THE WEST FRONT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17464, 5 November 1918, Page 5

THE WEST FRONT.

ALLIES' RELENTLESS PRESSURE

PROGRESS AT SEVERAL POINTS ENEMY'S MAIN COMMUNICATIONS THREATENED THE GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN ITS IMPORTANCE NOW RECOGNISED Press Association.—By Telegraph Copyright. BELGIAN AND BRITISH ADVANCE. FRENCH AND AMERICANS PUSHING ON. (Received Nov. 4, at 8.35 p.m.) r rmnrvM w 4 s as- »=* „f ai , ms? sve tss s sms* *"*■-

ATTACK AND COTJNTER-ATTACK

ENEMY EIGHTING HARD

EQUAL TO BEGINNING -OF WAR.

(Received Nov. 4, at 8.55 p.m.) r hwtiam German infantry showing qualities similar to tW as. it has been at any time, the bSs?£ s Z adfes d^ y i A "'to?riSbfe^"" SoM,ii '

AMERICANS' RELENTLESS PRESSURE

ENEMY RETREAT BECOMES DISORDERLY

FINE WORK BY AMERICAN AVIATORS

(Received Nov. 4, at 8.35 p.m.) ' \ TOlsmrw *r , Th %pf:?" ,s ' "'r'pidly front secured an average advance of four f-iUW a kilometre (about 16 miles) 50ft over the German troons are om ' . avlatol ' s > a i' in X only scatter in a disorderly rush to refuge of LSS"SiB. they

FURTHER BRITISH SUCCESSES

.ENEMY RETIREMENTS COMPELLED

(Received Nov. 4, at 8.35 pm ) t mnmv * T hi 1c f d "« Micw"^lh™ Villers, Poljemlai£ KiT SS' S ° f ,P™»«®erß. We entered suited to our advantage.—A. an d N.Z. and Reutl-'. fighting westward re-

GERMANY'S MAIN COMHOTICATIONS THREATENED

(Received Not. 4, at 9 15 n.m 1 cans^are and Longuyon.—A. and N.Z. Cable. railway between Medens, Sedan,

THE WEST FRONT.

STEEL WORKS CAPTURED.

LONDON, November 3,(1.33 p.m.) Sir D. Haig reports : We captured on November 2 the steel works south-east-ward of Valenciennes. We advanced our line one mile and a-half eastward of the town, and completed the capture of St. baulve. -In two days we took 5000 prison.er ®i r . ur tanks, and a few guns.—A. and N.Z. and Reuter. BRITISH LINES ADVANCED. PROGRESS ON THE RHONEU7E LINE. LONDON, November 3 (12.40 a.m.) Sir D. Haig reports : There was determined fighting throughout the day south and east of Valenciennes. We made good progress north-west of Maresches and east and north of Preseau, capturing the hamlet of St. Hubert and the farms in the vicinity. Eastward of Valenciennes we captured Marly village, and entered St baulve. In the course of this operation we captured two tanks, which tie enemy used in their unsuccessful counter-attacks on November 1, and we also took prisoner several hundred men.

We advanced our line by a successful minor operation westward of Landrecies (east of Le Cateau). We dropped 15£ tons of bombs, scoring many direct hits on railways. We shot down 13 enemy aeroplanes, and drove down seven uncontrollable. Ten British machines are missing.—A. and N.Z. and Reuter. GERMAN RETREAT NEAR, GHENT. FRANCO-BELGIAN OPERATIONS. t» , _ LONDON, November 3. ij. i a Belgian communique : The attacks of the Second British Army and the Franco-American Army on October 31 and November 1 bore fruit to-day. Pressed by the Belgian army and the left oi the French army, the enemy were orced to retreat hastily in the direction of the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal. At the end of the day the Franco-Belgians had reached a line running through Eecloo, Waerahoot, and along the Liev e Canal and furtherEouth as far as Seeverghem (south of Ghent). We have reached within four kilometres (% miles) from the outskirts of Ghent, the left bank of the ocheldt being occupied north to Somergem.

AUied aviators throughout maintained mastery of the air, the results obtained by the British aviators being particularly remarkable.—A. and N.Z. and Router

FRANCO-AMERICAN THRUST.

NUMEROUS VILLAGES LIBERATED

LONDON, November 3. i'Tench communique (6.10 a.m ) • Vigorous attacks by the Fourth 'Army on the Aisne front, combined with the vi<> torious American effort between the Argonne district and the River Meuse compelled the enemy to retreat through the Argonne Forest. The German regards resisted desperately, but were unable to arrest our advance.

, °, n t . h ®, lef t' we occupied the southern bank of the Ardennes Canal for two kilometres between Semuy and Neuville. further south we captured Vaudy Woods and Ballay village, and reached the skirts of Allenx, despite very fierce resistance. Our right captured Longwy and Primate, and passed Chinepate, vigorously pursuing the enemy, despite the serious obstacle of the Argonne Forest. Th e enemy are abandoning large quantities of material, and hundreds of prisoners were taken.

