PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 14, 11 October 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Still staggering under the effects of their last defeat, the enemy armies in Flanders arc already feeling the weight of another stroke of battlo. On this occasion the British north-east of Ypres and the small French,, army on their left flank are attacking in conjunction. It will bo remembered that in last Thursday's Wttle the British troops gained the crest of the Passchendaele Ridge to a, point a thousand yards north of Broodseinde. The operations now reported took the form of «. further attack on the Passchendaelo Eidge and a. FrancoBritish advance over the low' country lying westward of the northern, and still unconquered, part of its length. As reports stand,, the' British 'have oaptured another mile of the Passchendaele Ridge, extending north from the section captured on Thursday, and' have advanced eastward over the crest on the latter section. Further north, westward of the ridge, they have captured practically the whole of the important road-junction of Poelcapelle, and other objectives. The French, still further north, have advanced about a mile on ai short front .and are now on the outskirts of the Forest of Houthulst, which constitutes the principal obstacle to progress in the low country. This forest; covering half a dozen square miles' of ground, until recently sheltered an important section of the enemy's artillory on the Flanders front. Most of the guns, it is stated, havo now. been removed, but oven in the shattered condition to which it has been reduced by the Allied bombardment, the forest affords the enemy useful coyer for machine-guns. The object aimed at in the present attack was_ to work round the forest on both sides so as to enclose it in a semi-circle of hostile front. 'Whether this icsnlt has been fully achieved is not disclosed at time of writing. * * * * Thouoh reports as they stand do not disclose the full results of the battle, it is already evident that another long stride has been taken towards driving the enemy into the Flanders plain, and that another success of magnitude has been added to that won last week. Taking account of the rapidity, with which one

splendidly effective blow has followed another, and of tho conditions of weather and ground in which tho latest battle was fought, the success now won may fairly too described as sensational. The weather conditions arc said to have been worso than those of the winter battle fought on tho Ancre- last November. Such conditions might have been expected to preclude the possibility oi an advance over a terrain like that of Flanders, but it is evident that the British and their Allies are in conquering mood, and that tho strength of tho enemy's defensive organisation is heavily impaired. Anindioation of the enemy s plight is civen in his desperate counter-at-tacks on the line of the .Roulora railway This is a section of the front on which the British have advanced beyond the crest of the Passchendaele Ridge. The enemy's attacking, waves were therefore in clear sight from the high ground, and exposed to a 'well-directed storm of shellfire Particulars given of the French advance indicate that our Allies also have established a very definite . 'mastery over the enemy. It is stated that the French took several hundred prisoners and subiected the enemy to heavy loss, while their own losses were^ trifling. The latest available reports leave some details to bo filled in, but the broad position is summed by bin Douglas Haio in the statement that very successful results have been achieved. It seems likely that when £ full story is told the Allies wi have a big haul of prisoners as well as a most important gab of ground to show for their efforts and it is evident that the enemy's losses have been extremely heavy.