1918-09-09 — Page 5

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THE WAR.

MAGNIFICENT

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1918

THE MODERN VANDALS.

Lasnos, September 7th. 12.30 p.m.

A Semi-official statement says:-The FRENCHemy is destroying vandal-like.

When they have not time to burn down houses they remove the furniture' and make great bonfires of them,

SUCCESSES:

BRITISH ADVANCE ON AMIENS- ST. QUENTIN ROAD: NEUVECHAPELLE.CHAUNY. HAM.TERGNIER AND COUCY FOREST CAPTURED; ENEMY IN FULL RETREAT TO THE HINDENBURG - JINE.

GERMAN WARSHIP SUNK OFF THE DUTCH COAST.

Funco-Belgian Front.

[THHOCON REUTER' 10ENCY.]

BRITISH FRONT.

IMPORTANT BRITISH PROGRESS.

laispos, September th 14.50 p.m. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re Juirts: Our progress continues in thN southern portion of the battle front, and

ADVANCING TOWARDS MESSINES.

LONDON. September 5th.

1.5 p.m.

Sir Douglas Haig states:-We, mude further progress east and north-east ̧ af Peronne.

We emptured Hancourt, Sorel-le-Grand and Metzen-tibature,

North af Metzen-Coutare we pênetrated the western portions of Lavrincourt Wood taking a number of prisoners. North of La Bassey Canal we

gained

They blow up the most important build. ings and pillage everything: remove agri- cultural machinery and destroy every thing else which they have not time to

remove.

Nevertheless our Edvance in the forest of Coucy was so rapid that the enemy had Hið abandon very large quantities of war-

material

depots.

and important ammunition,

FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S FINE INITIATIVE.

LONDON, Septeniber 8th. Reuter's Correspondent at French

5

The French are progressing between tho Soome and the Oise and have practically captured the whole of the Autrecourt massif, and are. now within three miles of Chaway-sur-Oise, "Where the Crozan

Sopth of Han we have occupied Le Plessis Petre doi "and Berlancourt, and we have passed Guisty, Caillopel, Crepigny and Abbecourt,

North of the Ailette we have reached Headquarters, telegraphing last evening, { Canal furnishes the enemy with a water- the outskirts of Sainceny and the plateau Ingon was due to the courage of a single fed front Oflyy in the north,

states The crossing of the rivulet on line, which; however, is liable to be turn. north of Landricourt.

South of the Ailette we have reached the Tauxillon Ravine.

Lieutenant, who got his company man by man under heavy fire across a wrecked railway bridge on the Hum-Neste line. On the Vesle front the Americans have He worked up the Sither banks with a reached the outskirts of Villiers-en-handful of men to Rutoy-le-Petit, which Prayere, on the north-eastern slopes of surrendered. His initiative was respon sible for most of the prisoners captured Revillon, and have occupied Clennes,

between Lagon" and tlie Summe,

ak

4

4

FRENCH CAPTURE HAM AND

CHAUNY, ..

PARIS, September 7th, A communiqué says Along the whole The sight of such devastation, ordered | Erent between the Somme and the Aisne by the leaders of the German army, kiniltes the thrust of our, troops did not slacken. in our soldiers a determination to punish

Today despite German efforts to stemn such crimes, They seem to know no fati-dür" advance, we captured Ina and gue in pursuit.

Chauny,

East of the C'anat da Nord we reached THE NAVY'S CONGRATULATIONS.

the line of Taneby Forest and Villers-St. Loses. Sepiqrober 7th.

Christophe, east of Quilly, east of Ham,. 1.23 p.1. .: Sir Eric Geddes" telegraphed pi Sir"

Bruneby, Villesele, l'gni-l-Gay anil Viry-Moreuil, Douglas Haig his heartiest "congratula. tions and admiration of the triumphani continued advance of the British armies in France.

Hays that the Navy is following every

movement of the sister

AMERICAN CAPTURES

Loxnes, September 7th.

1.40 ..

