TERRIFIC STRUGGLE ON THE SELLE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 23, 22 October 1918, Page 5

TERRIFIC STRUGGLE ON THE SELLE

BRITISH LINE ADVANCED A ffiLE

ALLIES NEARING-VALENCIENNES By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright . '. London, October 20. G.3o'a.m. The Allied line has reached the Dutch frontier, eight miles east of Bruges. The Belgians entered Zeebrugge on Saturday. The Germans evacuated the place • tvhen Thielt was taken, blowing up the batteries, including a great battery at Knocke, which had been shelling Ostend. The Germans destroyed all the floating docks at Bruges. The Allied entry to Becloo cuts off six thousand German troops, who i must either be made prisoners or walk to Holland, where they will be interned. British troops in co-operation with Belgian cavalry followed up ' the enemy after'his evacuaiton of Zeebityjge. The main ibody of Germans is many miles east of Edde, but we are regaining contact. The Allies are within twelve miles of Ghent and within five miles of Valenciennes. ■ ''.••'"■ ; England .and France are sending vast supplies of foodstuffs to the people of •Lille and Ostend. ':', German newspapers put the best possible interpretation on the situation in Belgium, and point out that the retreat is being carried out without hindrance from the ejemy. the object bjinothe loss of the.minimum number of men. Nevertheless, several journals admit that the abandonment of the coast is nipst painful... The Germans admit that the French north-east of Vonziers have established positions on the east bank of the Aisne, where General Gouraud's army has adI yanced two to three miles.' * The pursuit of the Germans will be compelled to slacken owing'to the bad roads and destruction of the railways. • The Allies ;aro advancing carefully in . 'readiness to attack in the event of reaching the enemy's lines of resistance." The Belgians have now outflanked Toui-nai, to the northward; enemy movements are reported east of Valenciennes. The German sentries on the Hutch frontier have departed. The peasants en both sides ot tho frontier chewed as the Germans Temoved the electric fence, together with the German flags. Tho peasants immediately hoisted Belgian flags in their place: '_ Correspondents on the Frencu front consider it probable that the enemy, owing to the severe blows dealt him curing the past few days, coupled with tho dangerous position in Flanders, will, now be compelled to precipitate a general retreat. The enemy's resistance between the Serre and the Oise involved the heavi. est.losses. The troops fought to the limits of their endurance in an utterly hone-' less battle. Extensive changes on the war map may be expected in the next fewdays. Heavy-fighting is certain north of Ven-dun ami between the Pambre and the Jleuse, The ■ Exchange Telegraph states that an Antwerp message at 415 " ft"* ~ s ; s , th f ,tl3 .- 000 tennns crossed the frontier and have been interned.-A.us-JS./i. table Assn. , ■ SELLE CROSSED ALONG WHOLE-LINE. ■ , (Eec. October 21, 10.40 p.m.) ■ " ' mi t, ... , , , \. „ „ Union, October 20. The British have crossed tho SeHe along the whole line, 'and advanced on en average to a depth of upwards of a mile. The enemy's opposition is desper-ate—Aus.-N.Zi Cable Assn. ■ * HEAVY GERMAN CONCENTRATION ON OISE-LE GATEAU FRONT. (Eec. October 21, 7.15 p.m.) T , . ~,,;,.,•. . , ' ' Paris, 'October 21, ik^lJ. 3 ,7 ate l tl,at U"!.temnns have massed forty divisions on a 38-mile front between the Oise and Le Catcau.-Rciiter. (Bee. October 21, 9.35 p.m.) « n ' /r ■ ■ .', London, October 20. A German official message states: "We have evacuated Bruges, Thielt and l'°ni7!s" «.- otll „ s,d f <,f N - V ,? u ?! e S t! ? e c,,e11, y established' himself en the east •bank of the Aiene."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Eec. October 21, 9.35 p.m.) • A French communique states: "We extended our positions Oise and the Serre. We crossed the Chantruti brook eastward cf Vernal and oba footing on the ridges west of Granulnp, maintaining our ™ ns 11 snito , of violent counter-attacks. We reached the outskirts of T?oiL Jt7\onZ" SIGNS OF FURTHER RETREAT. . (Eec. October 21, 7.15 p.m.) The newspaper "Handelsblnd" states that the .Gernm.T/ErevJctSl their aerodromes at Awtnrwd and Ghent, and transferred their materia cWil vek The marines at.Eowerslinco are takingto pieces thirty-fivo mLriteTnd solthe ,s on Inday shot to pieces a number of vessels on the Eecloo Canal carry- • oftcers and war material. Nobody' was saved.-Aus.