Despite a dense fog on the whole front, our aviators were most active. Two of their reconnaisances were pushed 75 miles to the enemy's rear, exploring and improving our data. As great activity of troops

conv °y s had been reported in the 148 W,mK' lr ' °PPOsite_ the Axgonne front, 148 bombing planes, in successive groups «rSf„ f by • fish "°s <£?p3 W tons of explosives and fired thousands fno- n S6S ' creatul S and dispers-rnrm-f y i concen trations. Seventeen German aeroplanes were shot down. J-wenty-one tons of bombs were dropped on enemy stations at night. \ American communique : Our First Armv conAmed to advance, overcoming sistence and capturing, among other towns, Ghampigneulles, Morthomme, Ver-Siry-te?' Ttode-Yaldta." exceed prisoners taken now -A a battalion commander with his staff. The enemy have abandoned large quantities of material, euns hivfi nS a hundreds of machine nlfiS been captured, including a comA with P er sonnel and horses. A. and N.Z. and' Reuter. OPERATION ON VARIOUS FRONTS. OFFICIAL REPORTS. ■pvp , LONDON, November 3. French communique : On the Aisne front v^rofT **** the tL Cr .° lX ux and JNivwy. The enemy s resistance appreciably increased, especially in the forest of Argonne. Th o material abandoned by. the retreating, forces includes 14 guns, five of the largest calibre. Since the beginning sonere Operatlons we toQk °ver 2000 pn - : a resalt the +£v ° • , last few days the enemv t£? aban t )Ded their Positions on wlucll we crossed at CW w! h £ h& Bruges-Ghent T occupied Eecloo and WaerPWI Carrle f[ °" r tin©"to the Lieve an^thwlT 6811 h I Bruges-Ghent Canal and the Lys we advanced bevond Moemidre, Overspoucke, S . German official : We withdtew from the St° n L 7\ and the Scheldt to Ghent. The Enghsh pressed us back to Saultain, recapturing Preseau. Owing to an American break-through we withdrew between the Aisne and Champigneulle — A. and N.Z. and Reuter. 6

FRANCO-AMEPuICAN THRUST.

THE VALUE OF CO-ORDINATION.

Thfl n -i -DON, November 3. Ihe Daily Chronicle states that General Gonraud s dashing attack on the Aisne is progressing It is being undertaken to taciiitate the northward movement of the Americans on liis right, and eliminate as a factor the whole of the Argonne, which swk "o been- very harassing to the French Gonraud's north-eastward advance, coupled with the Americans' move is calculated to deprive the Germans of -°i CO - nsld f r ?' b]e strategic importance, _ besides involving them in the risk of being pinched m a position whence no esca.pe is possible.—A. and N.Z Cable

NANCY BOMBED. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE "DONE. •t, . PARIS, November 3. (Received Nov. 4, at 7.15 p.m.) Gothas violently bombed Nancy on Thursday night and did considerable' damage. J-liere were numerous victims Altaough there were many alarms in the previous two days the inhabitants did not believe the enemy would attack open towns while the armistice was pendine — A. and 3\.Z. Cable. 5 '

ALLIED CAPTURES.

IN MEN" AND GUNS.

PARIS, November 3. (Received Nov. 4, at 8.5 p.m.) Since the 15th August the Allies have taken prisoner 79,908 officers and. 354,366 men, and have captured 6217 guns and ■58,622 machine guns. Of these) 2472 officers, 105,871 men, 2064 guns, and 13,139 machine guns -were captured during October.—Renter.

ADDITIONAL BELGIAN PROGRESS.

PRESSING A RETREATING ENEMY.

. LONDON, November 4. (Received Nov. 5, at 1.5 a.m.) Belgian communique: We continued our pursuit of the retreating enemy, notwithstanding the difficulties of the ground, cut tip by watercourses and canals, with crossings destroyed. We have reached a ll P e nli° m t , a wes t of Selzaete and east' of Jirtvelde through Langerbrugge, Everghem, and Frenchiennes. There is sharp lighting in the northern area. We have approached Ghent.—A. and N.Z. and Reuter.

FOCH'S STRATEGY DEVELOPING.

GERMANS IN ANOTHER POCKET.

' LONDON, Novemcer 4. (Received Nov. 5. at 1.5 a.m.) Mr Campbell states : The Germans are fagjltmg their hardest to delay General bouraud in the northern corner of Argonne, but each day a substantial-ad-vance is made, and the end will come probably with a rush. The joint advance of the French from the Vousiers area and the Americans on the right creates a narrowing and deepening pocket from _ which the Germans must soon escape in order to avoid disaster iiiis manoeuvre is the latest example of Foch s unfailing method of carving fresh salients and then squeezing out the enemy by simultaenous flank attacks.

FRANCO-AMERICAN OPERATIONS,

WHOLE OF ARGONNE LIBERATED.

, LONDON, November 4 (6 a.mA (Received Nov. 5, at 1.5 a.m.) An American communique states : Tho First American Army continues its successes, capturing to-day 19 villages. The enemy loss is extremely heavy in consequence of the continuous blows durinothe past month, and s-urprise at the force of the renewed attack oil the Ist inst. Prisoners report that enemy organisations arc thrown into the greatest confusion. Several complete batteries and battalions were captured. Over 6000 prisoners and 100 guns have been taken. We have advanced 12 miles on a front of 18 miles in the past three days and seized heights enabling us to cannonade the Montemedy, Longuyon, and Conflans railways. _ French communique: A severe battle m the Argonne resulted in the complete suocess of the Fourth French and American armies. The eniemy desperately defended the Aisne crossing, and then' Wung tenaciously to the wooded heights, but this resistance collapsed before the ° 13 '* troops, who stormed 'several vtflages and occupied Youcq and Chesne Woods. The liberation of the Argonne is now completed. Prisoners and booty are uncounted.—A. and N.Z. and Reuter.