps all irking | | liu k l(Mii) pri-oin i-. wih ::u -mis ;m ,| considerable material. The \nierieans parlii-i----pated in Ibis advance.

THE SITUATION REVIEWED SUCCESS OF THE ATTACK. PAINFUL PERIOD ENDED. HERMAN COMMUNICATIONS DOMI.\ATED. ATTACK O.N PARIS Fill STRATED. I'OCIFS STRATEGIC RESULTS. AMERICANS' HIGH TRIAL. UNDERESTIMATED liV LUDENDORFF (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received ,;uiy -jo, i±.£j p.m.

LUNDO.V, July 19. General <;r F. is. Maurice, commenting on the counter-attack, says that General Foclj always preached that a defensive attitude is no defence, so we may be sure that the reason he did

! not attack before is that In.' had not the necessary means. The counterattack bei'. u the Aisne and tiie .Maine is an indication that the painful period during which we had to sit still is brought to an end. All who have followed the Hiis campaign must realise that the deep-rooted > belief that defence is necessarily mor* economical in lile than an offensive is an illusion. A success, lul attack is almost always much less cosily than an unsuccessful defence. In the present battle the Germans have lost more heavily because their attacks failed. General Foch's attack thus far has not been expensive, for it achieved a surprise and it was made in a direction where every yard of ground must directly influence the course of the battle.

It is almost certain that the enemy was preparing to advance upon Paris along . ; front attacked, and he will

u '^ v '■■ • <" oegin his preparations afresh. General Foch lias not only driven the enemy back further from Paris, but has struck at the main artery feeding the Germans in a great salient. Montagne de Paris, which is now in French hands, completely dominates Soissons and makes the railways passing through it useless to the Germans as the French artillery dominates the lines. The chances of recapturing Soissons are rosy, in any case it will be impossible for the Germans to bring up the vast amount of material required for an attack on Paris, and it will be difficult to keep their troops on the Marne supplied with food and ammunition.

Unlike the Grown Prince's effort, General Foch in a few hours secured decisive strategic results, and is able to claim considerable captures of gun.s while Ludendorff is unable to boast of one after a four days' battle. Counterattacks are taking place south of the Marne, where General Foch is making a local effort to regain high ground whence he will bo able to shell the enemy's bridges. Obviously the Americans have taken part in the battle. It was a verv high trial for new troops to take part in a surprise attack hastily prepared as this must have been, and it looks as if Hindenburg waited overlong and underestimated the Americans, as his predecessor in the first battle of the Marne underestimated the British. General Foch's attack is not an effort to break the German front, as he has not had time to collect troops for a far-reaching offensive, so we must not expect the Franco-American advance to be carried much further

GROUND FAVOURABLE FOR ATTACK. TANKS, CAVALRY AND ARTILLERY USED. THE FRENCH OBJECTIVE. TO CUT ENEMY'S COMMUNICATIONS GERMAN GENERAL SUPERSEDED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received July 20, 12.50 p.m. LONDON, July 19. The Allied counter-ocensive began at 6 a.m. on Thursday. The ground was favourable for the use of mosquito tanks, cavalry and artillery, of which full advantage was taken, the French aiming to get astride the SoissonsRheims railway, enabling them to force the enemy back along the Marne valley by cutting their line of supply. It is definitely known that General von Mudra has superseded General von Below on the Champagne front.

(Australian and N.Z. and Reuter.) Received Julv 20, 1 p.m LONDON, July 19. Twenty villages have been recaptur•ml. Thousands of prisoners have been captured and much booty secured.

SITUATION EXCEEDINGLY PROMISING. ENEMY'S WEAKENING REPLY. iUGG ESTT COUNTER-OFFENSIVK SINCE MAY, 1917. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received July 20, 1.45 pan.

LONDON,. July 19. Up to noon the French between "elleau and the Aisne valley advanced between three and four miles, especially successful in the Aisne valley. The American artillery is co-operating in the biggest Allied counter-offensive since April, 1917. Meanwhile the Germans have made no further advance to-

ards Epernay, and have been slightly

thrown hack in places. The French have recaptured the whole front on the Beausejour-Femy-Massignes line, an 1 and have also recaptured Lauteil, Veaguel andßoisdetfci on the Maine. The American Division captured Yienzy, advancing three -Vies beyond the village- The Germans farther south, on the heights northward of the Our-'i| valley, hastily counter-attacked, and the situation for the moment is ob•cure. The French still farther south gained the western outskirts ! >t" Chun and Neullyst front and also advanced to a depth of three miles eastward of Rheims, recapturing Prunay. The counter-offensive is regarded as having succeeded exceptionally well, and the situation is extremely promising. The enemy artillery replied weakly, while the French counter-battery work is reported to have been remarkably good. German aviators flyiii" low used machine-guns, endeavouring to impede the attack, with small success. The French attack has already been much more successful than either id' (lie Herman attempts at Xoyoii and Mnntiliilier. or Hie latest attacks at micims. The French advanced In a ciinsii|erabl\ aivaler deplh in six hour> linn (lie lii'iinan- did in three da>s. The -Hack threatens [ln' *",-riii.it! ciiiniiiiiiiicaliiins within Hie s'alieiil. especi;i||> at Iwn points Illicb> h i ihab'.ill and KiMnes. The French tI"W h.'Vi ll,r~i' ciiimiumii' di'.ii- under di- ;■■<• i .>>>-• r\.itii.u. an I ha\e thus achievid Ml im| "llall! sll'ah uic pnsiliiili. \\ hah \a-r (lie 111 \! ilt'Veliililllellls. this valuable a.ivanei is regarded as one id' t' ■ in.'.-t br !i ml performance.- ...f the war.

AN INSTANTANEOUS VICTORY. THE GEKMANTJDE KECEDJNG. PARIS OVERJOYED. (Australian and N.z. Cable Assn.) Ileceivcd .Julv 20, '2 n in . li)NDON,*July 1!). I aris is overjoyed at || l( . news ol General Koch's masterlv manoeuvre in sinking a lightning Mow at il u . neck ol the German salient and scoring an instant;.,leoiis victory. It is opined that at last the tide of German successes lias readied high water mark and ims now begun to recede.