THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1918. ADVANCE IN FLANDERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16983, 17 October 1918, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1918. ADVANCE IN FLANDERS.

The allied advance in Flanders promises developments of more immediate importance than are to be obtained in any other sector. It bids fair to drive the enemy from the Belgian coast in the north and from Lille in the south. It is the allied reply to the new phase of the submarine campaign, and will be understood by the Ger\man nation much better even than Mr. Wilson's fine diplomatic I

protest against the barbarity of the recent torpedoings. ( The permanent loss of Ostend and Zeebrugge would

gravely affect the operations of German submarines, while the loss of the coal region round Lille would greatly diminish the enemy's industrial power. These are results which will bo of peculiar value to Britain. The third battle of Ypres was fought last year to accomplish them, and it narrowly failed of its purpose, owing to the lateness of the season and the inolemency of the weather. There appears to be no prospect this year of such an unfortunate loss of the fruits of victory. The capture of Th'ouroufc seals the fate of Ostend, and the Allies are within easy reach of Bruges, the capture of which would cut the canal communications of Zeebrugge, and render that port useless as a submarine and destroyer base. It is not too much to hope that before the end of the year Ostend and Zeebrugge will have passed into allied hands, but will be in use not as submarine, but as anti-submarine, bases. A second result of the advance will be the virtual liberation of the Belgian army as an offensive force.

Ever since the end of 1914, the Belgians have been condemned to a defensive role under the worst possible conditions. Their line ran through the monotonous plain of alluvial soil between the Franco-

Belgian frontier, the sea coast, and the Yser. This had been flooded at the most critical period of the battle of the Yser, and it was some time before the inundation could be controlled so as to harass the enemy only. This the Belgians were ultimately able to accomplish after surmounting enormous technical difficulties, largely owing to their command of the locks at Nieuport. The Belgians were, however, never able to overcome the natural disadvantages of their front. The railways were few and far between, and the roads were poor. The plain was everywhere commanded by the Germans on the Clercken Heights and on the hills east of Ypres, and the only practicable way of blinding the enemy was to protect all works with artificial screens composed of branches, hurdles, and canvas. Many thousands of square yards of these fragile masks were set up all over the front As it was impossible to excavate in the . water-logged ground, all protective works had to be built up, and the Belgian soldier did not stand in trenches, but fought behind ramparts, all the material for which had to be brought from a great distance. The capture of Clercken Heights has, already improved the position of the Belgians. Everywhere south of the Yser they have moved east to firmer and higher ground, while the coastal sector is now so dangerously outflanked that an enemy retreat is inevitable.

The extension of the action to Flanders is in accordance with the policy which Marshal Foch has

steadily pursued throughout the offensive. ,That policy may be stated in a sentence as a progressive and continuous lengthening of the battle-front. When Sir Douglas Haig struck in August to the cast of Amiens, a sector of only twenty miles was involved. Gradually the battle spread north and south and

east and west. One sector, after another became active, not in geographical sequence, but according to the necessities of the military situation. Eventually the whole front was alight from Arras to the Aisne Heights and the Germans were in full retreat to the Hindenburg line. Still Marshal Foch's plan developed in orderly stages. There was no slackening of the pursuit, and the only appreciable lull was for a few days after the enemy reached the Hindenburg line, when it became necessary to wait for the artillery to move forward. When the battle was resumed,' it was on a

greater scale than ever. The allied armies appeared to grow in strength from day to day, and Marshal ,Foch attacked not only the Hindenburg •line, but broke new ground in the Champagne and between the Ar/?onne and the Meuse. In the north the battle spread to Flanders and Artois, and for some days before the Germans commenced to fall back they were subjected to almost continuous pressure from Lille to Verdun. Theso are the points between which the enemy is now retreating, and along a front of over 150 miles Marshal Foch is in pursuit, Still his offensive capacity is not exhausted. He has taken up the action in Flanders where it was left after tho German abandonment of Passchendaele Ridge. Satisfactory as is the present situation, Marshal Foch's plans are not yet fully developed, and he has not yet thrown in all his reserves for the decisive attack which his writings constantly extol as the final aim of strategy.