THE WESTERN FRONT

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1918, Page 2

THE WESTERN FRONT

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.]

GERMAN STAND LIKELY. LONDON, October 22. It is unwarrantable to say that the fate of Ghent is sealed. The capture of the town at the moment is improbable, nor is the story of the cutting off of the German forces on the Dutch frontier credible. In northern Belgium the Allied line at the present runs just behind the line of a waterway, the Derivation Canal from the Eeede, inside the Dutch frontier, down to the Lvs river about Pettege*. The enemy will probably make a stand oil the lino of the oanaf above mentioned, and failing that, on. the line of the Ter-Neuzen canal, from Neuzen to Ghent.

ATTACK ON-HUNDING LINE,

■ -LONDON, Oct. 21

The French are lighting heavy engagements on the Hunding Line, round the Sissonne marshes, which are fortified with concrete dugouts and plenty of machine-gun posts* making progress slow.

AMERICAN DEPORT. LONDON, October 21

An American communique states: We continue our pressure nest of the M(Uisc Hirer. There have been heavy artillery and machine-gun firing on the entire front. , North of Verdun, severe enemy coun-ter-attacks wore repulsed. The heavy fighting north of Verdun during the past week has drawn a constantly increasing number of German divisions Tom the rest of the front. They are desperately resisting our strong attacks in order to secure the retreat of the German army, whose position is compromised by the attacks on the west and south .-

A HETREAT FORCED. WASHINGTON, October 21. Fit ■rce fighting north-west of Verdun • forced an American retreat in the Rois do Rappo neigbourhood. Later, lowcvor, though facing a terrific machine gun fire .the Americans counterattacked and recovered part of the lost Wood.

PROGRESS BEYOND COUKTRAI. LONDON, October 21. Reuter’s correspondent at British Headquarters, writing on the evening if Alonday, says: The enemy’s resistance is now stiffening in Flanders., We have reached the west bank of the Esenia, between Pecq, and Lonefer, both of which places are in our possession.

The enemy is maintaining a heavy fire from the opposnte bank. Strong enemy rearguards are disputing our progress along the line of the Roubaix-Avelghem railway. We re-attacked this morning eastward of Courtrai, and are progressing satisfactorily.

THE SCHELDT ADVANCE. LONDON October 21. The Allies have reached the line of the Scheldt in the region north . .and vest of Tournai. We are now two miles from Tournai where the entry- of ouy troops is probable.

Further south we are within a few miles of St. Amand, an important village on the Tournai-Valenceines road. We are approaching the forest of Rnismes. which the enemy is likely to try to hold, as it covers Valenciennes to the north-west, and affords a good outwork to tip' line of the Scheldt. v We have straightened our line between Denain. and Le Cateau, and are now within throe or four miles of the Valeneiennes-Harson Railway, which, however has now become of' much less use io the enemy than formerly. There has been very heavy fighting between Le Cateau and the Scheldt. The enemy are trying hard to check our progress.