SIDELIGHTS ON THE BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 299, 6 September 1918, Page 5

SIDELIGHTS ON THE BATTLE

SURPRISING SEQUEL TO HORNE'S VICTORY

RETREAT BECOMES A RACE IN PLACES

London, September 4. Mr. Percival Phillips writes: "General Home's, victory 011 Die Drocoui'fc lino and the capture of ten thousand Germans had a surprising sequel. Without even a semblance of counter-attack, the Germans are retiring, chastened beyond belief, to a new line beyond thfl wide and dry moat of the great Nord Canal, six and a half mile's west of Cambrai. In places tho retreat has become a race botween the vanishing Germans and the British patrols'. Our ii>tantry advanced eight miles in some places during the day, and are still pushing into empty bamlets, far in advance of the artillery. Eleven German divisions were reported in this sector. There were many signs of an imponding counter-stroke of great magnitude as we brota the Drocourt line. Then tho Ger-, mail infantry suddenly slackened their effort, and the night was . strangely quiet. It was significant that the British aeroplanes wero not iired upon until they were over tho Nord Canal. Hungor a Factor. "Many German prisoners were taken by the naval units in tho Pronvilln area. They wero exhausted owing to lack of food. They had had no rations for four days, owing to the breakdown of tho communications. Those captured further north complained bitterly of hunger, even stiff-necked cavalry officers, swaggering into cages in smart grey cloaks, asked-for food, and ate ravenously. Tho German, artillerymen complained of the lack of shells. Company commanders'blamed, the interruption of telephones and the cyclist services for their inability to get orders carried out. In fact, tho story of German disorganisation yesterday almost suggests the deliberate abandonment of. these broken divisions to their fate." In a Desperate Hurry. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: "The enemy is in hard retreat from a wide belt of country north and south of the ArrasCambrai Road. He is in a desperate hurry, lest his transport and troops should be encircled by our men.' Be-' yond doubt tho enemy is more panicstricken than' at any previous time in the war. He is at his wits' pnd to gather fresh reserves in time 10 make a stand before much more is lost. Instead of facing tho expected German' counter-attack, our men made a steady forward movement throughout the night, in spito of tho rain storms. The yielded everywhere. Tho country in which we are advancing is desolato and monotonous. Only rubbish heaps of bricks mark the hamlets, and tangles of rusted wire, piles of abandoned shells, rifles, boots, and other equipment., characterises the plagnestricken land. Tho Turning of Queant. "Cunningly and rapidly the naval machine-gunners worked their way forward, hut when the infantry took tho first objective a brigadier-general visited tho forward lines and satisfied himself that it was possible for the naval men to continue the advance slowly and cautiously forward until dawn, when tho turning movement which captured Qtieant was completed. "Tho Germans in Queant fled panicstrickon, knowing we wero behind their lines. The enemy got away most of his guns, but was forced to blow up some of his howitzers. The work of tno British gunners in keeping pace with tho infantry is remarkable. They are ablo to shell the cross-roads outside Cambrai, making tho highway a terror to the crowded German transport in the retreat."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.