-N.Z Calile DEFENSIVE ; WORKS ALONG THE RHINE HAVOC BY~ AIRMEN OVER ESSEN. ;ltec. October 21, 7.50 p.m.) t, , , „, „ , , .. , London, October 20. fieports from The Hague state that defensive works along tho Ehine and at lalogne and Karlsruhe have been started. Life „t Essen has become terrible owing to the mighty air raids. Many factorios have been wrecked Mid the work ers crowd underground. There is a shortage of matorial. The Allied advance towards the Bney mines is also reducing the output. No doubt Gormanv's munition crisis is acute. Knipps aw accused of using odds and ends from'the rubbish heaps, with disastrous results at tho front—"The Times." THE SACK OP DOUAI DELIBERATE DEVASTATION BY THE GERMANS. (Eec. October 21, 7.15 p.m.)' m r< ,-, ' • , Paris - October 20. ine bermans sacked Douai perhaps more completely (lian any other Town. Tho contents ot the houses were Jestroyed and many houses wero . burned. The streets were strewn with furniture, all 'the shop windows were broken, and twothuds ot the pictures in the museum arc missing. Stained windows and organs in tho churches were smashed, and the sacred ornaments flung on tho ilaKstones — Eeuter. B THE FINANCIAL BAROMETER ... London, October 20. An optimistio tone characterises 'busipess passing on the Siock Exchange.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable A6sn.

GENERAL MARCH'S REVIEW. Washington, October 19. General March, United Stales Chief of Staff, states that the German retirement which was begun last week on a (10-mile front lias now, he says, spread until it has affected all except fifteen miles of the 250-mile front from the coast to the Meuse. ' The American Army is slowly progressing to the north-west of Verdun against a stiff resistance. The entire Belgian coast is securely in the Allies' hands, ami the German retreat continues at increasing speed. During four days 800 square miles have been given up. Tlio Hindenburg defences are now entirely behind the Allie3. There are now, adds General March, more than two million Americans over-seas.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE OFFICIAL REPORTS WHOLE OF WESTERN FLANDERS LIBERATED London, October 20. Sir Douglas Haig's report of the Belgian operations states: "The British, Belgian, and French armies, commanded by King Albert, to-day developed the results of the last six days' fighting. Tho Belgians have occupied Zeebrugge and Ileyst, and have stormed Bruges. Elsewhere the Belgians crossed the BrugesGhent Canal. Their left has reached the Dutch frontier, whilo their right is at Aeltro, halfway hetwoen Bruges and Ghent. The French carried Thielt and the adjoining high ground despite a stubborn resistance by the enemy, who endeavoured to bar the way to the Lys. The French line at the end of the day reached Hullevinoat and along Iho lys to Grammcne, Gotthein, and Wielsbeke. The Second British Army has tompletely cleaned up Courtrai and advanced six kilometres to the east of it. Southwards they reached, tho Courtrai-Tournai Hood, and although the enemy destroyed all communications, they have advanced almost to the Scheldt. Since tho beginning of the operations m Flanders this group of armies has advanced iiO miles on a front of 37 miles. The Flanders coast has been completely liberated; also the whole of Western Flanders."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. -Eeuter. BELGIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE London, October 19. A Belgian communique states: "Out troops have continued to • puirsue the enemy. They have occupied Zeebrugge and Bruges and have crossed the Bruges- • Ghent Canal in their progriss towards Aeltt-e."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Eec. October 21, 10.40 p.m.) London, October 21. A Belgian communique states: "We continued 'our pursuit of the enemy and are hustling his rearguards. Our cavalry frequently charged tho German machineguns, capturing prisoners, guns, and machine-guns' Towards the north the cavalry is advancing along Ihe Dutch ontier and southwards. We are over 124 miles eastward of Bruges. We liberated numerous villages when crossing the line from Moerkerke to Maldeghem. Ursel and Aeltre. Considerable booty was captured, including numerous coastal guns, amongst which was a long-range gun, undamaged, which bombarded Dunkirk."