GREAT ALTERATIONS ALONG WHOLE OF WEST FRONT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16980, 14 October 1918, Page 6

GREAT ALTERATIONS ALONG WHOLE OF WEST FRONT.

THREAT TO ENEMY'S MAIN LATERAL COMMUNICATIONS.

GERMAN LINE NORTH OP VALENOIENNES ENDANGERED.

Australian and N.Z. (Received* 5-tf oa.) ' LONDON. Oct. 11-midnight. Great alterations on the whole of the west front are now in progress. ■ The German Army is definitely falling back and it is difficult to flay where the movement will end. The British have advanced towards Douai, passed the Drocourt-Queant line, and have reached the Lens*Douai railway, in the neighbourhood of Beaumont and Quiery-la-Motte, five miles west of Douai. More northward we have reached

Henin Lietard, five miles cast of Lens, on the Douai-Oarvin road.

The enemy will probably take up a position in front of Dmiai. Further, south wo have captured St. Aubert, eight miles east of Cambrai, • and are now within less than seven miles of the German lateral communication railway from Lille, to Valenciennes, Avesnes, p ,and Hirsoa, which is the main trunk line behind the whole of the German front. Its severance would mean the throwing back of all the enemy communications, thus gravely endangering everything north of Valenciennes, especially the Lille Salient. Still further south along the

whole front between the Soissons-Laon road and Grandpre the enemy is retreating, the French' and Italians closely pursuing., The enemy's hold on the Chimin des Dames is slackening hourly. More to the east the French have crossed the Suippe at several places and, advancing four to five miles, have captured Maohault. The enemy is falling-back in the direction of Bouzieres to a line behind the Aisne.