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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance, 1918-10-24, Page 7444 , FURTHER IMPORTANT GAM IN BELGIUM AND FRANCE Gen, Plumers British Army Takes Roubaix and Turning, Ulla •Sector. • French Take ihielt and March on Oho Belgians i.n Zeebrugge. London, Cable.—The lareuch have capturen the town or linen, in Bel- gian Flanders, west of Ghent, end have passed on 2,00 yaras east of the towel. King Albert and Queen Elizabeth of Belglum entered Bruges at 10 -o'clock this morning, Belgian infantry forces taking possesuion of the city, Zeebrugge, Germany s secone submar- ine base on the North Sea, hoe Men • bon captured by the Allies. Out ot the sack between the 11 t-Igian coast aud the Lys 'River, the remnioet of von Aruba's army is fleeing in an endeav- or to reach his new lint extending front Antwerp to Seal, through Na- naur and stabilize it for the time be- ing to the Swiss frontier. The Germans are pceparing to inun- date the low-lying lands eouth or tbe River Scheldt in Eas'ern 13eIghall, Central News despatca from Amster- dam reports. The inhabitante have been ordered to abandon their homes aimmediatelea Gen. Plumes army lit the Lille sec- tor has occupied Turing and Jc u- baix to the northeast of the manufac- turing city. Berlin officially admits the evacuee non of Turcoing, Roubaix, Ostenslo• Lille and Delta'. oaring the past few hour e some 'glee and hastily constructed defence line have been encounterea by the advanc- ing Allies in the area. about Louplienl, Neghera, Coolscamp, :anthem and TMe eit, but they have me laged to got through without Mtn:nate. Where re- sistance has been offered tbe ad \ mice leas been stopped at that particular point while an attack *as being organ- ized. Then the Allied troops amply stormed the Germans or outflanIced them, punishing them severely. aleny dead Germans, therefore, are lying her and there over tbe desolate, dis- mal country, wherever the Allied troops have passed. REGIMENT LREFUSED TO FiGHT, Refugees' evidence corroborative of the reports of the grafted declination of the Germen Morale has been se- cured. For instance, it has been learned that Ili the neighborhood of Houle aid Cuerne, north 0,2 Courtrai, entire regi- ments flatly refused to fight althouga threatened with severe punishment by their officers. These regiments filet- ly retired in a body. eFrom prisoners, especially officers, similar evidence is being obtained coa- smutty. The officers of the 20th Dra- goon Regiment of the crack Sixth Cav- alry Division, whieh had been dis- mounted and fought as infantry, says the spirit of the men was brokemprin- cipally because instead of getting a rest after hard fighting they had been sent into battle. "Peace talk" is also said to be having a demoralize- ing effect on the morale of the men, gradually breaking down their will to resist. ENEMY LOSSES HEAVY. In their pleat for a retirement from Belgitren the Germans had prepared three successive lines, upon each one of which they intended to halt and re - forth. According to captured German A/7 officers the first two lines already have been .broken by the Allied ad - yahoo, and the third one will be remitt- ed In a few days. At the beginning of the Allied at- tack on October 14th there were eight divisions on the German first lines. These were reinforced by seven new divisions, but the new divisions al- ready were exhausted and were of lit- tle help. During the night of October 15-16 two divisiona from the Russian front 'were thrown into the battle, but their strength had been greatly re- t (awed and their morale was very weak. The seventeen tilvislona have lost heavily in prisoners, killed end wounded: The first result of forcing the Ger- mans back to the Ghent-Tournai-Val- endemics line duriug yesterday's fighting 'has been to sap the enemy's defences before they have been able to reach them further south. Without ex- aggeration it may be said that the pro - poets of the Suture are even more Im- portant than the actual results obtain- ed, splendid though they may be. THE LANDING AT OSTEND. Admiral Keyed' entry •Into °Mond yesterday wae made in the course of eperations designed to clear up the military situation between Nieuport and Catena, which was obecure, the Admiralty announced to -ley. The naval force withdrew when the Ger- mans, who were not clear of the town, began shelling the warships. It re- turned later with the King and Queen of tbe Belgians. Their atajesties, therefore, landed and proceeded to the liotel de Ville (Town Hall). They were received everywhere with Indes- cribable enthusiasm. They returned to Dunkirk about ten o'clock a.t night. The British naval forces suffered no damage and no casualties. OFFICIAL REPORTS. . Havre, Cable—The follewing Bel-, glen official communication was is- sued to -night; "The