GERMANS LEAVING BELGIUM AND FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 38, 8 November 1918, Page 5

GERMANS LEAVING BELGIUM AND FRANCE

RETIREMENT ALONG THE WHOLE LINE ALLIES WITHIN SIX MILES OF MONS '[ J! % New York, November 6. •". The German retreat along the French and British front is being accelerated. The French are near Vervins (ten miles south-west of Hirson).—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assu. ' . i Washington, November fi. The Americans have reached Chehery, seven miles south-west of Sedan — Aus.-N.H. Cable Assn.. j I ALLIES SIX MILES FROM HISTORIC MONS )i 1 (Rec. November 7, 10 p.m.) 1 Paris, November 6. ( The Allies are now within six miles of Mons and threo miles of Maubeugo 5 ; and Avesnes. The German retreat is being effected under an intense bombard- ! mqnt by our guns, which are inflicting terrible losses—Keuter. ' ' 1 'J DISORDERLY RETREAT FROM BELGIUM AND FRANCE ' s (Rec. November 7, 6.15 p.m.) ' f New York, November G. 'J The newspapers point out that Germany's armies aro retreating j'rom France r and Belgium in disorder. Even if Germany coiiild inako good her retreat to tho valley of the Rhino she could bo invaded through Belgium, Luxemburg, Alsace, Lorraine, and through Silesia. Germany could not rely on aid in levies from Russia, because the opening 1 f the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmora, to the r Allied fleets will enable the latter to restore order .in Russia and redeem her y people from German exploitation—Aiia.-N.Z. Cable Assn. 0 A RETREAT, BUT NOT A ROUT I 0 g (Itec. November 7, 11.15 p.m.) d , , , , ~, t, ~. , . London, Novomber G K Reuters correspondent with British Headquarters, telegraphing to-dav savs- r "The retreat continues, but there is n„ question of a rout. Wo (are simnlv b pressing tho Germans hard, and they ar e covering their withdrawal with a screen r ot mobile machine-gun defences. We know that confusion and demoralisation ex- n Ist among the foe, but so strong is the ingrained training and discipline that tho * leaders manage to keep their men m hand. Heavy rains, while impeding us t: are preventing the enemy from getting away his guns and other material''- 61 Renter. la

