AMERICANS CAPTURE GRAND PRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1918, Page 5

AMERICANS CAPTURE GRAND PRE.

FURTHER GAINS IN FL-VNDERS. Received Oct. 17,11.50 p.m. London, Oct. IC. The Americans captured Qrandpre. The enemy is retreating south-west of Lille and west of (Jarviu, also immediately west of Lille, where we reached the outskirts of Hauberdin.

In Flanders we captured Hulstsland Bavichove.-Aus.-N.55. Cable Assoc.

MAURICE ON THE SITUATION.

ANOTHER SEDAN NOT LIKELY.

FOOTS POWER INCREASING.

Received Oct. 17, 7.30 p.m. London, Oct. IG. General Maurice writes that the military situation is extraordinarily favorable, but he does not see any immediate likelihood of another and greater Sedan. Sir Douglas Haig's victory of October 8 compelled the German withdrawal to the. Hunding-kriemhilde line, just as the vie-' tory on September 8 compelled a withdrawal to the Hindenburg line. The second retreat is not yet complete. The Americana northward of Verdun are breaching the Kriemhilde line. The French at Siesons are breaking in the Hunding line. The British at Le Cateau and Solesmes are menacing the northern extension of the Hunding system, but on the whole the German withdrawal is well carried out and there is no sign, that their fighting spirit is broken, though it is sensibly weakened.

The enemy's delaying actions, together with the utilisation of many rauways which are not Bhown on ordinary maps, make Sedans difficult of accomplishment. Meanwhile Marshal Foch's power of attacking everywhere is daily increasing.— Reuter. FAMISHING FUGITIVES. DRIVEN OUT BY GERMANS. STRIPPING THE TOWNS OF, METAL. ; Received Oct. 17, 7.30' p.m. Amsterdam, Oct. 18. The Germans are driving out tens of thousands of famishing fugitives without anything from northern France. They are not permitted to enter Brussels. The Germans are also stripping the Belgian railways of zinc, copper, and other metals.—Reuter. i ENEMY HOPES OF A STAND. DISSIPATED BY FRENCH ADVANCE. FOCH'S TENTACLES ROUND j. ENEMY.: Received Oct. 17, 7.30 p.m. London, Oct. 18. Renter's correspondent at French headquarters states: Our continued advance on the front has dissipated any enemy ihopo of standing on the prepared Serre-Sissons-Rethel line. The French troops have been fighting incessantly for three weeks, most of them with only brief rests since spring, bilt they scout the idea of an armistice. They know that what prevents the enethy retreating rapidly ia Ibis inability to escape without disastrous loss from the tentacles which Marshal Foch has thrown round him. . The German retirement is technically well conducted. He has got most of his material away, but- it is blocking the roads' for the retreating troops, ihcnce the pace of the retreat has compulsorily slackened, and may prove the costliest operation the German command has yet attempted.—Reuter.