The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1918.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4989, 2 October 1918, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1918.

The Freeing of F tenders.

There is further splendid war news again this morning. On top of the defeat of the Turkish armies in Palestine, the collapse of the Bulgurs, the resultant discomfiture of Turkey, and the grand victories in Northern France by Haig’s armies, the French armies and the American armies, comes word of the magnificent successes of King Albert’s gallant Belgian army in conjunction with General Plumer’s army in "West Flanders. The importance of the new Anglo-Bclgian offensive cannot possibly be overstressed. A glance at the map will show that the town of Holders,which is reported to have been captured, is only 25 miles from the nearest point of tiie Dutch border. In itself the capture of the town is of very great moment for it is one of the most important railway and road centres in West Flanders. Unquestionably its loss will be most seriously felt by the enemy authorities. It will also be readily agreed that this particular offensive will cause the Huns even greater anxiety than the other important operations in which the Allies arc at present engaged on tiie West Front. As far as the other Allied drives are concerned the Huns can retreat on to new lines,' of defence and tlieir loss in territory will be the least loss that they will have forced upon them. .In connection with the Allied offensives other than the Anglo-Belgian offensive in West Flanders what the enemy dreads most is the loss of man-power and of munitions. But in the case of the West Flanders campaign the position undoubtedly is that the Allies have not many« more miles to go before something very serious will happen to the Hun system of defence in that quarter. It will mean that that particular army will either be bottled up and captured or will have under compulsion to say fare-

wpll to the Belgian coast ports and the rest of West Flanders. Whether tlie Huns retire or arc smashed in that quarter the situation will be equally bad from u strategic viewpoint and, naturally the- Allies will prefer to get into proper grips with the enemy forces thereabouts and end their career of usefulness to the enemy side. It can lie a matter of only a short period when the AngloBelgian operations must result in the turning of the Huns’ western ilanlc in the main theatre of the great war. Our readers will fully appreciate what such a grand tu mnph for the Allies will mean. When that day comes round there will be an end to the submarine and torpedo boat “nests” at Ostend and Zccbrugge which have certainly proved a great menace to the safety of A 1 lied shipping in the Channel. It is also very plain that when the “clean up” takes place in West Flanders the captures will include numerous guns of the largest cahbros used by the Huns, for it is difficult to believe that the enemy will succeed in getting anything like an of them safely away. As far as the. enemy war craft that are imprisoned jo the Belgian ports or are lurking in the vicinity are concerned it is ’ certain that they will either be smashed up or captured by the Allies. When the Huns’ right flank is turned they will of course have to fall right back on Antwerp, for it is not at all likely that they "ill dare to make a stand closer to the coast and the Allies won’t take long about making use of pster.d m poiticular as a port of disembarkation of fresh troops. In view of the fact the Anglo-Belgians are aiming at malting a drive north beyond t«ot.lers it would seem that tne object is to “bottle up” the Hun troops operating near to the coast in West Flanders. How well they will succeed will, of course, depend on the rapidity of their drive. It is inconceivable that the Huns can spare from other sectors adequate troops to enable them to put up an obstinate resistance in that quarts!, hfo doubt the other Allied offensives that are in progress on the West Front will at this juncture be expedited so as to prevent Hun reserves being spared to assist in the defence of West Flanders. The outlook in that quarter is simply splendid, and it should come as no surprise if news is received within the next- few days that the Huns’ rightflank has been turned and that the enemy line has been thrown round as far as Antwerp.