WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

POSITION SUMMARISED. DUTCH ACCOUNTS EXAGGERATED. HEAVY .FIGHTING NEAR LE CATEAU. Received Oct. 22. 7.55 p.m. London, Oct. 21. There is no confirmation of tJie rather Improbable Dutch story of the capture of Eecloo. The Allied line north is just behind the lino of the Derivation Canal from Eede, inside the Dutch frontier, down to the Lys, about Pettegen. It is also unwarrantable to say that the fate of Ghent is sealed. The capture of the town is improbable at tfhe momont, nor is the story re cutting off German forces on the Dutch frontier credible. The enemy will probably make a stand on the Derivation Canal, or, failing that, on the line of the Terneuzen Canal, from Neuzen to Ghent.

We have reached the line of the Scheldt, in ttie region north and west of Tournai. We are two miles from Tournai, where the entry of our troops is probable. Further south we are within a few miles of St. Amand, an important village on the Tounmi-Valenciennes road. We are approaching the forest of Raismes, which the enemy is likely to try to hold, as it covers Valenciennes north and north-west and affords a good outwork to tibe line of the Scheldt. We have straightened the line between Denain and Le Cateau, and are now within three or four miles of the Valenciennes-Hireon railway, which is not now of much use to the enemy. There is very heavy fighting between Le Cateau antf the Scheldt, the enemy trying hard to check our progress. The French are fighting heavily heavily on the Hunding line round fi'ne Sisonne marshes, which are fortified with concrete dug-outs and plenty of machinegun posts, making our progress slow.— United Service. QUITTING BRUSSELS. HUNS' UNOBTRUSIVE PREPARATIONS. Received Oct. 22, 7.55 p.tS. Amsterdam, Oct. 21. The Germans are unobtrusively preparing to quit Brussels.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. THE FLANDERS OFFENSIVE. ENEMY RESISTANCE STIFFENING Received Oct. 22, 10.50 p.m. London, Oct. 22. Seuter'a correspondent at British headquarters, writing on the evening of October 21, says the enemy resistance is stiffening in Flanders. We reached the west Dank of the Escaut (Scheldt), between Pecq and Lenfer, both of which are in our possesison. The enemy is maintaining heavy fire from the opposite bank. Strong enemy rearguards are disputing our progress along the line oi the Roubaix-Avelghem railway. We reattacked this morning eastward of Gourtrai and are progressing satisfactorily.— Reuter Service.

AEROPLANES AS CAVALRY. RETREATING ENEMY HARASSED. Received Oct.-22, 9.45 p.m. Paris, Oct. 21. Aeroplanes are playing the role of cavalry and are harassing the enemy's retreat. Sometimes' there are 300 massed planes attacking and nalting the columns. The famous squadron of "Storks" downed twenty-six Germans in three weeks. —United Service. HUN CREED AND DEVASTATION. POPULACE SUFFER INCREDIBLY. GROTESQUE PETTY FINES. Received Oct. 22, 9.45 p.m. London, Oct. 21. Mr. Robinson, describing Germany's greed and devastation in the occupied districts, says the populace suffered incredibly and loathe the German as a brute-bully. Some of their petty fines were grotesque. All articles Iliad to be marked in the shops, and, if a tag fell off, the first German passing imposed a fine of forty marks. If .a dog followed its master to open doors, a fine was imposed, because dogs were not allowed in tue streets.

I saw Bruges citizens rescuing valuable glassware from the canal, the only place the Germans failed to scour and pillage. Even bits were chipped off famous monuments as souvenirs. Bruges otherwise was undamaged. The Ostend sea-front was smashed, especially the German emplacements, showing, the excellence of our naval marksmanship. Squads of German engineers wrecked the workshops of the great Compagnie Brugeoise, valued at a million sterling.—United Press.

GERMAN OFFICIAI. Received Oct. 22. 7.55 p.m. London, Oct. 21. Wire' ; ess German official: The enemy on both sides of Solesmes has been brought to a standstill on the heights eastward and southward of the town. Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter.

FIERCE FIGHTING.

FOR POSSESSION OF AMERVAL. BRITISH CLOSE TO VALENCIENNES FRENCH MAKE PROGRESS. Received Oct. 22, 10.50 p.m. London, Oct. 21. Sir Douglas ffaig reports: There was sharp fighting during the night-time and early this morning for the possession of Amerval, which we captured on October 20. We. repulsed determined attempts to regain the village. The enemy this morning unsuccessfully attempted to drive in our advanced posts in the neighborhood of the Cambrai —Douai Road. We prisonercd a few. r e continue to progress eastward and northward of Denairi. ,

Despite considerable opposition, we are within two miles of Valenciennes, and have reached the general line La Sentinelle—St. Amand —Ronny—Taintignes. We hold the west bank of the Scheldt for several miles northward of Pontachin and north-west of Tournai.

A French communique states: To-day we resumed the advance between the Oise and the Serre. On the right we carried Nesbrecourt and Ruhtecourt.

We advanced on the left between Lucy and Villers le Sec, despite vigorous resistance. The Germans frequently coun-ter-attacked the plateau east of Vouzieres. All positions were maintained.— Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter.

BELGIANS CONTINUE ADVANCE ENEMY DRIVEN TOWARDS FRONTIER. • Received Oct. 23, 12.55 a.m. London, Oct. 22. A Belgian communique states: We continued to advance, driving the enemy to the eastern bank of the Derwation Canal, between the Dutch frontier near Eede and South Meerendre. —Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. AMERICANS LOSE GROUND. BUT REGAIN BY COUNTER-ATTACK Received Oct. 22, 10.50 p.m. Washington, Oct. 21. Fierce fighting north-west of Verdun forced the Americans to retreat in the Bois do Rappes neighborhood. Later, facing terrific machine-gun fire, the Americans counter-attacked and recovered part of the lost wood. —Australian Cable Association. A NIGHT OPERATION. THE COUNTER-ATTACK AT VILLERS BRETONNEUX. ALL RANKS PRAISED. Received Oct. 22. 9.45 p.m. London, Oct. 21. Sir Douglas Haig's despatches dealing with the successful counter-attack at Villers Bretonneux on April 23, in which the 13th and 15th Brigades of tlhe 4th and sth Australian Divisions participated, says it met with remarkable success. A night operation of this character, undertaken at such short notice, was an enterprise of great daring, instant decision to seize any opportunity that offered, and the rapid and thorougSi working out of the general plan and details of attack on the part of the 3rd Army Corps commander and the divisional and subordinate commanders, are most worthy of commendation, while the unusual nature of the operation demanded the highest quality on tihe part of the troops employed, and was carried out in a most spirited manner by allj ranks. The 13th Brigade particularly showed great skill and resolution in making its way through the belts of wire running diagonally to the line of their advance across very difficult country, whict they liad no opportunity of reconnoitring beforehand. , We prisonered nearly a thousand in this well-conceivod and brilliantlyexecuted operation. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter.