ALLIES’ “BAG.”

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 5003, 18 October 1918, Page 5

ALLIES’ “BAG.”

12,00' HUNS ALMOST EQUALLY DIVIDED.

PRISONERS CRY “WE WANT PEACE.”

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received October 17, 11.45 p.m.; LONDON. October 16.

Mr Phillip Gibbs writes: — The Anglo-Franco-Belgian attack gained) important successes along the whole line. It is interesting to note that the number of prisoners that were captured was almost equally divided between the three Allied armies, totalling twelve thousand altogether. The British contribution was 3733 exclusive of wounded men, and they also took fifty guns. German machine gunners at Roulors did not surrender until they were entirely cut off. When they were finally silenced old women, and haggard and pale men in peasants’ clothes came from the cellars crying “We ar c saved!” The German prisoners seemed to be w r ell informed about recent events and their constant refrain was “"o want peace!”

HUNS PREPARING TO RETREAT

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received October 37, 11,45 p.m.) LONDON, October 16. {['he commander of the German army at Antwerp notified the Dutcli authorities that 100,060 fugitives are going to Holland. Eeuter's Telegrams. / (Received October 17, 11.45 p.m.) LONDON. October 16. The enemy i.s retreating south-west of Lille and west of Garvin; also immediately west of Lille where we reached the outskirts of Hauberdin. In Flanders we captured Hulste and Bavichove. More to'the southward our advance towards Courtrai puts the enemy in the Lille neighborhood into a deep pocket, while Douai is almost encircled.

MILITARY EXPERT’S VIEW

SITUATION EXTRAORDINARILY FAVOURABLE. BUT NO SIGN OF HUN SPIRIT BEING BROKEN. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assooiation (Received October 17, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 16. Major-General F. 13. Maurice, military correspondent of the Daily News states that the military situation is extraordinarily favourable, hut lie does not see any immediate likelihood of another and greater Sedan. Sir Douglas Haig’s victory of October 8 compelled the German withdrawal to the Idunding-Kriem-hielde line, just as his victory of September 8 compelled the enemy’s withdrawal to the Eindenburg line. The second retreat is not yet complete. The Americans northward of V erdun are breaking the Kriemliilde line. Tlie French at Sissonne are breaking in the Handing line. The British at Le Cateau are menacing the northern extension of the Hunding system but on the whole the German withdrawal is well carried' out and there is no sign that their fighting spirit is broken though it is sensibly weakened. The enemv s delaying actions together with the utilisation of many railways which do not show on ordinary maps make Sedans difficult of accomplishment. Meanwhile Marshal Foch s power at attacking everywhere is daily increasing.

THE TYPICAL HUH. men ordered to loot. THIEVES TO BE COURTMARTIALLED. Ueuter’s Telegrams. LONDON. Oct. 16. Havas Agency on tlio iilanuets front states that numerous. German prisoners were found carrying property looted at Roulers and elsewhere. They declared they did tins by the actual orders of officers whom they named. Five of the latter, taken prisoner at Roulers. v, ere airested. They demanded to interview the corps commander. The latter refused to see them, saying .-ie would have no relations wrih thie\ es. The arrested officers will he courtmartialled. . , . _ Everywhere before the victonou Allied advance the Germans removed civilians from the Belgian villages which they then stripped hare. The prisoners are continually asKixicr if the armistice is yet signed. Tllev agreed that the Kaiser must o*o and said that the Crown Prince did not count. “We don t bother about him,” they added.

NORTH OF VERDUN. BITTER FIGHT BETWEEN HUNS AND AMERICANS. ENEMY’S HEAVY LOSSESAustralian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, October 17. Mr James writes: The advance north or Verdun was made against the greatest concentration of machine guns the Germans have yet utilised on the American front. The slipperv sides of Hid and the rest of Bantlieville were scaled by General Pershing’s men, ami against the bitterest counter-attacks. “The battle for positions at Bois Exhautillion lasted all day. There were heavy German losses. American observers flew at a height of 300 yards over the enemy lines.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Bcnter’s. LONDON, October 16. An American communique states: We continued our attack on both sides of the Meuse, being stubbornly resisted bv a reinforced enemy. Eastward of the Meuse the FrancoAmericans gained ground westwaid. * The fighting has violently increased We gained substantially, including Hill 299, which thrice changed bands. We broke the Kriemluelde-Stellmg lines at new points, where hand-to-hand fighting occurred. Australian and N.Z. Association (Received October 17, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, October 16. Some Americans west of the Meuse are slowly cutting through the Kriemhielde line, after a severe battle in which the French and Italians co-operated. The French gains in the Rethel neighborhood are notably assisting towards the Americans’ P lo_ gress. , Keuter s Telesramß. (Received October 17, 11.45 p-m.) LONDON, October 16. Tjhe Americans have captured Grandpre. -