An American påcial message dated yesterday says:- North of the Vesla we have taker: 'Tongueval, Merval, and Clennis, and we reached the line Vieitel Argy, Villers-in-Prayeres and Revillon,

Our patrols are iar the south bank of the Aisne Canal,

FOCH'S STRATEGICAL OFFENSIVE,

LONDON, September (5th; Beuter's Correspondent at American Headquarters, telegraphing on Thursday evening, states: There was rever heater instance of a strategical offensive than the fashion in which the terman forers abong the Vesle have been put to Right by a blay struck many miles" to tha west of thei. "Had we attempted to foren the line of the Vorle tactically, we would have lost at least 10,000, and possibly. 30,000 men. The blow struck at the Sois- To the right, we hold the outskirts of sociais Platonis east of Louilly enabled us Fresnes and Quincy-Bassee, the nutskirts | tú krosu, the Vesle without scarcely firing Pot Vaux-Aillon, Mojjy Farin and Laffaux,

a shot. For this, we have to thank the genius of Marshal Foch. We reoccupied our old trenches on the

whole front north of the Aisne.

PRUSSIAN, GUARDS' DESPERATE VALOUR

Crimpe hạys depth of over ten

Since yesterday advaneft! in placée to a kilometres.

We necupied the, lower forest of t'ongy

we are in close touch with the French ground in the Germr positions about Brvice with admiration and pride, and as far as Petit-Barisis, where the enemy

fanteleüx and Violaines,

Army on our right.

H

South of Periami, we are already

Further north we carried out a success. fat minor operation between Hill 63 and

nairly sešen-anties east, of the Somog, and we are advancing on the general tine Wulvergheim, taking 20. prisoners, - and of Monchy-la-tache, Vraiguies and Tin-advancing our line a short distance in the court, all of which places are in our

mda.

We rapidly overcame the resistance of the enemy's eyering troops who attempt- “to delay us, and we took prisoners,”

South of the Cologne River, on the high ground about Xurju, ili onomy-contested. Cur advance with "greater stubbornness. There was sharp fighting about Xurlu and promi Equancourt, in the valley to

the march.

We captured Nurlu and Rjazancourt,

"Loval fighting westwifrd of La Bassee

direction of Messines.

BRITISH CAPTURE NECVE

CHAPELLE.

ریم

Neuvo

Losnos, September 6th,

1:53, p.m. The British have captured Chapelle. MOPPING TE VICTORIOUS BATTLE: FIELDS.

LONDON. September 6th. 5.00 p.m.

British

find eastward of Bac:St. Maur resulted red speially in the vicinity of

in the capture of prisoners

she hopes that she may also soon have a | abandoned considerable war material and chance of following the example of the munition depots. army

in crushing the enemy,

GERMAN REPORT.

Losnos, September 7th.

5.20 p..

A German official statement says: ". We regulsed several attacks south of: Ypres.

We are in contact with the enemy enst of Vuilly on the Aisne. “

We repulsed renewed American attacks! on the heights north-east of Fimes.

FRENCH FRONT.

AUTRECOURT MASSIF IN FRENCH

HANDS.

"Loxpox, September 4th,

8.50 p.m.

A communiqué states North of the

hole of the Autrecourt Massif

The situation is developing according to anticipations. The German retreat in proceeding towards the Hindenburg Line,

FRENCH OCCUPY TERONİER,

Lokos, September 7th..

་་

The Americans made fresh progress in the region of Villers-in-Prayeres and

Revillon,

vance by General Mangin's left and entre dering the past twenty-four hours is the direct resalt of the actions in the earlier days of the"werk,

Lustos. September 6th..

4.30: p.m... Retter's Correspondent at Antorican' FRENCH SEARING THE CHEMIN · | Hondquarters states: The amazing ad-

DES DAMES.

Loxton, Sepurtuber 7th.

G C.M. Reaper's Correspondent at the French Headquarters, telegraphing on Friday night, ways: Enemy resistance is increas ing on the Petit Barises-Aisne front and Lierman artillery bring is very violent.

Severtheless, the French "appreciably

,"

skirts of the upper forest of. Coucy.'

224

ויויז

Verdur

¿ French offeer. whe bail

hottest fighting the testifies that he has not witnessed inore desperate valour than was shown by the Prussian Guards in the attempt to check | the French advangs towards the. Chemin-

*The French have seenred a good hold of the northern bank of the Ailette, and are very close to the Hindenburg Lins in massif. The batter would be very diffi-` the neighborhood of the great St. Gobain

rule to capture frontally,

41

་

Siner Auger Ath the enemy has put in 101 divisiong on the battlefront north and south of the Seaine, also two dismoun tec

· cavalry, divisions, and 29 divisions have been engaged twzer, AN ENFORCED GERMAN RETREAT.

