WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

THOUROUT CAPTURED. SEVEN MILES C iINED IX FLANDERS. 10,000 PRISONERS TAKEN".

New York, Oct. l,j. The Allies in Flanders have gained seven miles and taken 10,000 prisoner?, I The Allies have captured Thourout. (Thourout is 14 miles from Osteud.) London, Ocl. 10. j Mr. Gibbs writes: After the first bom- | bardment there was astonishingly little Jsbellfire in to-day's Flanders battle, its quietness strikingly contrasted with the tumult of gunfire during the battles thereabouts in 1 ( J 17. Wounded men returning all brougiht back the same tale — that the enemy put up a fight with ma-chine-guns aud then surrendered. The chief characteristic of the fighting was ■the strength with wliicii the enemy held the front line. Some fought with extreme courage, sometimes rushing out machine-guns through our barrage, getting our men in the open. Elsewhere they put up poor resistance.

One of their officers remarked: "Wiiat can you expect when an armistice is probaJble in two or three days?"—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

A SUCCESSFUL ADVANCE,

BELGIANS BREAK ENEMY RESISTANCE.

London, Oct. 15. A Belgian communique says: At 5.30 this morning Belgian troops, closely co- ' operating with the French, attacked on a front o; twenty kilometres (12 ; V miles) between the Handzeeme canal and the Rottlers-Menin road, breaking the enemy resistance. Our troops made considerable propress on the whole front, liberating the villages of Handzeeme, Cortcmarch, Gits, St. Joseph, Hooglede, Beveren, Rttmbeke. Beythem, Quekene, and Winkel St. Eloi. Towards mid-day the French carried the town of Roulers by assault. Further east the Belgians, in the course of fighting, advanced over 10 kilometres, carrying Tseghem and reaching the outskirts of Lendelede, freeing numerous civilians. The advance varies between four and ten kilometres. Allied airmen performed most us ,'u; work. Already (1000 prisoners have boe:i cornted, half captured by the French and half by the Belgians. Six complete battel ins have been captured, tlso uncounted guns and considerable booty. The enemy started fires at Roulers, Courtemarck, Hooglede and Gits, and caused a number of explosions in Roulers.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. Xew York. Oct. 15. The Allies arc advancing rapidly north-east of Roulers, and the Germans are iciir',,i«. The American* have captured Romagne and t.'unet. in the Argonne-ileu-e region,—An*. N.Z. Cable A-«oe. THE OISE-AISNE REGION. FRANCO-ITALIAN PROGRESS. London, Oct. 15. A French communique reports: Local operations improved our positions on the left tank of the Oisq in the regions of Mont. d'Origny. South of the Serre we occupied Mon-eean-les-Loups and reached a kilometre south of Assis-sur-Serre. In co-operation with the Italians we captured and passed Sissone. Further east, despite the sharpest resistance. we made considerable progress on the north bank of the Aisne, and passed the villages of La Malmaison, Lor, Le Thour, and St. Germamcourt. In the region of Asfe'id we crossed the Aisne at. several points north of Blaznv. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. Received Oct. IG, 7.40 p.m. London, Oct. 15. A French communique, at 4.10 p.m., states: At night time and early this morning we progressed at different points from the south of the Serre. We captured Renins, Bar-en-Toneel, and Monceau Le Vaast. Westward of Grand Pre we progressed towards the Aisne. We hold Olizy, and have prisonered over 800 here.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. MENIN CAPTURED. ENEMY RESISTANCE STIFFENING. London, Oct. 15. The British have captured Menin. The United Press correspondent states that the prisoners captured in Belgium exceed 10,1100 and the guns 100. The enemy resistance is stiffening.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. NORTH OF VERDUN. SUCCESSFUL AMERICAN PUSH. London, Oct. 15. An American communique reports: We resrmed our advance northv : ard of Verdun against the strongest and strategically nios! valuable positions. We passed beyond Cunel and Romagne. Our patrols are in the Bois-de-Banthe-ville and our attacking line has penetrated St. Georges and Landres, talcing 750 prisoners.—-Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. PROGRESS LYS SECTOR. London, Oct. 15. Sir Douglas Haig reports: On the British front, southward of the Lys, there were only local actions. Our patrols and advanced detachments made progress at certain points, taking prisoners. Local fighting in the neighborhood of Erquingliem and southward of Wezmacquart resulted in prisoners being taken. Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report '•states: Owing to mist and rain there no air fighting. The weather im- ■ .proved at night and we dropped 12 tons* s-af Jjpmbss on important railway, <com-