THE WESTERN FRONT.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16361, 5 November 1918, Page 7

THE WESTERN FRONT.

& I ENEMY STILL I RETREATING. I 7 * — 1 (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) , (Received November 4tli, 8.3 p.m.) 5 LONDON, November 3. J The Belgians advanced eight miles i yesterday. They are now east of tho Derivation Canal, Bassevelde, and - Slevedinge, and are approaching the 7 Terneyezen Canal. * Tho Fourth French and First Ameri--1 can armies continue to mako good pro--1 gress west of the Meuse. They have - advanced seven miles on a thirty-mile J front. 1 PARIS, November 3. 3 A telegram from the American front s states that the German retreat is *apid- ■ !y becoming disorganised. Our second * day's attack on a twonty-five-kilometre 3 front secured an average advance of . four kilometres. Aviators flying fifty i feet over the German troops are merci- * lossly machine-gunning them until they scatter in a disorderly rush for refuge ' of any kind. i (Received November 4th, 9.15 p.m.) 1 NEW YORK, November 3. ' The "New York Times" correspondj ent on tho American front says: The s Americans are within seven miles of 3 the German main railway Between Mezieres, Sedan, and Longuyon. ALLIES MAKE SUBSTANTIAL 3 PROGRESS. ' FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORTS. 5 » (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright) l (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) , (Reutcr'e Telegrams.) I LONDON, November 3. A French communique, dated Novem- ) ber 3rd, 6.10 a.m., states'- — Vigorous attacks by the Fourth [ Army on the Aisne front, combined . with the victorious American effort be- , tween the Argonno and the Meuse, [ compelled the enemy to retreat through » the Ajgonne Forest. His rearguards t resisted desperately, but were unable t to resist our advance. Our left occu- [ pies the southern bank of the Ardennes i Canal for two kilometres between . Semuy and Neuville et Day. Farther south we captured Vandy Woods and Ballay village and reached tho outskirts of Les . Alleux. Despite the fiercest resistance on our . right we captured Longwe and Prima t, i and passed Chene Pate. We are vigorously pursuing the enemy, despite the ' serious obstacle of the Argonne Forest. Tho enemy is abandoning huge quantities of material, and hundreds of pri- , soners have been taken. A French communique, issued at 5.20 p.m. on November 3rd, says:— j On the Aisne front we again ad-1 vanced in tho niglit time, and took i the villages of Lacroix aux Bois andi Nivry. The enemy's resistance has anpreciablv increased. especiallv in the , Forest of Argonne. The materia] abandoned by the retreating forces includes fourteen guns, five of the largest calibre. Since the beginning of the operation we have taken over 2000 prisoners (Received November sth, 1.15 a.m.) LONDON, November 4. A French communique states:— A severe battle in the Argonne resulted in the complete success of the Fourth French and American Armies. The enemy desperately defended the Aisne crossing, and then clung tenaciously to the wooded heights, but his resistance collapsed before the rush of our troops, who stormed several villages and occupied Voncq and Chesne Woods. The liberation of the Argonne hais been completed. Thtf prisoners and booty are not yet counted. SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPORTS. (Australian hnd_ N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reuter'a Telegrams.) LONDON, November 3 (12.40 a.m.). ; Sir Douglas Haig reports:— There was determined fighting throughout the day south and east of Valenciennes. We made good progress north-west of Maresches, capturing the hamlet of St. Hubert and fan>»s in the vicinity. Eastward of Valenciennes we captured Marly village and 4 entered St. Saulve. In the course of this operation we captured two tanks, which the fcnemy used in his unsuccessful counter-attacks on November Ist, and also took prisoner several hun- ; dreds. . Wo advanced our lino by a successful minor operation westward, of Landrecies: (Received November 4th, 8.35 p.m.) LONDON, November 3 (11 j.in.). Sir Douglas Baig reports:— Following on the severe defeat inflibted upon him during the past two. days, tho enemy has withdrawn from positions eastward and south-eastward of Valenciennes. We observed the movement. Wo aro keeping contact with the German rearguards, taking numbers of prisoners. We have entered Villers Pol, Jenlain, Curgies, Estreux, and Onnaing. Local fighting westward resulted to our advantage. BRITISH-BELGIAN OFFICIAL REPORT. LONDON, November 3. A British-Beigiau communique states: The attacks of the Second Bntisii' Army and the French and American Army on October 31st and November Ist bore fruit to-day. Pressed by the Belgian Army and the left of the Freiich Army, the enemy were forcea to retreat hastily in the direction .jf the Ghcnt-Terneyezen Canal. At the endof the tiay the Fiencli and Belg ans readied the line of Eecloo, Waersehoot, and the Lieve CanaL and further south as far as Secvedgnem. We have reached lour kilometres from the outskirts of Ghent, the left bank of the Schcldb being occupied north to Soniercem. Allied aviators throughout maintained the mastery of the air. Tho results obtained by the British aviators were particularly remarkable. AMERICAN OFFICIAL REPORTS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Ateocialion.) (Renter's Telegrams.) LONDON, November 3. An American communique states:— ' The First Army continued to advance, overcoming all resistance, and capturing, among other towns, Champigneulle, Morthomme, Verpel, Buzancy. Villers, Devatdinn, and Clery-ie-Petit. Tho prisoners taken now exceed 4COO, including battalion commanders with their staffs. The enemy has abandoned huge quantities of material. Sixty-three guns and hundreds of machine-guns were captured, including a complete Bavarian battery, with personnel and horses. (Received November oth, 1.1.3 a.m.) * LONDON, November 4 (6 a.m.). An American communique states: — The first American Army continues its successes, capturing to-day nineteen villages. The enemy loss is of the * heaviest in consequence of the continu- * oils blows during the past month, and f his surprise at the force of the renewed s attacks. Prisoners report that the * enemy organisations have been thrown into the greatest confusion. Several complete batteries and battalions have j been captured. Over 5000 prisoners and c 100 guns have been taken. We havo A

