WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

, A KNOCK-OUT BLOW. Most Stupendous Conflict of the War. Germans Forced to Fight Their Hardest. . Foch's Effective Strategy. Closing Enemy's Exits. Received Nov. 0, f1.15 p.m. London, Nov. 5. Renter's correspondent at British headquarters says that the series of battles raging on the West front promise to be the most stupendous conflict of the war. It is a mistake to suppose that the Allies have only engaged the rearguards of the enemy, "retreating according to plan." Really, the Germans are being forced to fight their hardest by attacks which threaten to achieve the strategic collapse of the enemy, and the successes gamed have been against imr'ense concentrations of troops, striving most determinedly to hold vital points. Marshal Poc-'li, adhering to his right angle front, is steadily reducing the enemy's area of manoeuvre, squeezing him against the Ardennes lulls from the west and south, robbing him of mobility in a fashion which is likely to prove disastrous before long. As his strategy becomes more hopeless, 'his strength is being deeply sapped. Already his exit via Metz is fast closing as the result of the American approach to Stenay, threatening the communications between llie German northern armies ba-sed on Liege and the southern armies based on Luxemburg, whic'h will be divided by the Ardennes vjfedge, forcing the whole line from the Sambre northwards to retreat to the Antwerp-Xamur posiI Hons.

If the enemy attempts to divert his eastern forces to the Meuse line, these will be' increasingly congested by the British advance south of Valenciennes. ENEMY'S STRONGEST POSITION BROKEN. Sir Douglas Haig's forces yesterday broke one of the enemy's .strongest strategic positions approaching important communications, whose vital point is the Mons junction. Never throughout the war have the Allied armies proved of higher quality for they resisted t'ne temptation to take things easily against an enemy who is only too anxious to surrender territory, but they are fighting most vigorously. They believed in a knock-out blow. It has become a habit of speech to say the enemy is still unbroken and unbeaten, but if things continue much longer at the present rate we shall suddenly awake to a realisation that this statement has ceased to be true. ARTILLERY PRAISED. The correspondent pays a great tribute to the artillery for the tireless devotion with which tliey have followed up the infantry, and the extraordinary efficiency of the teams, which galloped into action, unlimbered, swung round, and picked up the ranges, often under shelllire and upon gassed ground, in gloriously fine style. THE TAKING OF LE QUESNOY BY NEW ZEALANDERS. Describing the taking of Le Quesnoy by the New Zealanders, the correspondent says the towns crowns a knoll a hundred metres high. It is a fortress of the Vauben type, with immensely strong ramparts, surrounded by deep moats. Such was the obstacle that confronted the gallant infantry as they converged upon t'lie place, and it wat, .evident that a tough job lay before them. The airmen reported that the town was well garrisoned. As a stunning attack seemed out of the question, the New Zealanders deployed by way of Champs des Manserres and along the railway north-east of the town, closing in at Potelle, aud thus surrounding the fortress. Airmen joined in the attack, "wheeling over the town and machine-gunning the defenders incesantly. Under cover of smoke screens the New Zealanders crept to the gateway, which the Germans were keeping open as a line of retreat. Then followed a spell of confused desperate fighting, and t'lie entrance was secured and the town captured. The skill and valor with which the stronghold was carried are beyond praise.—Reuter.

j AMERICANS NEAR RAILWAY. [ GHENT HAY HOLD OUT. I Received Nov. 6. 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 5. i Weather conditions fit the front are very bad, and it is too early to predict the effect oil t'be fighting. German opposition was stiff during yesterday morning, but lessened as the day progressed. We identified during our advance twenty regiments on the front of one of our armies alone. Progress this morning ivas accentuated in the Mormal forest. The Americans reached the outskirts of St. Enay. They also occupied Grand Sartroises. and are now within eight miles of the railway through Mezieres. The position at Ghent indicates that, its fall may not come for some time. Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. GERMANS RETREATING. SIEGE OP GHENT BEGUN. Received Nov. 0, 6.5 p.m. New York, Nov. 5. * The Germans are retreating on tiie Sok-ldt-Aisne frout. The Allies have begun the siege of Ghent.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. LK QU-ESNOY TAKEN. London, Nov The British have captured Le Quc?r -j Calble Assoc.

