WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

STRENUOUS FIGHTING. DESPERATE EXEMY RESISTANCE. XUMEROUS ULLAGES TAKEX. ADVANCE OX WHOLE FROXT. London, Oct. 24 (1.30 a.m.) Sir Douglas Haig reports: Tliis morning's attack by British of tiic third and fourth armies, between the Sambre Ci.nal and the Scheldt, river, southward* of Valenciennes, was over difficult country. .Many streams, villages and woods were resolutely defended during the assembly period and early stages of the battle. Hostile artillery was most active with high explosives and gas shells.

Our troops, throughout the day. advanced despite resistance, specially by artillery and maenine guns. The infantry advanced some hours before dawn and penetrated the enemy defence on the whole front, and captured important villages, also Commeruel and the forest Romenies.

On the extreme right strong resistance was met with at the fortified farm of Gimbremont and the railway, and we had to halt near by. but we overcame in the left centre. We stormed Beaurain, wit'') assistance of tanks On the left the English •rossed the Harpies river and captured Vertain.

During the mornin? we pressed our attack on the whole front, carrying the enemy's positions to a depth of over three miles, and driving him out of many strongly defended villages, farms, and woods.

The English of the 25th division 'had hard fighting at the Bois Leq'Je, but made good progress through the wood. The East County troops of the 18th division advanced 3} miles and captured Bousies. The Anglo-Scottish of the 25th and 23rd divisions secured the crossing of the Harpies at Vendegies ■\\ ood and captured Vendegies Village. Other English, with New Zealanders on their left, reached the outskirts of Neuville, and established themselves on the high ground north-westward of the village.

Further north we captured Escarmain. We prisonered several thousands. The advance continues on the whole front. • To-day's attack commenced in a thick white fog. so wet and dense that it must have blinded tihe German machinegunners seeking any movement of our men. Later the fog lifted. The battle for th c - fcirests is waged m woods golden with autumn.

We took several thousand prisoners in various operations, in addition to drawing the loop tighter around Valenciennes.

Civilians are suffering terribly. When our cavalry captured St. Amand, near Valenciennes, they found the Germans had collected 1500 persons suffering from Spanish influenza. Many were crowded into a large building called a hospital. When tine enemy fled from the village to escape the cavalry they shelled St. Amand with mustard gas. Most of the shells fell around the hospital, heedless of the stricken souls. Of those hiding in cellars many were so ill that they could not stand tihe poisonous vapor, which stole into the sufferers' lungs and burned them.

The problem o/ the liberated civilians is serious. A single British carps east of Douai has 42,000 people on its hands, all destitute and foodless.

EVACUATION OF GHENT. ALMOST COMPLETED. Amsterdam, Oct. 24. Tiiie Telegraaf announces that the evacuation of Ghent is in full swing and (he last boats are being towed down the canal to Salzaele.—Eeuter 6000 PRISONERS TAKEN. ON THE VALENCIENNES FRONT. ' New York, Oct 24. The British captured 6000 prisoners nn the Valenciennes front.—Aus N.Z Cable Assoc London, Oct. 24, Sir Douglas Haig reports: oiiarp fighting continued on Wednesday afternoon and evening on the battle-front southward of Valenciennes. We expelled the enemy from Vendegies Wood and captured Neuville, Salesches, and Beaudignies, securing the crossings of the Ecaillon river. At the latter place the enemy in the evening counter-attacked us vigorously opposite Vendegies with strong artillery support and were repulsed.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

2000 GERMAN AEROPLANES. DESTROYED IN FOUR MONTHS. London, Oct. 24. The Press- Bureau states that during the period June-September, inclusive, the British destroyed 1443 and brought down 558 German aeroplanes against 608 missing. A significant feature of the recovery of territory in Belgium is that the enemy has lost over 12 large aerodromes, the effect of which is to expose ,&, new sector of the Rhine to the early | possibility of aerial attacks.—Aus, if2. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. INTO-A GREAT FOREST, BRITISH' DRIVING FORWARD. i AWUiVBUGIEC OF CWILEcNS, i London, Oct,. 24, ! Mtr GHSJsf eays: : Tho British armjesj [are driving;forward into tho great fojeeat; .of Mormal TUiis is not easy co.unrry to fight in when the foe is readily abfe to lie in ambush with machine-guns, €So- j lng warily we have already bitten off the Forest de Vicogne. The Ist Army alone has taken prisoner 1300 to-day by gunoundmg tho woods.