5 OCTOBER 1918, Page 2

North of the Aisne, General Mangin's persistent pressure on the

ridge compelled the enemy last Saturday to abandon Fort Mal- maison and the western end of the Chemin des Dames. He attacked last Sunday, with the help of the Italian corps south of the Aisne, and made further progress eastward. On Monday General Berthe- lot joined in the movement. Attacking north-eastward on a wide front between the Aisne and the Vesle, he had by Wednesday cleared almost the whole triangle between the rivers, up to the canal from Berry-au-Bac, which British troops defended gallantly on May 27th, to Reims. The Italians played a distinguished part in this advance, on both sides of the Aisne. The enemy is evi- dently losing his hold on the Chemin des Dames, and when that is gone the French can advance on Leon and outflank the St. Gobain hills from the south as well as from the north by La Fere. But St. Gobain is the corner-stone of the enemy's Western front.