WESTERN FRONT.
OPERATIONS IN BELGIUM.
60,000 GERMANS CUT OFF.
ALLIES ADVANCING CAREFULLY.
15,000 GERMANS INTERNED. London, Oct. 20. The Allied line lias reached the Dutch frontier eight miles eastward of Bruges. The Belgians entered Zcebrugge on Saturday; the German.? evacuated the town when Thielt was take , blowing up the batteries, including the great battery at Knoeke. which bad been used for shelling Ostend. 'llhe Germans destroyed all the floating docks at Bruges. The Allied entry ini,j Eecloo cuts off 69,000 German troops, who must either be token prisoner or walk into Holland, where they will be interned.
British troops, in co-operation with the Belgian cavalry, followed up the enemy after the evacuation of Zeebrugge. The main body of, the Germans is many miles eastward of JEede, but we are regaining contact. England and France are sending vast supplies of foodstuffs for the people of Lille and Ostend. The Allies are within twelve miles of Ghent and five ot Valenciennes.
Tie German newspapers put the best possible interpretation on Ifyc situation in Belgium. Tliey point out that the retreat has been carried ou+ without hindrance from the enemy, the object being to reduce Josses to a minimum. Nevertheless several journais admit that the abandonment of the coast is most painful.
The pursuit of the Germans has been compelled to slacken, owing to bad roads and thn destruction cf railways, but the Allies are advancing carefully in readiness for an 'attack in the event of reaching the enemy's lines of resistance. The Beigians have now outflanked Toumai northward. Enemy movements are reported eastward of Valenciennes. The German sentries on the Dutch frontier have departed. The peasants on both sides cheered. T he Germans removed the electric fence, together with the German flags. The peasants immediately hoisted the Belgian flag. Germans admit that the French northeastward of Vouziers 'have established position* on the east bank of the Aisne, where General Gourand's army has advanced two or three miles.
Correspondents 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 compelled to precipitate a general retreat. The enemy's resistance on the Serre anu Oise lines lhas involved very heavy losses. The troops fought to the limits of endurance, but it was an utterly hopeless battle, making extensive changes in tho war map certain in the next few days. There is heavy fighting northward of Verdun and between the Sambre and the Meuse.
An Exchange Telegraph Antwerp message, timed 4.15 last evening, says tf'nat 15,000 Germans crossed the frontier and were interned.—Aus. NJZ. Cable Assoc.
FLANDERS COAST LIBERATED. ALLIES COVER OVER 30 MILES. London, Oct. 20. Sir Douglas Haig's Belgian communique states: The Anglo-Belgian and French amies, commanded by King Albert, to-day developed tho results of the last six days' work. The Belgians occupied Zeebrugge and Heyst and stormed Bruges. Elsewhere tie Belgians grossed the Bruges-Ghent canal. Their left reached the Dutch frontier, and their rigtit Aeltre, half-way between Bruges and Ghent. The French carried Thielt and tlie adjoining high ground. Despite the stubborn resistance of the enemy, who endeavored to bar the way to tho Lys, the French line at the end of the day reached Hullevincat and along the Lys to Gramme, Golthem, and Wielsheke. The ,2nd British Army completely cleaned up Courtrai and advanced six kilometres east •of the town. Southwards they reach the Courtrai-Tournai road, and, although tfhe eDemy destroyed all communications, they advanced almost to the Scheldt.
Since the beginning of the operations the Flanders group of armies has advanced 50 kilometres (31 miles) on a, front of C? kuomatres (38 miles). The Flanders coa-st 13 completely liberated, also the whnla tf w ? ,trrn Flanders. Aus. N.Z. Cabie Assoc. and Reuter. BELGIANS HUSTLE REARGUARDS. ADVANCE ALONG DUTCH FRONTIER NUMEROUS VILLAGES LIBERATED. Received Oct. 21. 10.40 p.m. London, Oct. 21. A Belgian communique states: We continued our pursuit of the enemy, hustling Ins rearguards. Our cavalry frequently charged the inachirso-giia.;, capturing prisoners, and machineguns. Towards the north the cavalry is advancing along the Dutch frontier. Southwards we are over twenty kilometres eastward of Bruges. We liberated numerous villages, crossing the line Mcerkerke, Maldegbem, Ursel, and Aelive. Considerable booty lias been captured, including numerous coastal guns, amongst which is the long ranger, undamaged, which bombarded P-mkirk. — Aus. N.Z. Cahle Assoc. and Reuter.
