FROM OTHER SOURCES

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1918, Page 3

FROM OTHER SOURCES

IAUSTH .MAN A N.Z. CARLE ASSOCIATION J A PROUD DISTINCTION. LONDON, October 2-i. Mr MacPherson said in the House of Commons that the proud distinction of being the first to break the Hindenburg line belonged to the British Army.

ENEMY DISPOSITIONS. LONDON, Oct. 24. The enemy’s future plans are not yet clearly evident as regards the impending retreat on the Western Front. As yet the enemy lias not shortened his lino appreciably, which, owing to the exhaustion of his troops, is now an urgent necessity for him. It is unlikely that the Germans will remain oil any !ine longer than it is necessary to do for the withdrawal of tho forces and material, until they reach the Antwerp Brussels-Namur line. It is even doubtful whether the enemy intend to hold the hitter mentioned line for any length of time. The reason is that it presents but few natural defensive features, and that no extensive entrenchments have been dug along it . It is probable that the enemy’s withdrawal will be to the line of the Mouse River. That line is the shortest and strongest the enemy can occupy. Tho Meuse line would give him a breathing space to reorganise his troops, and also to reconstitute a strong fresh force of reserve.

Tho enemy during the past few weeks has been unable to maintain more than three or four fresh divisions The most remarkable feature of the recent fighting is the performances of the Belgians. Though without experience of open fighting for four years, they effected a wonderfully rapid advance over difficult, marshy country. Interesting evidence Juts recently been obtained of lYeqount, mutinous conduct in the German Army and of the difficulty the enemy is experiencing in replacing material. This is evidenced in a further reduction of the heavy battcrieß from four to three guns, and in some cases to two guns.

THE AUSTRALIANS WERE THERE. LONDON. October 21

Speaking at the luncheon of the Australian and New Zealand Club, General Mon-ash recalled Lord Kitchener’s words: “This is a war of attrition.” The progress, lie said, had been slow, but they were coming near the time when tho enemy would crumble. We had reached the crest of the hill, and the goal was coming steadily nearer. “You may talk,” he said, “of the enemy taking up a line on the Meuse we will break it; or you may talk of a line on the Rhine—we will break that too.” The enemy’s morale has gone. The reason of our success lies less in the calculation of numbers that in the realisation that we have got the enemy beaten. ’’ The General claimed that the capture or Fillers Bretonnoux (by the Australians’) was the crisis of the war. It was a staggering blow, he said, from which the enemy did not recover, and it had paved the way for his military collapse.

NO RESPITE FOR ENEMY. LONDON, oct. 24. An American Headquarters correspondent. states: Througho .t the winter the Germans will be subjected to a campaign of exceptional violence. They will not be given a breathing spell to recuperate their forces, and replenish supplies. Seventy por cent, of the whole West Front offers no real obstacle to a continuance of the fight.

ENEMY RESERVES GONE

LONDON, October 24

The “Times” correspondent says the German reserves' are nearly exhausted. The last four reserve divisions have boon thrown in. The American front is retaining forty divisions who are briefly rested. The 1920 class has partly been used,