Austerbo, September 6th, The dilitary correspondent of the North Geroan Cuzette sys thì British have undoubtedly captured ground to a considérale Lepik, and the therman re- - Without treat is nd enforced vetreat. doubt we are confronted with an extens ordinarily serious situation, for our enemies desire to enforce a decision, beforg the winter, and in order to obtain this they are bringing ng the entire strength of their peoples and fighting material which the world's industry has placed at their disposal."

: COSTLY GERMAN SACRIFICE.

PAR:s, September 6th,

A

Halus message says:- Kosturday witnessed four French & opericians, - General Debeney's Aray pushed forward on the Somme within four kilometres of Ham, Genera¡ Hundbert's troops reached dhe Oise on the sine distance south-west | of Chaunny, while General Mangin's Army, capturing most of the tower forest of (ogey, advanced within four kilometres south of the same town. Ham and Chrony are actually· Eipe fruits, From, that point General Mangia widened his positions eastward, clearly launching an offensive from west to east against the crest of the Chemin-des-Dames, an ope-

ration which forced the Crown Princs to abandon the hills between the Aisne and the Veste, sacrificing several Divisions to nynið disaster!

GERMAN REPORT.

LONDON, September, 6th. A German ofheint message says:-Wo Some of the Guards charged "right|repatsed strong enemy attacks from the

In the centre the Erench crossed the up to the tanks, which they tried to valley up to the Soissons-Laon railway smash with the butts of their riffen. Thre a footing on the "Laffaux the fighting was nearly as desperate as and gained Plateau, which is an

offshoot of the when Leuilly, was captured, and also at Mont-des-Tombes In all cases the Ger- Malmaison plateau.

The French are now within three miles mans were fiercely aggressive, and thereby of the western extremity of the Chemin piled up their casualties, which were In- Des Dames.

yond all expectation.

and the British, advancing beyond this Reuter's Correspondent Sne, captured Longaveshes and Liramont.headquarters, telegraphing this morn- and are upprunching Metz-en-Couture anding states:-The past twenty-four hours Oise the French took, possession of the danced and are now fighting, on the out-das-Daines, the southern portions of Havrineoart were mainly devoted to a general mopping Wood; taking prisoners,

ap on the Selds of our late victories,

A good deal of straggling fighting

Aloeuvres, where we cleared the ridge.

During yesterday, between the Scarpe... and the Somme, we captured 500 prisoners.

The enemy is blowing up ammunition. A comartiniqué states:-The French dumps in the areas behind Le Mesnil and advanced on a 20 mile front to an average Our heroplanes machine-gunned and Athies Wood, and is evidently endeavour depth of two miles, and, in places, four bombed enemy troops, Enemy airerafing to get bark as quickly as possible to mile They occupied. unopposed, Bying in large formations on the German the Hindenburg Line. ̧*

Tegaier, a very important railway june-a

„sille of the line were netive, especially at

tion. The enemy has thereby lost his

Cambrai.

main line of communication between Laán and St Quentin..

We slightly adyanerd opposite Erqgia. scben and South-east of Ypres

AERIAL OPERATIONS.

W destroyed 2 hostile machines and drove down 18 Juncontrollable. Thirteen British machines are missing. We drop ped 21 tons on various targets. Flying at right was impossible.

SOMME CROSSING FÜRCED BY THE BRITISH,

LONDON, September al

.2.15 p.m. Field Marshal Sir Dougins Haig re porta: We, forced the "crossing of the Boome south of Peronne on the 5th inst. in face of a vigorous resistance by rearguards on the eastern bank, and we captured the villages St. Christ, Brie, Le Mesnil-Bruntel and a number of pris

DARTA.

We are now advancing "astride the Amiens-St. Quentin road, reached Athies and Mons-en-Chauses, captured, Doingt,

castward of Peronne, and have made important progress on the high ground Lawn Peronne and Nurlu..