I 1 WHOLE FRONT IN A* STATE OF FLUX | i i

„ . ■ London, November 6. ! Ihe advance of the Allies yesterday was the greatest since the opening of i the oUensive. i'ho whole front is now in a, state of flux. The Allies at many i points have lost touch with the main German forces, which, after the drubbing | received m the great Allied assault, have not lost a moment in beginning fresh I retirement to avoid disaster, but retreated immediately darkness fell on the bat- ' leiield on Monday. The few hours' start was sufficient for the main body to I break contact with the assailants, who, when they (resumed the advance yestcr- i day morning, were hampered by .bad weather. The question now is: How far does i the enemy mean to go before attempting another stand? It is believed he may ! try temporarily to hold the Mezieres-Maubeuge line, as the preliminary to the i eventual move, it possible, to the Meiuie-Nanuir-Brussels-Antwerp line. "The Bri- j tisli in Monday s battle on flie West front took 15,000 prisoners, and at least I 200 guns.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. . ' ' ' ; WHOLESALE PILLAGING OF BELGIAN TOWNS - j i i GERMAN OUTEAGES CONTINUE. | (Rec. November 7, 8.10 p.m.) j „ , . The Hague, November 6. ■'! Reports trom,the frontier show that the Germans continue their' ruthless i wholesale plundering of Belgian (owns, in spite of Berlin's recent assurances -ofreelfimposed restraint. They even deprive destitute women of tho clothesiand stock- ! mgs they are wearing. The ransacking of Brussels is proceeding. Whole con- ■', tents of houses occupied by officers have been pillaged including pianos and ; ivories of art. Preparations have been made to blow up the factories. Officers say that the Germans will destroy all unless the Allies guarantee not to use i them before peace is declared—"Tho Times." ■ , GENERAL SITUATION REVIEWED j ■ '■ I THE ENEMY'S MENACED FRONTIERS. -;-.• (Rec. November 7, 9.30 p.m.) mi i l i l ■„,.,, London, November 6. . me desperate haste with which the enemy is evaouating his material is shown ; by the congested state- of the railways and the reduction of troop- transport to ai i'\ Tho enemy's situation is more dangerous than it was a. week ago. If ' ! the Allies pressure can.:bo maintained great results may ensue, but in -view of * i the uncertain weather conditions it. would be unsafe to relv on the enemy's' ! military collapse. Wo have three railways available through 'the Trehtino to j concentrate on Germany's southern frontier, with other lines from Trieste. Sax-' 1 ony and Bavaria are now in imminent danger. The enemy has no' adequate I forces to defend them. Some fort)- Gorman divisions are still in Russia and Aus- M tna, all inferior in value,,and comparatively ill-equipped. It will tako a longi j time to concentrate them to meet the new danger. 'If the Germans immediately! I retirei to the Meuse line they might economise sufficient troops to delay for a time i the Allied adancc into Bavaria and Saxony. It remains to be seen whether the i army_ and the people are willing to continue this hopeless struggle, with the certainty of total disaster. The enemy's supplies of food and oil- from the "' Ukraine, Rumania, and Austria are now unobtainable. i Preparations have been completed for the transfer of British troops by sea i to occupy tho Dardanelles and the Bosphorus. • ! The Siberian situation is unchanged. Good progress has been made in raising i the Russian Army there. It now numbers two hundred thousand. j Wo occupied Mosul, and the Turks complying with the armistice terms.-' We are now enabled to transfer a large number of troops from Palestine for ser- ' vice m Europe.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. , . •! i THE OFFICIAL REPORTS . | •' CONTACT MAINTAINED ON THE FRENCH FRONT . | (Eec. November 7, 9.5 p.m.) . -n , , . , , London, .November 6, 5.25 p.m. ! A French communique states: "Contact was maintained during the night ! with the rearguards of the enemy, who continued his retreat on the whole front j this morning we resumed our progress east of the Sambre Canal. We Occupied > Barzy,, north of Marie., We passed beyond Marfbntaine and Vosaries. The ! Italian troops fighting with us captured Thuel and reached the rivulet of Hur- j taut, south-east of Montcornet. West of Rethel we occupied Barby, on the north, i bank of the Aisne. French detachments crossed tho Aisno at several points be- j tween Rethel and Attigny. Farther to the right we reached the outskirts of ' • Lamitz, and pushed forward as far as the. approaches to Laoassine, north-east of- i Chesne.'—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. < AMERICANS FIVE MILES FROM SEIJAN-METZ RAILWAY .« i i . . . ■ . , London, November 6 12.30 p.m. • 1 An American communique states: "Tho First Army crossed the Meuse south' - j of Dun,_ under a heavy cannonade, which frequently wrecked the bridges. .The I troops fought their way up the slopes of the east, bank, .breaking the enemy's - : strong resistance, and captured two hills and Chatillon Wood. We captured Dun j m the afternoon, and pushed a mile beyond tho town. Another corps reached ' the river at Cesse and Luzy, seized the Forest of Dieulet, captuired Beaumont i and advanced two miles beyond it. We are now five miles from the, Sedan-Metz . '; railway. The third corps, on the left, advanced through vugsred forests beyond •' btonne. Fifty-one more s;uns were captured west of the Meuse. Seventeen ■ enemy aeroplanes were shot down in air fights. Seven American machines are ■■ missing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. . * : . (Rec. November 7, 10 p.m.) ' ... . '. ~ L , , ■. London, November G. ' An American offioial report states: "We continue our advance between the ! Bar and the Meuse, our line extending from Ihifonddelimon Wood through Fla- '. bas, Maisoncelle, and Chemery, on the line qf the Meuse, which we hold from ; Hospice Wood (inclusive) to Casey, on the heights eastward of Millr, thence to • Dun-sur-Meuse."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reuter. . ... ;: -.. v .j,_.; THE ENEMY'S REPORT I ~ .' ' I (Rec. November 7,10 p.m.) " • ! . . . , „, . , , , London, Novembers. ]' A. wireless German official report states: "We have withdrawn between thd .1 Scheldt and.the Oise."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-ReuteT