GREAT ALTERATIONS IN PROGRESS.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14891, 14 October 1918, Page 5

GREAT ALTERATIONS IN PROGRESS.

ENEMY DEFINITELY IN RETREAT.

BRITISH PAST DROCOURT-QUEAN.T

LINE

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association)

(Received Oct. 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, Oct. 11 (midnight). Great alterations to the whole base of the West front are now in progress. The German army is definitely falling back, and it is difficult to say where the movement will end.

The British have advanced towards1 Douai and passed the DrocourtQueant line, and reached the LensDouai railway in the neighbourhood of Beaumont and Queiery-la-Motte. More northward they have reached Renin Lietard, on the Douai-Carvin road. The enemy will probably take up a position in front of Douai. , We have captured St. Aubert, more to the southward, and are now within less than seven miles of the German lateral communication railway from Lille to Valenciennes, Avenes, and Hirson, which is the main trunk line behind the whole German front. Its severance will mean throwing back all the enemy communications and gravely endangering everything northward of Valenciennes, especially the Lille salient.

More to the southward along the whole front between the Soissons-Laon road and Grandpre, the enemy are retreating, the French and Italians closely pursuing. The enemy's hold on the Chemin-des-Dames is slackening

hourly. More to the eastward the French crossed the Suippe at several places, and advanced four or five miles. They captured Machault and the enemy are falling back to a line behind the Aisne.