We hold Bussy, and we are nearing Templeux-La-Fosser, Nurlu arid Equan- court, where there was sharp Ekbling at Light-time.

We gained ground west of La Bassce and beat off an attack against one of our new posts. We are now established in portions of the old German front line east of Neuve Chapelle, and we hold the old front line in the Fauquisaart sector:

English troops advanced their line north-west of Armentières, taking several prisoners.

Our patrols are feeling their way along the crest north-east of Wulverghent.

The enemy continue to show apprelien- xion of a tank surprise, and are also using their batteries at an extreme range.

2.35 p.m.

FOREST OF COUCY CAPTURED. North of the Ailette the lower forest of Coucy is entirely ours, also Barises, which was "stormed in spite of the enemy's obstinate resistance.

A considerable number of "the enemy wounded have been shot in the back by their own officers. The attitude of most of the prisoners towards their own officers is North of Quincy Basse we passed the

striking revelation of the present frame villages of Antlers and Bassolesauleri. of mind of the German Army. Not only. South of the Ailette, Nanteuilla-Fosse, do they refuse to salate, but sometimes Fort Conde, and Conde-sur-Aisne are in

our hands, they openly jeer and deride them.

ASTRIDE THE AMIENS-ST. QUENTIN ROAD.

LONDON, September 6th.

8.30 p.m. Reuter learns that since this morning

There is no change north of the Vesle. PURSUIT CONTINUED.

LONDON, September 7th. A. French commeniqué atatea:-From the Somme to the Oise we continued our

we advanced on a front of 12 miles to a pursuit all night long, smashing the depth of three miles astride the Amiensenemy's lacul resistance and keeping in

rose touch with his rearguards. --St. Quentin, road.

At present the line. runs west of Tem

Un une side or the other of the Somme

In the Quincy Basse region, near the upper forest of Courey de French in the evening encountered, ja herce resistando in

salient of the Hindenburg inn. Ham was captured by an encircling movement. The town is in Homes,

GERMANS, MAKING FOR THE NEW HINDENBURG LINE.

Loyoux, September 6th.

- 9.10 p.m... Reuter's Correspondent at the French Headquarters, telegraphing this after noun, says: The Frenen are in full pur suit of the enemy across the devastated country..

General Debeney's troops crossed the Somme in force all night from Epénan court to Offroy, while on the south General Humbert's army forced the Ger mans to throw up the aperig and bolt for the Hindenburg Line long the whole front.

The French have now passed Chauny and early in the day were "close to Torgauer which is a mile from the place wasre the Hindenburg Line crosses the. Oise

On the right General Mangin's army has taken the height above Landricourt, which gives, us View up, the Ailette valley as far as Pinon. General Man- gin's men were this moming fighting practically on the old line.

Farm Barisis. The fat-

pleaux, incourt Boucly and Bouvine occupied Pithon, Sommettes, Hau- court and thence astride the Esmrees to Court, Dury; and Ollczy. The last named

is five kilometres east of Ham. Monchy-La Gache and Quivieres

Farther south we hold Cugny and reached the western outskirts of Boía de Genlin

ATTACK AGAINST BELGIANS.

LONDON, September 7th. ... 1.00 am,

A Belgien communiqué · says:--Enemy shock" trcops attacked on a front of three kilometres the advanced positions which we conquered on August 27th in the region of Langemarck.' ~,

The enemy penetrated at certain points, but the Belgians immediately counter attacked and reponquered all the last ground, except one pust, after bitter fighting. We took 20 prisoners and in flicted sanguinary, losses,

2

North of the Oise we entered Tergnier, the cast of which our line runs along the railway and the canal..

FRENCH CAPTURES..

PARIS, September 6th. communiqué mayai-At night we con.. tinued to advance on the whole front between the Somme and the Vesle

We continue to cross the Somme in the region of Epenancourt, and farther south we have pushed on at several pointă as far as the Hans-Peronne road.

envik, Manancourt and Moistains line From Peronne and over the Somme the enemy hesitatingly followed our rear. guards.

Between the Somme and the Oise, this enemy pressed zore keenly.

We completed the freeing of ourselves hetween the Oise and the Aisne

GERMANS FORTIFYING DUTCH-

FRONTIER.