FRENCH REPEATED SUCCESSES. f" INEM FORCE© TO RETREAT AT SEVERAL POINTS. HUNDING POSITIONS PENETRATED AMERICANS CROSS THE ME.USE. EXCELLENT PROGRESS ;\IADE. Received Nov. 'lf, 7.20 p.m. London, Nov. 5, 4,g0 p.m. A Frenlie communique stutes: Our re peated. successes compelled the enemy to carry out a fresh retreat ftl several points of the front. With unwearying ardor, we have maintained close co»tact. Northeast of otuise, we occupied Berque-sur-Swubre, wnere 200 civilians were freed. Along the whole front of the Ist Army the attacks were resumed this morning, and progress was made between Peron (where wo captured P»rgny Wood) and norsh of Siasonat. We reached the line passing the Froidmrnit sugar factory, \Vest- of Autrencourt, Curieux, Gouaelan court, and Machecourt Our advanced guards, supported by artillery, are progressing. Between Sissonne and Chateau Porsien; wo penetrated all parts of the Hunding positions, where the enemy are still holding out, forcing him to withdraw. Quf advance Is general between the cast of St. Qventin-le-Petit and the outskirts of Larpy. American official:—Our Ist Army resumed the attack this morning and, despite desjrarateop position, forced a crossing of the Mense at Btc-ullps and Clery-le-Petit. Wo have now developed a new line in heavily-wooded and very difficult terrain, on the heights eastward of the river. Between these points the enemy on the entire front is opposing our advance with heaVt' artillery and machine-gun fire, notwithstanding which we are malein« excellent progress, j We hold the west hank of the Meuse I as far northwards as opposite Pouilly. British (Flanders) official:—Among the captured documents is an order issued toy General von Larische on October 1!>. wherein he declared that the Lys-Hermann-Stellung line tmist be held at all casts.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter.

ALLIES ADVANCING RAPIDLY. AMERICANS ACROSS THE MEUSE. Received Nov. C, 5.3 p.m. New York, Nov. 5. The Allies have captured Bavay and are advancing rapidly. The Americans have crossed the Meuse in great force.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. CAPTURE OF LE QUESNOY. MOST DRAMATIC FEATURE Off BATTLE. 100 GUN. CAPTURED. Received Nov. 7, 1.30 am. London, Nov. 5. The enemy is retreating on a 70-mile front, between the Scheldt and the Aisne. The New Zealanders' capture of Le Quesnoy was the most dramatic, feature of Monday's battle. They broke into gun positions eastward of the fortress and captured a hundred guns, many limbered it* readiness to retreat. The New Zealanders penetrated tha waggon lines and rounded up the transport. The garrison refused throe aeroplane invitations to surrender. The New Zcalanders, by the evening, had forced the ramparts and wiped out the machinegun nests, when the remainder of the garrison laid down their arms.—Au?.N.Z. Cable Assoc. GENERAL RETREAT BY ENEMY. SITUATION CHANGING HOURLY. FRANCO-BELGIAN BORDER CROSSED. iteceived Nov. 7, 12,15 a m. London, Nov. 5, 9.30 p.m. The Germans at? retreating on the whole front between the Scheldt and the Aism; Tim situatioc is changing hourly, and it is impossible to give any definite idea of our advance. Roughly, we crossed its JYajico-Bel-gian frontier between: Valenciennes and Bavay. We are between a mile and two miles westward of the latter. We captured the whole Mormal I'Orest, with the exception ot the astern ridge. Thence <vnr_lin& mas to Mereoilles, on sha westers edge oi Nrmvron Forest, to two miles eastward of Guise, through Sains, and continues two mi I*3 southward of the Marie line, two miles southward of the Snrre River; then a straight line to Chateau Poreienne. The ■weather has temporarily slackened our pursuit, and we have lost touch with the enemy's mlis nody. which made eastward. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Beme?. LOOP OF MEUSE REACHED. LARGE SCALE RETREAT BEGUN. Received Nov. 1, 12.15 a.m. i London, Nov. 5The French, astride Le. Chesne, crossed the Ardennes Cans.i and advanced a mile northwards, and the Americana co-oper-ating, hold the whole road from Stenay to Lc Chesne. They have occupied Beaumont and reached Enor, in the loop of the Meuse, and Have formed a bridgehead southward of Don, Jmt apparently have not yet occupied Dun. We here again lost touch with the ipa in German forces, although less than miles from the main lateral line of eo"",ii\inication. It apg.ears that the large ,setlc retreat foreshadowed for sometime iuw Iwguii.—Aus. AWS#'