WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 22 October 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

— <s> SIXTY THOUSAND GERMANS CUT OFF. OE BE INTEENED. 15,000 ALEEADY CEOSS DUTCH FEONTIEE. (LONDON, October 00. The Allied line has reached the Dutch frontier eight miles eastward of' Bruges. The Belgians entered Zeebrugge on Saturday. The Germans evacuated the town when Thielt was taken, blowing up the batteries, including the great battery, at Knocke, which had been used for shelling Ostend. The Germans destroyed all the floating docks at Bruges. The Allied entry into Eecloo cuts off 60,000 troops, who- must either be taken prisoner or walk into Holland, where they will be interned. The Exchange Telegraph’s Antwerp correspondent sent a message, , timed 4.15 last evening, which says that fifteen thousand Germans crossed the •Rentier and were interned. British troops, in co-operation with Belgian cavalry, followed up the enemy, ;>■ .(After evacuating Zeebrugge the main body, of Germans, many miles eastward, retreated, but we arc regaining contact, England and France axe sending vast supplies of foodstuffs for the people of Lille and Ostend. The Allies are within twelve miles of Ghent and five of,.Valenciennes,;., The German newspapers put the best possible interpretation on the situation in Belgium. They point cut- that the- retreat, was carried out without hindrance from the enemy, the object being the loss of the minimum number of men. Nevertheless several journals admit that the abandonment of the coast is most painful. The pursuit of the Germans w r as compelled ,to

ing the Harvies Valley. We v encountered opposition, especially at Solesmes and St. Python. We overcame this opposition after hard fighting, and repulsed a number of counter-attacks. This operation was carried out in heavy rain. Wo took 2000 prisoners and some guns. Our advanced troops are within two miles of Tournai (about 14 miles oast of Lille and are in contact with the enemy eastward of the general line Denain (six miles south-east of Valenciennes), Bois des Eclusettes, Landas, Mouchin and Marqiiin. Reuter’s correspondent at the British Headquarters, writing on the 20th, says that the attack of the First and Third British Armies, north-east of Le ‘Gateau, launched in wet weather over heavy and slippery, ground, is progressing favourably. FRENCH MAKE GOOD PROGRESS LODNON, October W A, French communique states': We extended our positions 'between 1 the Oise and the Serre. We crossed Cha'ntruti brook, eastward of Verneuil, and obtained a footing on the ridges west of .Granuilup, maintaining our gains 'despite violent counter-attacks; ‘ ENEMY RETREATING SKILFULLY LONDON, October 21 The enemy is* conducting his retreatskilfully. He has massed covering troops athwart the flanks on certain routes by which the main forces are retiring. His resistance is strongest south voLiDouai, where the pressure of three British armies, co-operating with the French, has , imminent strategic possibilities. PARIS, October 21 It is stated that the Germans have massed forty divisions on a- sixty.kilometre front between the Oise and Le Gateau. - L ... DOUAI SACKED. • PARIS, October 21, The Germans have sacked Douai perhaps more completely than any other town. The contents of houses were destroyed and many houses were burned. The streets were strewn with furniture. All shop windows were broken. and two-thirds of the pictures in the Museum are missing. Stained windows and organs in churches were smashed and sacred ornaments flung on the flagstones, LONDON, October 21. Fire broke out afresh in Douai yesterday but were extinguished by the troops. German airmen are heavily bombing captured towns. HUSTLING THE GERMAN REARGUARDS. LONDON, Oct 20. A Belgian communique states: Wa continued the pursuit of the enemy, hustling his rearguards. Our cavalry frequently dharged machine guns, capturing prisoners, guns and mach-ine-guns. ( Towards the north our cavalry Is advancing along the Dutch frontier. Southwards, we are over twenty kilometres eastward of Bruges. We have liberated numerous villages, crossing the line Moerkerke-Mal-deghem-Ursel-Aoltre. Considerable booty was captured, including numerous coastal guns, amongst which is a long-ranger (undamaged) which bombarded Dunkirk. THE AMERICAN ADVANCE. LONDON, Oct 21. An American communique states:— We continue our pressure west of the Meuse. There is heavy artillery anc machine-gun fire on the entire front. North of Verdun severe enemy counter attacks were repulsed. Heavy fighting has drawn a constantly Increasing number of German divisions

slacken owing to bad roads and the destruction of the railways, but the Allies are advancing carefully in readiness for an attack in the event of reaching the enemy’s lines of resistance.

The Belgians have now outflanked Tournai northward. Enemy movements are reported eastward of Valenciennes.