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PASSAGE OF THE SELLE.
BRITISH ADVANCE A MILE,
DESPERATE ENEMY OPPOSITION.
Received Oct. 21, 10.40 p.m. London, Oct. 20. The British have crossed the Selle along the whole line, and advanced to an average depth of upwards of a mile. Enemy opposition, is desperate.—Aug. N.Z. Cable Assoc. Received Oct, 21. 9.35 p.m. London, Oct. 20, 11.20 p.m. Sir Douglas Ilaig reports: This morning's attack by "the British forced a passage of the Selle river, between Lc Cateau and Deiiain. Having capture;! villages in t ! 'iie river valley and driven the enemy from Solesraes, we fought up the slopes eastward of the Selle and established ourselves on the high ground overlooking Harvres valley. We encountered determined 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. We took two thousand prisoners and some guns. Our advanced troops are within two miles of Tournai, and are in contact with the enemy eastward of the general line Denain, Bois des Eclusettes, Landas, Mouchin, and Marquain. A French communique states: We extended our positions between the Oise aad the Sorre. We crossed Chantruti brook, eastward of Vernenil, and obtained a footing on the ridges west ot Granulup, maintaining our gains despite violent counter-attacks.
We reached the outskirts Terron, east of Vouziers, and progressed in the region of Handevos and Falaise, capturing twenty guns. A German official mesage states: We evacuated Bruges, Thielt, and Kortrik. On both sides of Vouziers the enemy established himself on the east bank of the Aisne.—Aus. N.Z. .Cable Assoc. and Reuter.
GERMANS MASSING TROOPS. 40 DIVISIONS ON 36-MILE FRONT. DOUAI COMPLETELY SACKED. Received Oct. 21. 7.30 p.m. Paris, Oct. 21. It is stated that the Germans have massed 40 divisions on a 30-mile front between the Oise and Le Cateau. The Germans sacked Douai, perhaps more completely than any other town. The contents of the houses were destroyed and many houses were burned. The'streets were strewn with furniture. All shop windows were broken, and twothirds of the pictures in the museum are missing. The stained windows and organs in the churcibes were smashed and the sacred ornaments flung on the flagstones.—Reuter.
THE LE CATEAU ATTACK. FAVORABLY. ENEMY'S SKILFUL RETREAT. ALLIES' PRESSURE HAS STRATEGIC POSSIBILITIES. Received Oct. 22,12.35 a.m. London, Oct. 21. Reuter's correspondent at British headquarters, writing on October 20, says: The attack of the First and Third British Armies north-east of Le Cateau, which was launched in wet weather, over heavy, slippery ground, is progressing favorably. Fires broke out afresli in Douai yesterday, but were extinguished by the troops. German airmen are heavily bombing the captured towns. The enemy is conducting his retreat skilfully, massed covering troops being thrown athwart the flanks of certain routes by which the main forces are retiring. His resistance is strongest south of Douai, where the pressure of three British armies, co-operating with the French, has imminent strategic possibilitics- —Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter.
AMERICAN PRESSURE | CONTINUES. ENEMY'S DESPERATE RESIST - • ANCE. TO SAVE DISASfEK. Received Oct. 22, 1.35 a.m. London, Oct. 21. An American communique states: We continue our pressure west of the Mouse. There has been heavy artillery and machine-gunning on the entire front. North of Verdun severe enemy counterattacks have been repulsed. The heavy fighting north of Verdun during the past week has drawn a constantly increasing number of German divisions from tho rest of the front. They are desperately resisting our strong attacks in order to secure the retreat of the German whose position is compromised by attacks in the vest and south. —Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Beuter.
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Taranaki Daily News, 22 October 1918, Page 5
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1,461WESTERN FRONT. Taranaki Daily News, 22 October 1918, Page 5
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