THE WEST FRONT

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 5002, 17 October 1918, Page 5

THE WEST FRONT

ALLIED “PUSH” IN FLANDERS. . MANY TOWNS AND VILLAGES TAKEN. THOUSANDS OF HUNS CAPTIjRED. Australian and N.Z. Gable Association LONDON, Oct. 15, 4.20- a.m. A Belgian communique states: At 5.30 tliis morning the Belgian troops, closely co-operating with the French, attacked on a front of 20 kilometres between Handzceme Canal and the Bou 1 crs-Alenin road, breaking the enemy resistance. The troops considerably progressed on the whole front, liberating the villages of Handzceme, Oortemarck, Gits, St. Joseph, lTooglcde, Eeseren, Rumbeke, Beythom, Quekene, and Winkel St. Eloi. Towards midday the French carried the town of Itoulers by assault. Further east the Belgians, in the course of fighting, advanced over ten kilometres, carrying Iseghom. They reached the outskirts of Lendelede, freeing numerous civilians. The advance varies between four and ten kilometres. Allied airmen performed most useful work. Already six thousand; prisoners have been counted. Half were captured by the French .and half by the Belgians. Six complete batteries Vv r er e captured, also uncounted gunls and considerable booty. The enemy started fires at Poolers, G'ortemarck, Hooglede, and Gits, and caused a number of explosions at Roulers. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association, NEW YORK, October 15. , The Allies in Flanders have gained seven miles, and have taken lu • prisoners and 100 gnns. NEW YORK, October 15. The Allies are rapidly advancing north-east of Roulers. The Germans are retiring.' The Allies have captured Thourot. [Thourot is seven miles south-west of Bruges.] LONDON, October 15. The British have captured Menin. south-west of Contrai. 'Hie enemy resistance is stiffening. The Allies have reached an agreement to use each country’s aircraft production resources to the utmost, combining the results and pooling supplies. TWO MULES FROM COURTRAL RAPID ADVANCE ALL ALONG THE LINE.. ALLIES DOMINATE HUN LINE BETWEEN LILLE AND' OST END. United Services. (Received October 16, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 15, (noon). The Allies are two miles from Courtrai. The Allied artillery is raking the enemy’s communications between Lille, Courtrai and Tliorout. This means that we dominate the link connecting the Germans in the Lille and the Ostend sectors. The Times. LONDON, October 15. Mr Perry Robinson, The Times’ correspondent, writes: The AngioBelgian advance everywhere swept over their objectives. Our advance takes us beyond the quagmire region and we are now on fairly firm ground Many prisoners declare that the armistice talk induced them to surrender. One officer explained his spic and span attire saving: I have my peace clothes on.” Australian and N.Z. Cable -iiseciatjon. (Received October 16. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 15, 10.45 a.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: —The British attacked towards Courtrai this morning and captured important villages. The total number of prisoners exceeds 8000 and we captured six complete batteries with teams. The Belgians and French also captured many important villages. Allied airmen bombed hostile concentrations trains and machine gunned the infantry. British monitors assisted. ’ . Numerous fires are reported behind the German lines. LONDON, Oct, 15. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: — After the first bombardment there was astonishing little shell fire in today’s Flanders battle. The quietude strikingly contrasted with the tumult of gun fire during the battles thereabouts in 1917. ■Wounded men returning all brought the same tale, that the enemy put up a fight with machineguns, and then surrendered. The chief characteristic of the fighting was the strength with which th e enemy held the front line. Some fought with extreme courage, sometimes rushing out machine-guns through our barrage, and getting our men in the open. Elsewhere they put up a poor resistance. One of their officers remarked, “What can you expect when an armistice is probable in two or three days?” Sir Douglas Haig reports: We crossed the Haute Deule canal on both sides of Pont Aineiidm and captured Estevelles, Meurchm and Bauvin. Further north we progressed in the neighborhood of Hauboidin. HUMS BECOME CONSIDERATE. A NEW ATTITUDE. APPEAL TO FRENCH TO PROTECT CIVILIANS. Reuter's Telegrams’ AMSTERDAM, Oct. 16. A Berlin official German command lias requested the Swiss to intonn the French that owing to fears of bombardment a severe panic is probable amongst civilians in the region of Lille ‘and Valenciennes, and intimates that the Dutch Government hns been' asked tuid agreed "to sheltei fugitives as far as possible. \ further Berlin message announces the flight of 30,000 civilians and proposes tlhat "tlio Allies slioiud agree to refrain from bombarding towns in Northern France, adding: “Germany is prepared to come to an agreement for a part of the population to cross into the enemy _ hnqs. Failing compliance, Germany will not be responsible for the civilians in occupied territory.” Reuter’s Telegrams. (Received Oct, 16, 7.30 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, Oct. 15. Berlin telegrams protest against the unheard-of Franco-British agitation regarding the. so-called devastation in Northern France .in the course of the backward movement of the Germans, and ascribe the devastation 'to the Franco-British artillery.