The 7

The French captured Neusille, which is

AMSTERDAM, September 6th. just below the ridge of the hill, through

states that the Gerinans at pre- which there are railway tunnels, and one links across the "head of the valley atent are very busy constructing fortifien- tions on the Dutch German frontier near Lafinux, which our gunûre has rendered Meehr, Noordheek and Stenaken. uninhabitable.

Despite their losses, the Germans still hold the outworks of the hills about | Vauxilico for the sake of their command over the Ailette valley and for the cross-fire they thus bring on our advance towards Chemin-des-Dames, Still Sghting is to be expected between Vauxillon and Laffaux,

SOFT OPPOSITION TO AMERICAN ADVANCE.

"

Losbox. September 8th. 5.30 p.m. Reuter's Correspondent at Americia Headquarters," "telegraphing "ut nine o'clock this morning, says: The Germans are across the Aisne, and without making any attempt to veil, their retirement or to exact the ordinary penalties for the French and American advance,

..

It is believed the Germans are making an extreme defence of the frontier for the contingency of being overthrown to the line of the Mouse. --

Naval Activities.

(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]

GERMAN WARSHIP SUNK-

AMSTERDAM, September 7thL A German warship was seen to sink yesterday evening off the Dutch coast. Presumably she was mined or torpedoed. AMERICAN STEAMER

TORPEDUED.

WASHINGTON, September 7th, The Navy Department announces that a submarine swank the 2,000 ton American steamer Lake Owen by gunfire in foreign waters on September 3rd. Five of the crew are missing.

AMERICAN TRANSPORT -

TORPEDOED:

WASHINGTON, September 7tb The homeward hound transport Mount,

Fenn, formerly the Kron Prinzessin France on Thursday. She reached port without any casualties.---

rgili, was torpedoed 200 miles from

The opposition between the Vesle and the Aisne was very soft, and the machine- guns left behind proved quite inadequate to ecpromise the pace we are going st

The enemy abelling, of the roads and There were engagements along the edge villages is also spasmcdic and without of the Upper Couse Forest and Rozieren

The French further cast experienced a which commands Barletin of the stiffer resistance, but the Americana every now able to overlook the long-promised on March 21st, Franco-British frents before the attack where gained the crest of the hills and age

There

rauy be some sharper fighting NEXT FEW DAYS WILL DECIDE

to-day, if the last of the rearguards have NORWAY'S MARINE LOSSES LONDON, September 8th. •.

not been withdrawn, across the river, at 11.40 1.m.

night time, but it is quite plain that in the French American sector, the ground on this side Correspondant ut Headquarters, telegraphing

to-day

of the Aisne is going to be conceded. states: The Germans are retreating on the

FRENCH NEARING THE ST. mediste objective is from St. Quentin whole of the French battlefront: There the

GOBAIN MASSIV across the valley of the Oise, around the

LONDON, September 6th, Forest St. Gabain to Laffaux, then past,

42.45 p.m. Matnnison to Chemin-des-Dames, then

An important feature of this morning's from Juvigny across the Aisne at Berry- nu Bee south-east to Rheims, and through news from the front is that, except be the billy country, which so far bax proved tween Harrincourt and the Scarpe, the impervious to all assault.

H

Reuter's

enemy has today from 30 to 40 divisions in reserve, but his armies are being consumed at least at the rate of division per day. The question is whe ther the Allies will allow him to reach his old line, except in 'disorder and in such condition that he cannot stay there. The next few days will decide

Allies have now crossed the whole Canal.

du Nord, the Somme and Tortille water. line down to Ham, whence the Allies are about four miles, distant. The check to the progress of our tanks, which this water-line constituted, has now been over. come, and except in the north there is now no water-line between us and the Hinden- burg Line

Losnos, September 6th Thirteen Norwegian vessels,' with a ton nage of 3,000, were destroyed during August, owing to war causen." DUTCH GOVERNMENT.

PROTESTS TO GERMANY

THE HAGUE, September 6th, 2 The Government has protested to Germany against the submarine destrue tion of vessels within the so-called barred.. zone, the sinking on August 24th of seven fishing vessels and the forcing of. various skippers to sign a declaration the contents of which were unknown to them... It requests the return of the goods taken. from the fishing vessels.

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