NOT FOUGHT YET.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 245, 14 October 1918, Page 6

NOT FOUGHT YET.

FOCH'S GREAT BATTLE.

ENVELOPING THE FOE. SUBLIME GRANDEUR OF STRATEGY. ' LONDON, October 13. Mr Keith Murdoch, in a special article, says: "I have not fought my battle yet." Ski said Marsh— Foch when informed ol German's petition for an armistice. The question whether the Germans can avoid an immediate military debacle dominates the situation. Marshal Foeih's strategy overshadows diplomatic events, because it is certain the Allies will not pause until the present military phase is completed. Foch's great strokes are far from finished. IDs plans include other heavy blows, which will work in with his progressing enveloping scheme. The sublime grandeur of the whole of Foch's gigantic strategy, with its minor enveloping movements within major movements, small pincers within great pincers, like a multiple printing press, is impressing even tl>e German military outhoritaes, who belatexily admit Foch's genius. Despite thickening and apparently organised rearguard actions, the pace of the German retreat is almost hourly increasing, especially on the British front, and the position is now such that great events are possible. No wonder rumours flood Switzerland that Ludcndorff has been dismissed.

The importance of the Cambi— victory is extolled in Paris, where the British arc the heroes of the hour. The Matin says that the result is that yon Boehm's army ib completely beaten, and that its extensive retreat is sometimes degenerating rnto a rout. Scattered units are abandoning their arms like the Bulgarians. The Crown Prince's army is cornered between the Oisc and the Aisne, and that of Prince llupprecht is half encircled in the Lille region. Thus Germany's forces are being driven into two masses, which are unable to assist e f*T other ' one " "'treat—g on the Ardennes, and the other on Me_eres. ™ hopeS fOT an ""n" 5115 * triumph grow. Tiie correspondent comments- It is unwise to speculate on results, for mere distance ahsorbs the momentum of the advance, but the next few days' fighting promises to reveal whether the Germant are able .to retain their organisation while retreating. It was thought the trenchline which existed at Le Cateau was incomplete but strong. The ahsence of news indicates that these poor earthworks were easily penetrated. It is stated that a further solid trench system enets between us and the German frontier. The Germans planned lines on the Meuse in 1914, but it is believed they must long since have fallen into disrepair, or, like the vaunted Beaurevoir lme, be a thing of patches, half built trenches, and acres of sticks for wire upon which the wire was nover placed. The probabilities are that the German commandere will make the utmost endeavour to persuade their depressed and exhausted troops to stand npon the firwater fronted lino, promising that the water will protect them against the tanks. It is interesting to note that prisoners agree that the German company strength now varies from 10 to 40. If the average is sixty they have only 300,000 rifles left in France and Belgium. —■{'United Service.)

Great alterations on the whole of the west front are now in progress. The German Army fa definitely falling back, and it is difficult to say where the movement will end. The Brit—h have advanced towards Douai, passed the Drocourt-Qneant line, and have reached the Lens-Douai Tailway, in the neigh-•*bo_-hood of Beaumont and Quaere-la-Motte, five miles west of Douai. More northwards we have reached Henin Retard, five miles .east Lens,,on the

Douai-Carvin road. The enemy will probably take up a position in front of Douai. Further south we have captured St. Aubert, eight, miles east of Cambrai, and are now within less than seven miles of the German lateral communication railway from Lille, to Valenciennes, Avesnes, and Hirson, which is the main trunk line behind the whole of the German front. Its severance would mean the throwing hack of all the enemy communications, thus gravely endangering everything north of Valenciennes, especially the Lille salient. Still further south along the whole front between the SortKone-Laon road and Grandpre the enemy is retreating, the French and Italians closely pursuing. The enemy's hold on the Chemin dcs Dames Ls slackening hourly. More to the east the French have crossed the Suippe at several places, and, advancing four to five miles, have captured Maehault. The enemy is falling back in the direction of Boi—teres to a line behind the Aisne.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.)