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter, THE BATTLE ON THE SELLE London, October 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Early tliis morning we attacked the enemy's positions on the line of the Selle Eiver nor t\ of Le Cateau, and crossed the river, despite considerable opposition. Further north the advance was continued yesterday afternoon and evening. We completed.the capture of Denain tnd reached the goneral line of Hoveduy, Wandignes-ilamage, Brillon, and Beuvry. The enemy's resistance is increasing on this front. The enemy has commenced to withdraw north of the CambrniJ3avay Eoid.. We have occupied Saulzoir, and progress has been made towards Denain from the south. North of the Sensee Canal we have already entered Denain and .renched Escaudin Somain. On the left the Eighth Division has taken Marchrennes, and during the past ten days in the course of the advance of over eighteen miles they took prisoner several hundred of the enemy. Further norii' we steadily continue to advance, and have reached the general line Oroides, Cobrieux, Boughelles, Tenipleuve (southward of Eoubaix), and Nechin."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. (Eec. October 21, 9.53 p.m.) London, October 20, 11.20 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "This morning's Attack by the British forced the passage of the Selle Eiver between Le Cateau and Denain. Having captured the Milages in the river valley, and driven the enemy from Solcsmes, we fought up the slopes eastward of Hie Selle and established ourselves on tho high ground' overlooking the ITarvies- Valley. We encountered determined opposition, especially at Solcsmes a'ud St. Python. We overcame thi? opposition after hard fighting, and repulsed a number of counter-attacks. This operation was carried out in heavy'rain. We took two thousand prisoners and sonie guns. Our advanced troops ore within two miles of Toiirriai, and are in contact with the enemy oastwards of a general line from Denain to the Bois des Ecltiseltes, Lamias, Mom-kin, and'Marqunin."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuiter. , ENEMY COMPLETELY THROWN BACK EAST 0? THE OISE London, Odtdber 20, 5.30 a.m. A French communique states: "The enemy on the Ois« front lias been completely thrown back east of the river. Tho right wing of the First Army continued the pursuit between the Oise and La Pere, and captured Eibemont and Villers-le-Sec- The Tenth Army on tho i.erre front attacked tie Handing line between Ponilly and the Sissonno marshes, and pierced this powerful fortification on a front- of three miles, shattering a stubborn resistance, advancing twelvo hundred yards and taking a thousand prisoners. The encmv countor-aklacks west Of Bareutoii Brook were repulsed with heaw loss. The fighting lfas equally severe between Sissonne and Chateau Pcraen. We made important progress by local attacks, reaching the Sissonne-La Salve Eond and capturing several'.fortified works AVest of Chateau Porcien wo also attacked the Hundiug line ami captured the ridge north of Mont St. Germain, taking 700 prisoners. Tho baf.tlo in -the Vouziers region continued all day. On tho hills east of tho Aisnn wv captured Macquart Farm and Hill 193. and east of Vandy we captured and passad far beyond the village of Chestres, inking -100 prisoners and ten guns. There wero numerous fights in the air between the Aisue.and the Au-gonne, where the German aircraft were concentrated." ' A later report states: "Yesterday evening the enemy made two violent counterattacks between the Serre and the Aisnc; one in the region of Veneuil and tho other north of Mont St. Germain. We repulsed them. Tho enemy In the night time vigorously reacted with artillery at different points of the froiit."-Aus-N Z Cable Assn.-Eeuter. HEAVY FIGHTING ON THE AMERICAN FRONT , . . ' . London, Octobar 19. An American comimnniqiie states: ' To the west of the Meuse there lias been heavy infantry fighting in the Loges Wood, with heavy artillery and machine-gun faring elsewhere, to (he north of Verdun. The Americans, co-operating with tho vvn \ a , . Ilol i l of Wuss ' : S".v, have reached, the Sambre-Oise Canal."-Aus . N.Z. Cable Assn.-lieuler. BRITISH COMMANDER'S TRIBUTE TO THE AMERICANS London, October 20. Sir Douglas Haig, in a special dispatch detailing the operations of the 27th and :!oth American Divisions operating with the Fourth British Army during the last three weeks,-says: "In (he course of the fighting they displayed .-soldierly qualities of a high order, and materially assisted in the success of cm attacks, especially in breaking the Hindenburg line on September 29, when they fought with the utmost dash and bravery and captured Bellicourt and Naurov!"—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter.