Great Allied advance and the German retreat

Last week communiqués reported a great advance by the Allies in the western theatre, by far the biggest advance since the stationary warfare started.

On the British front alone our forces during 24 hours pushed forward to a depth of 10 miles on a width of approximately 45 miles from the neighbourhood of Arras to south of Chaulnes.

Bapaume, Peronne, Nesle and Chaulnes were captured and in addition to these towns the British forces during the period mentioned gained possession of over 60 villages, north and south of the Somme.

It was only after a stiff fight with the German rearguards that the strongly organised town of Bapaume was captured. The town had been systematically pillaged by the enemy. All private houses and public buildings had been destroyed and everything of value had been carried off or burned. The Germans also poisoned the wells in their wake.

As a reprisal for setting fire to Bapaume a French aeroplane bombed Frankfurt on Main.

Monday’s bulletins tell of the enemy’s continued retreat on the 60-mile front between Arras and the Aisne. Our cavalry advance guards were driving back German rearguards. The British troops on this ocassion gained more ground, extending in depth from two to eight miles, and occupied 40 more villages. Airmen have been assisting in the chase, firing their machine guns at the retreating foe.