GERMANY WILL FIGHT ON

Taihape Daily Times, 24 October 1918, Page 5

GERMANY WILL FIGHT ON

Unconditional Surrender Turned Down a . ALLIES STILL PROGRESSING Mew Anglo-American Offensive launched BRITISH REACH VALENCIENNES tot m ummtwm Foul Weather Continues on West Front

WESTERN FRONT. s.J

THE SHORTENED LINE.

LONDON, Oct 22.

Mr. J. D. Campbell, tbe “Times” Wtest front correspondent, writes that even if the enemy be driven back to the Meuse the shortened line will enable him to hold the new front with Tialf his present divisions, releasing half a million men for creating new reserves. DAMAGE AT BRUGES. LONDON, Oct 22. Before evacuating Bruges the Germans seriously damaged the docks and dynamited the locks. They blocked the canal by sinking destroyers and submarines. GENERAL PROGRESS REPORTED ' ■ ■; -i, • LONDON, October 23. British official —In Flanders several enemy counter-attacks failed. The Belgians crossed the Deviation Canal at several points. > J|Jhe French advanced on a front of fodr kilometres to a depth of three kilometres. S The Second British Army advanced 1500 metres between the Lys and the Escaut and established a bridgehead on the right bank of the Escaut. BRITISH ENTER .VALENCIENNES FURTHER PROGRESS REPORTED LONDON, October 22. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We have entered Valenciennes and progressed further. VANCOUVER, October 22. The British have entered Western Valenciennes. (Valenciennes stands at the entrance of the Rhonelle into the Scheldt (which flows through the town in several arms) The country round about is a great coal basin, The town, which is a dark, ill-built manufacturing town,, is a very important railway junction.) OUTSKIRTS OF VALENCIENNES REACHED. SEVERAL POSITIONS CAPTURED. *• A Received 8.50 a.m. LONDON, October 22. At 11.35 this evening Sir Douglas Haig reports: We entered the western suburbs of Valenciennes and penetrated deeply northward thereof into Raismes forest, towards the langl© of the Scheldt at Conde. We progressed eastward of St. Amand, aid reached the Scheldt at Holain and Bruyelles. Southward of Toumai we have possession of both places. Northward of Tournai we captured Fryennes. Further north there was sharp fighting, for the Scheldt crossings at Pont Achin. GERMANS BURNING TOWNS. NEW YORK, October 22. The Germans facing the American north-west of Verdun fired the towns of Brieulles and Clexy le Petit. AMERICANS MEETING WITH VIOLENT OPPOSITION.

LONDON, October 23,

Mr. Hall, war correspondent with the Americans, says: The Americana lye being violently opposed between the Meuse and the Argonne, but are aevertheless on from both 3-rand Pro, Landres and St. George* rhey have reached the Kriemhilde3te|iung. It is evident Ludendorff orlered this line to be held at all costs. Reinforcements were continually ihrown in.

FRENCH PUSHING TOWARDS GHENT. LONDON, October 22. Sluter’s correspondent at the British Headquarters writes on the 22nd: This morning strong French forces serving with the Belgian army, ataeked northward of the British Second Army towards Ghent, making excellent progress. The British First Army captured Thaint yesterday morning, but a strong counter-attack caused us to withdraw from portion of the village eastward of the Eeallion river. The weather is good. AMERICANS' DIFFICULT TASK. FACING PICK OP KAISER’S ARMY. Received 9 a.m. ; NEW- YORE, Oct 22,,., Mr. James, war correspondent,, cables that one-fourth of the German military strength on the West front is facing the First American and Fourth French Amies in the Champagne and Meuse regions. . Since General Pershing opened his attacks on the 26th of last month, north pf•; Verdun, the American troops have,. fought and broken up twenty German divisions, composed of the Kaiser’s best soldiers. OUR TROOPS FIGHTING IN FOUL WEATHER 28,000 PRISONERS IN 21 DAYS.' Received 10.50 a.m.

LONDON, Oct 23

Mr, Gibbs writes: The troops are fighting in the foulest weather and in soggy ground on the front from Tournai to Valenciennes. We have reached a stage where the German Will undoubtedly make a stand. Between the first and twentieth the Fourth' Army has taken eighteen thousand prisoners; the Third Army ten thousand. The Germans canont afford this drain without breaking. Our men are slogging through Avater pools, with mud splashing them to their necks, and the horses plastered to the ears. This makes the war difficult and slow. The speed with which we are following up the German retreat is amazing. We are bringing heavy guns, aerodromes, hospitals, and telegraphs across the battlefields, which resemble the craters in the moon.

FRENCH MOVING AHEAD. Received 9.20 a.m. LONDON, Oct 23* At 1.10 this morning a French communique was issued stating: We forced the enemy on the Serre front to retreat afresh, and captured Chalandry and Grandlys. Despite obstinate resistance the line that skirts the Serre .to Mortiers was passed and the outskirts of Frondimont and Cohardille reached, thence along the Buze Canal. The Germans thrict renewed attacks east of Youzieres, but" were everywhere repulsed. A BRITISH CAPTURE. Received 10.40 a.m. LONDON, Oct 23, • The British have captured Romlers, north of Le Gateau. FRESH ANGLO-AMERICAN OFFENSIVE. Received noon. NNEW YORK, October 23. The United. Press London correspondent reports the Anglo-Americans have launched a fresh offensive between Le Gateau and Solesmes, making considerable progress.

The French have captured Chalany and Grand Imp.