"I HAVE NOT FOUGHT MY BATTLE YET"

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13888, 14 October 1918, Page 5

"I HAVE NOT FOUGHT MY BATTLE YET"

MARSHAL FOCH'S REPLY TO GERMAN REQUEST FOR AN ARMISTICE. NO PAUSE UNTIL PRESENT .MILITARY PHASE JS COMPLETED. BELATED REALISATION OF FOCH'S GENIUS BY GERMAN LEADERS. THE GERMAN FORCES COMPLETELY SEPARATED* AND FORCED Til RETREAT. HOPES (.ROWING FOR AN IMMENSE ALLIED TRIUMPH. (United Service.) Received October 12, 5.5 p.m. ..„ ~ ... LONDON, October 11. Mr Murdoch, in r special article, says:—"l have not fought my battle <ti yot '. , s " sa ;;. ' N,:irsh ;' l t ", 11 wh " l informed of Germany's petition' for an V armistice. II n questmnwhethe,. lhfl f; , rmana o , n av()i(| ~„ in)mil(lia|( , mj|i _ tary debacle dominates Uie situation. .Marshal Koch's strategy overshadows diplomatic events because il is ri-rtiiin the Allies will not pause until the present military phase , s completed. Marshal Koch's great strokes are far from finished. His plans include other I vy blows which work in with the progressing developing 5che,,,,.. Th , SIIi)1Jmo „,,„„,,.„,. of „„. w| ,„ f Marshal hod. s gigantic, strategy, with its „„„„, ~l lvHo ping movements within major movements-small pincers within great pinchers like a multiple printing press-is impressing even the <;,;■ „ inilU;iry . lulhorili( , Si who ~,,. t ,, ()lv admit Marshal lochs genius. Respite thiekenhu; an,| apparently organised rearguard actions, the pace of the German retreat is almost hourly increasing especially on II- British fron!. and the position is now such that great events are possible No won. er rumours Mood Switzerland thai Ludendorff has been dismissed Ih, mportance o the Cambrai victory is extolled in Paris, where the British are the heroes of the hour.

The Malin says the result is llial General von Boehm's army is completely hcaten and extensively retreating sometimes degenerating into a rout. Scattered units are abandoning their anus like the Bulgarians. Tlin Cmwn Prince's army is cornered between the disc ami Aisne, ami Prince Ruppreeht's half encircled in (lie Lille region. Thus Germany's forces arc being driven in two masses, unable t,. assist each other, one is retreating <>n the Ardennes and the other (in Meziercs. Hopes for an immense triumph grow. Mr .Murdoch comments: It would he unwise to speculate on the results, for mere distance absorbs the momentum of the advance, but the next few days' fighting promises to reveal whether the Hermans are able to retain their organisation whilst retreating. It was thought the trenchline which existed at l,e Caleau, though uncomplete, was strong, but the news indicates that these poor earthworks were easily penetrated. It is a startling fact that a further solid trench system exists between us and tin 1 Herman frontier. The Hermans planned lines on the Meuse in 191 i, but it is-"believed they must have long since have fallen into disrepair, or, like the vaunted Beaurevoir line, are a thing of patches, with half-built trenches ami acres of sticks for wire upon which the wire was never put up. The probabilities are that the Herman commanders will make the utmost endeavour to persuade their depressed and exhausted troops to stand upon the first water-fronted tine, promising the water will protect them against tli'c tanks. II is interesting to note that prisoners agree that the Herman company strength now varies from 10 to iO. If it averages GO they have only 300,000 rifles left in France ami Belgium.