German sentries on the Dutch frontier

have departed, the peasants on both sides cheering as they went. The Ger- ’ mans removed the electrified fence, together with the German flags, and the peasants immediately hoisted Belgian flags. The Germans admit that the French north-eastward of Vouzicres have established positions on the east bank of the Aisne, where General Gouraud’s army has advanced two or three miles. Corespondents on the French front consider it probable that the enemy, owing to the severe blows of the past few days, coupled with the dangerous

position in Flanders, will now be com-

polled to a prcciipitate general retreat. The 'enemy's resistance on the SerreOise lines involved the heaviest losses. The troops fought to the limits of endurance hut their position was utterly hopeless. The battle is making extensive changes in the war map. In the few days heavy fighting is certain northward of Verdun and between the Sambre and the Meuse. enemy loses vital line, LONDON, October 21. The British have crossed the Selle _ along the whole line, and advanced to an average depth of upwards of a mile. The opposition is desperate. At 11.20 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reported: This morning’s attack by the forced the passage of the Selle Eiver between Le Gateau and Dcnain. Having captured the villages in the liver valley and driven the enemy from Solesmes, we fought up the slopes eastward of the Selle and established ourselves on the high ground overlook-

from the West 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. PREPARING TO LEAVE GHENT. AMSTERDAM, Oct 21 The “Handelsblad’ ’states that the Qermans evacuated aerodromes at Austruivul and Ghent, and transferred the material to Willyk. DESPATCH FROM SIR DOUGLAS HAIG. FROM GERMAN OFFENSIVE. Received 9 a.m. LONDON, Oct 21. A despatch from Sir Douglas Haig, dated September 20, covering operations since the first week in December last, has been published. The chier interest lines in Sir D. Haig’s account of the German offensive in March. Haig begins by emphasising that the difficulties created by the transit from the offensive to the defensive policy necessitated by the collapse of Russia were accentuated by th% re-organ-isation of British divisions from thirteen battalions to ten battalions basis, and by the extension of the British front to Barasis. Meanwhile large reserves which the enemy was able to create by transferring numerous divisions from the east enabled him to carry out extensive training with units completed to establishment. DISPOSITION OF FORCES. Received 10.15 a.m. LONDON, October 21. Sir Douglas Haig’s despatch continues. The Intelligence Department on 19th March reported the enemy would probably attack the Arras-St. Quentin front on the 20th or 21st. The British dispositions to meet the expected offensive were as '"complete as time and the troops available could make them. General Gough’s Firth Army then held a forty-two mile front, from just south of Barisis- to’GcuKCacourt. The number of divisions in the line only allowed an'average of one division to 6075 yards of front. ’ General Byrig’s Third Aniiy held a-• twentyseven mile front, from north of Gouzeacourt to south of Zavfelle, The average length of front held by each diviion being about 4700 yards. Altogether at least sixty-four German divisions participated in the operations on 21st March, a number 'considerably exceeding the total forces composing the entire British army in France. The total B’ritish forces on the original battlefront on the morning of 21st March was twenty-nine infantry divisions, and three cavalry divisions, whereof nineteen infantry divisions were in the line.

RAPID ADVANCE EAST OF COURTRAI. Received 10 a.m. ’ LONDON, Oct 21. The British east of Courtrai aro rapidly advancing along the Scheldt, taking many prisoners. BRITISH OFFICIAL REPORT. DESPERATE FIGHTING IN LE . CATEAU SECTOR. NOTHING STOPS THE ADVANCE. PURSUING THE HUNS IN FLANDERS; 6200 PRISONERS AND 169 GUNS IN A WEEK. Received 11.30 a.m. LONDON, October 22. Sir Douglas Haig reports; Sunday’s prisoners northward of Le Gateau exceed' three thousand. The enemy’s positions along the Selle arc of great natural strength, and held resolutely. The English, Scottish, and Welsh Divisions launched an attack at two this morning in most unfavourable weather. Continuous rain rendered the advance extremely difficult. Fighting was heavy all day, the enemy offering strong resistance in the villages and along the railways. In overcoming this resistance great assistance was rendered at certain points by the tanks, which crosed the flooded river at an early hour. As soon as the river was secured, a number of bridges were rapidly constructed under heavy fire from hostile artillery and machine-guns. Our guns closely followed the infantry, and effectively supported them at short range. Local operations cleared certain points where the enemy were still resisting in the evening and counterattacks from the direction of Romeries were beaten off with heavy loss. Our advanced troops northward of Denain continues to advance. They are in contact with the enemy and are nearing St. Amand and the line of the Scheldt north of Tournai.

A British-Belgian communique states: The Germans were forced to withdraw on the whole front. The Belgians are established along the Deynze-Eccleso canal, their left resting on the Dutch frontier. We occupied Knesselaere, Altre, Adegem, Billcm, and Ursol. The

French, despite floods, caused by the Gormans, crossed the. Lys and established bridge heads at Econd. The British army, despite strong resistance, and broken communication, crossed the Lys along its whole front, and reached the outskirts of Pece. The British have captured 6200 prisoners and 169 guns since the 14th. NEARING VALENCIENNES. Received Noon. NEW YORK, Oct 21. The British troops have reached the outskirts of Valenciennes. BEHIND THE RHINE. GERMANS PREPARING DEFENCES .LONDON, October 20. Reports from The Hague state that defensive works, along the Rhine, at Cologne and Karlsruhe, have started. Life at Essen has become terrible, owing to nightly air raids. Many factories have been wrecked and workers crowd underground. There is a shortage of material. The Allied advance towards the Briery mines is also reducing the output. There is no doubt Germany’s munition crisis is acute. Krupps are accused of using odds and ends from rubbish heaps, with disastrous results at the front.

Scenes in the streets beggar description, there being many sobbing women and screaming children. Violent tirades are heard against the Kaiser and CrOAvn Prince, but the people do not Seem to have sufficient physical or moral stamina left to take matters into their oavu hands. Complete dsepair reigns, though here and there are little bands of stalwarts who Avish to die in the last trench.