advanced twelve miles on n front of eighteen miles in the past three days, and seized heights enabling us to cannonade Montmedy, Longuyon, and ConHans railways. BELGIAN OFFICIAL REPORT. LONDON, November 3. A Belgian communique, issued at 2.11 p.m. on November 3rd, says:— As a result of the fighting during the last few days the enemy this morning abandoned his positions on the 3 Derivation Canal, which we crossed 0 at dawn, to the north of the Bruges- , Ghent Canal. "We occupied Eecloo and Waerschoot. and carried our line to B the Lievo Canal. Between the BrugesGhent Canal and th© Lys wo advanced _ beyond Meerendrej Overspoucke, Baew velde, and Bairle. 0 (Received November sth, 1.10 a.m.) LONDON, November 4. A Belgian communiquo states:— Wo continued the pursuit of the re» t treat in or enemy, notwithstanding the - difficulties ol the ground and the cut-up 1 "watercourses and canals ~wilh their B crossings destroyed. We have reached f a line from a mile west of Selzacto. 5* east of Ertvelde, and through Langer- - brugge. Evergem has been captured, y There has been sharp fighting in the 0 northern area. We are approaching Ghent. GERMAN OFFICIAL MESSAGE. A wireless. German official messace e says:— f ,We withdrew from the junction of 1 le and the Scheldt to Ghent. The Jinglish pi essed us back to Saultaiu recapturing Presau. Owing tt> the Amcncan break-through we withdrew between the Aisne and Champigneullo. ATTACK AND COUNTER- ATTACK. HARD fighting. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Aatociation.) (Received November 4th, 8.35 p.m.) mi. *r November 3. The United Press correspondent h states:—The whole front is quivering i under the shock of attacks and counterattacks from the French frontier to the junction of the British and French g forces beyond St. Quentin. German or--0 ders have been issued explaining that a favourable armistice is impossible un--1 the tro °Ps Put up a good fight, The present fighting is a 8 hard as it f fias been at any time. The German in--1 ll 17 J? qualities similar to • + ! f S l4 - Tbe British hav ® ca P" r tured St. Hubert and the spur eastward , of Leveque Wood, as a result of which a we are able to accelerate the Germans' . foment. The latter are again blow- " me ,?.P ° n , d £<* railways and streams, , particularly on the Scheldt, where the <• t Belgians are advancing rapidly. ALLIES' CAPTURES. ? (Eeuter 1 ® Telegrams.) J (Received November 4th, 8.5 p.m.) a _. PARIS, November 3. . Since August 15th the Allies have 3 takon prisoner 7990 officers and 354,366 - men, and have capturod 6217 guns and - 38,622 machine-guns. Of these 2472 officers, 105,871 me»n, 2064 guns, and 13,639 machine-guns were captured during October. FOCH'S SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY. i (Australian and N.Z. Cable' J (Received November sth, 1.5 a.m.) J LONDON, November 4. > Mr Campbell, states: —The Germans i are .fighting their, hardest to delay , General Gbtiriiud in the northern corner of the Argonne, but each day sees 5 a substantial advance, and t?ie end will ■ come probably with a rush. The joint i advance of the French from the Vou- ■ ziers area, and tho Americaiis on the right, creates a harrowing and deepening pocket, froni which tho Germans must soon escape in order to avoid dis- . aster. This manoeuvre is the latest • example of General Foch's unfailing r method of carving fresh salients, and ' then squeezing out the enemy by sim.ui- !. taneous flank attacks. \ ■ \ , GENERAL GOURAUD'S ATTACK. [ (Australian arid N.Z. Cable Asßbciation.) ? LONDON, November 3. The "Daily Chronicle" states:— [ General Gouraud's dashing attack on . the Aisne is progressing. It was un- . dertafcen to facilitate the northward t movement of the Americans on ih« ; right and to eliminate as a factor the T. r holo northern part of the Argohne, which hitherto has been very harassing to the French. General Gouraud's northeastward advance, coupled with the Americans, is calculated to deprive the Geianans of positions of considerable strategic importance, besides involving them in a ridk of being pinched ill a position from whence there is nc ! escape.