GENERAL RETREAT OF ENEMY.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1918, Page 5

GENERAL RETREAT OF ENEMY.

PROBABLY TO OFSE LINE. ADVANCE IN ARGONNE. Received Oct. 10, 11.35 p.m. London, Oct. 9. The enemy is in general retreat between the Searpe and St. Quentin, and they are already back two or three miles. The resistance this morning was very weak. The Anglo-French are not yet in contact with the main bodies of the oneiny, who have set on lire Bohain'and Bu»igny. They are apparently going back to the line of the Oise.

The enemy in the Argonne are going behind the Aire. Tiia Anglo-French advance now threatens Voiraers. The enemy is bound to fight here steadily, owing to the important communications behind. The general situation is such that any moment may see a German retirement anywhere, including the Belgian coast. —Aus. Cable Assoc.

NEW ALLIED LINE.

WEAKNESS OF ENEMY REARGUARDS. HAMMERED IN FAIR FIGHT. ARGONNE ATTACK PROGRESSING. Received Oct. 11, I.IQ a.m. London. Oct. 0. The Allied line now runs as follows: We hold Atancourt, north of Cambrai; Ramilles, Escaudoeuvre, Awoing, Bertry, and Busigny Tlie possesion of the last two named is 'doubtful

We have reached the western edge of Bohain and the western edge of Freanoy, west of Fonsonjme, thence the line turns due south to.Mazieres. We are through all, consequently lengthening the line that the Germans must hold. There is no news as to whereabouts the German! retreat is likely to stop. ! The fighting to-day was with only weak rearguards. Yesterday the enemy employed 23 divisions on a twenty-mile front. They vainly strove to beat back our attacks, and consequently were hammered in fair j fight, and the present retreat was forced [upon them.

In the Argonne, the Franco-American attack is progressing, but there are no details.—Reuter

A, BELGIAN PROTEST. V AGAINST GERMAN EXCESSES. Received Oct. 10, 7.15 p.m. . Havre, Oct, 9. The Belgian Government has issued an emphatio protest against the systematic pillage, destruction, deportations, forced labor, and other German excesses during I the withdrawals from Belgium.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

I THE CAM BRAI ST. QUENTIN j ATTACK. ' 11,000 PRISONERS AND OVER 200 | 3UNS TAKEN. RAPID RETREAT OF THE ENEMY Received Oct. 10, 8.25 p.m. London, Oct. 9. . The attack on Tuesday between Cambrai and St. Quentm yielded a total of 11,000 prisoners and over 200 guns. We now hold the Cambrai-St. Quentin raihvay, having made a maximum advance of five miles, reaching Bertry, on the road towards Le Cateau. Successive explosions in Cambrai have practically reduced the town to rums The retreat is developing hourly and has covered nine miles in two days.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Absoc.

THE ALLIES' SHELL-FIRE, OVER 10,000 TONS A DAY. DESTRUCTION OF GERMAN ARTILLERY. Received Oct, 10, 7.30 p.m. London, Oct. 9. Mr. Churchill, speaking at Glasgow, said that for nearly fifteen successive days we have fired over ten thousand tons of shells daily. He said that he had recently been shown a captured Ludendorif order,- saying that in a single month the enemy's fire had destroyed over/13 per cent, of German artillery Renter.

ON THE AMERICAN FRONT. LIBERATION OF AN AMERICAN BATTALION. London, Oct. 9. ■Renter's correspondent at American headquarters, writing on Tuesday at noon, says: Notable progress was jnade yesterday in a direction where our gain of ground 13 essential to our further advance. We captured tlie hill above Chatel Helierv, squeezing out the enemy still lurking in the centre of the Argonne south of Grandpre. The most interesting event of| the day was the extrication of a battalion wliich had been isolated and surrounded by the enemy in the Argonne forest for the past five days. In its advance it lost touch with the troops on either side. The enemy, trickling between them, severed the connection. Its plight was known, but several attempts made by the French and ourselves to Telieve it were unsuccessful. Aeroplanes swooping down in the dense forest dropped food, ammunition baskets, and carrier pigeons on the place it was supposed to be, and last night the advance of our centre rescued the battalion. —Renter.