NEW BRITISH OFFENSIVE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16362, 6 November 1918, Page 7

NEW BRITISH OFFENSIVE.

ALLIES' ATTACK PROSRESSING RAPIDLY THE ARMISTICE TERMS. VERSAILLES CONFERENCE UNANIMOUS. FIFTH YEAR—9Bth DAY,

THE WESTERN FRONT. ANOTHER BRITISH OFFENSIVE. (By Cable.—Prtts Association. —Copyright.) (Australian and N./i. Association.) NEW YORK, November 4. The British have opened an offensive j on a wide front south of the Scheldt. J LONDON, November 4. The "Daily Telegraph's" Rotterdam i correspondent states that the_ Germans • in the north of Flanders are in full retreat towards Antwerp. Apparently , the Germans also are retiring on the Meuse. (Received November sth, 8.45 p.m.) LONDON, November 4 (9.20 p.m.) The British and French have advanced between a mile and two miles | on practically the whole thirty-mile ficnt. They have taken 4000 prisoners and captured Landiecies. The Americans since Saturday have advanced fourteen miles. AMERICAN OFFICIAL REPORT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Router's Telegrams.) LONDON, November 4. An American official message states: —Attacking further into the enemy's territory to-day, we traversed Bolval Wood and Portgerache Wood, and reached the heights southward of Beaumont. We are approaching Verrieres further westward. We hold all the towns oil the west bank of the Meuso southward of Halles. Our attack extended to-day to the east bank of the Meuse, and is progressing favourably. THE BRITISH ADVANCE. 10,000 PRISONERS TAKEN. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received November 6th, 12.20 a.m.) LONDON, November 5 (6.40 a.m.). The British have made a deep breach on the whole front, taking 10,000 prisoners. PROGRESS OF THE ATTACK. I (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received November sth, 7.45 p.m.) LONDON, November 4. This morning's attack was delivered on the weakest part of th© German defence south of Valenciennes, between the Scheldt and the Sambre, from Valenciennes roughly to Oisy. Probably the Third' and Fourth Armies of the French are also attacking on both sides of Guise. Passages of the Sambre a»d the Oise have been foroed. The British have reached the line of the small river Annerille, on the Franco-Belgian front east of Valenciennes. The Americans, between the Aisne and the Meuse are attempting to cut the railway from Thionville to Montmedy, Mezieres. and Hirson. They ire now within twelve miles of the line. If they succeed it will have the most disastrous effect upon the enemy communications, and would thrust the greater part of their supply work upon the lines running through the bottle-neck of Liege, Namur, and Charleroi. The enemy's position in the centre nas become extremely bad. The success of the manoeuvre would divide the German forces into two strong wings, one in Belgium and the other operating roughly in Lorraine. It wouiu probably mean an extensive enemy retirement from Belgium to the Meuse. In the north w e are just west of Ghent on the left bank of the Tenouzen Canal, which is a big oostacle bridged with swing bridges easily removed. A direct assault is almost out of the question, but w e may turn the position by operations elsewhere. THE CA.USE OF LUDENDORFF'S FAILURE. BRITISH TENACITY. (Eeuter's Telegrams.) (Received November sth, 8.45 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, November 4. The "Rotterdam Courant's" Berlin correspondent attributes the failure of Ludendorff's great offensive to the tonaeity of the British soldiers, who ref jsed to bo panic-stricken by any defeat, and to the sang-froid of Foch in sparing his reserves to the utmost. The correspondent adds that he is able for special reasons to confirm the statement that the resistance of the British on March 27th, near Arras, caused the failure of the German campaign. THE FRENCH ATTACK. (Eeuter's Telegrams.) j (Received November 6th, 12.45 a.m.) j LONDON, November 5. ! Renter's correspondent at French Headquarters states: General Debeney'a Army attacked this morning on tho line of the Sambre-Oise Cftnal. The troops crossed tho canal on a front of oighb miles from Grand le Verly, northwards, and secured the eastern bank by midday, despite desperate resistance, advancing the line to north of Guise, which is now menaced. Fifteen hundred prisoners have been taken up to the present, including some from the best German divisions, proving that the enemy is desperately endeavouring to hold his ground. j

BRITISH ENTER OISY. LONDON. November 5. The British hav© entered Oisy. BELGIAN OFFICIAL REPORT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) , (Router's Telegrams.) (Received November 6th, 12.45 a.m.) LONDON. -November 5. A Belgian communique states: — "Our troops completed the task of driving the enemy beyond the GhentTerneuzon Canal. The Germans now hold only a f®w machine-gun nests on the west bank of the canal. We have reached the western, northern, and southern outskirts of Ghent. Our lino follows tho western bank of the Scheldt from Quynaerde northward." VALENCIENNES LOOTED. (Reuter's Telegrams.) LONDON, November 4. j The Germans looted Valenciennes. 1 They destroyed factories and many houses, and forced 20,000 civilians between fourteen and sixty years of age to leave. The roads became so congested that they were allowed to return, but few dared risk the journey. JUNCTION OFIiIENCH AND AMERICAN ARMIES. (Renter's Telegrams.) PARIS, November 4. Renter's correspondent at French Headquarters, writing on Sunday evening, says:—The French and American armies effected a junction near Authe, and are five miles north-east of Buzancv, affecting the enemy's position on the Meuse, which is his main line of retreat. His armies between tho Meuse and the Oise are beginning to crumble. RETREAT APPROACHING A ROUT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) NEW YORK, November 4. Mr James, a correspondent on the Amercan front, cables: —"For the third day the First American Army continues its sensational advance north of Verdun against the demoralised Third and Fifth German Armies. Some sootors have been pushing the enemy since dawn, and have not yet caught up with the rearguards. The retreat is approaching a rout. East of the Meuse aviators report that all roads, running northward, are packed with retreating troops, artillery and trucks. The American day-bombing aeroplanes caused great damage to enemy ammunition dumps and convoys. At the time of cabling wo have reached Brieulles and Surba, and'have captured Mancourt Farm. Beauclair ftas fallen. On the right we have pushed beyond Montigny." The First American Army has captured the dominating heights north of Verdun, from which it is bombarding Montmedy, Longuyon, and Conflans. The army has advanced twelve miles in three days, and has captured 5000 prisoners. WASHINGTON, November 4. The American troops are within tnirteen miles of Sedan.