main feature of the day wee the vigorous resistance of the enema on the front of Bruges, Oostcamp, Wynghene, 'Melt and , Oostrosebeke. We have, nevertheless, brokeu that resistance east or Oosteroup between Wynghene and Thieit, had east of Oostrosebeke. "Southwot of Bruges the Belgian army realized an important advencei. At several points it mend the running from Bruges to Ostend, and is progressing northward. Belgian in- fantry has occupied Ostend, and hats reached tbe Outskirts of Bruges. "The second British army is also Progressing south of the Lye, and, at several points, has crossed the railway running from Courtrai to lonscron. In the evening it mu -- pied the towns of Roubaix and Tur- coing. "Southward of the Lys the coun- try is intact and very well cultivate ed, and there are very many inhab- Rants there. The Germans, hoarever, took with them a great number of. men below the age of 40. "Turcoing and Roubaix are In- tact. There are 60,000 inhabitants at Turcolng and 65;000 at Pontbaia.. The municipal -adnamistratione have been taken over and there is suffi-, clot food supply for 15 days. Sev- eral stationa, bridges and anununi- tion depots have been mined." The Preach War Orrice report of • Friday night reads; "The German retreat, begun on. the 16th of October under the vic- torious pressure of the group of armies under the king of the Bel- gians, continued to -day on the whole of the front. The groups of armies between the North Sea and the Lys River had advanced this evening to a depth of 20 kilometres on a front of more than 50 kilometres. "Flelgian troops have entered Os- tend, and tbe cavalry is at the door of Bruges. We also have entered ingehnunster. "In the French zone Pitthern, eleulebeke and Wynghene have been captured. To .the south the Second British Army to the north of Cour- trai is along the Lys River which , has been crossed to the south of Courtrai." „:. 4-4‘4.4-4-4 44-4 4.4- 4 444.4 4-4+ 4 .4-4 • 4 • 4 4 -4 -*4 4-4-4 4-41-44-44-4444-444 44* Canadian Forestry Corps' Great Work at the Front (Written for the Canadian Press. Lim • nod: by Walter Curran, by mail,. With the Canadian Troops in Flanders.) London, Dec. 31.—Only the men in the front trenehes realize the vital importance of the work carried on by such departments RS the Canadian Canadian Forestry Corps, the Cana- dian Railway Corps, and all other branches that give mobility to the guns which afford the infantry -pro- tection. The General Officer Conneanding the Canadian Corps has said that In will not allow his men to ateack a position until that position has been prepared in eery detailed particular. rine-tenths of this -preparation ele- mentally deuendent on lumber sup- plies. Nothiug can be Moved ovet soggy,shell devastated ground without ineDrovesed plank toads or rallwaye resting on wooden ties. Shelters for men, trenches, saps arid the innumere able structures of an advaneing army are Made of Wood. Would not the army, then, be an- chored lit the mud and' unprotected from shells and the Weather without timber/ The newer Is siMpIe. 'the Canadian Forestry Corps invade ed laranee one thousand five hundred strong One year ago. Their work was so satiefactory and the domande for supplies for our advancing armies so Urgent, that itleide a year, battaliou after Lattalion has followed, so that there are now fifty -Aix ceitaPaillea 'working—thirty-three entirely for the British and twenty-three for the leteach artalea. In the early Menthe of this year the Canaditthe Were turning Mit less than 20 per cent of the lutither used by the itrtaies of the Western front; the are new producing seventy Per cent. The supplies from other entrees have inereeteed greatly, whicil Makes these figures all the muee remarko.ble. Tile average toneper-man-per-week of the Canadien. cempanies IS twice that of any other eolepanielt. eleatenther was the firet nuneth fn e". 7 7791r7 M1.0 .1.1.111.017W• Machines. The verve Wild their awit railways mut construct their own Melina locontOtIves. They put a gatetaine engine, frora a discataed, Worn out meter truck, into a Weodell frame Which theY construct BUM- selvea, and tate thing la done. The Canadians are Workbag in a forest in the French area Where the Gerneans formerly lied a mill. TIM are sawing logs felled by larite. The Canadian Forestry Corps is the Most -scattered unit in France. Its companies are found in all corners r,f the Army zones and elsewhere In France. In all parts their reputation Is of the Inghest, not only for the eV. ficielleY of their operations, but for the care they have shown in column,- ing forests. The French lead the \vorla in forestry science; the fellow - Ing letter is typical and sPealts for it- self: "General Chevalier on returning from Ms visit to the forestry exploithe Bons, le pleased to be in a position to -say that he has brought back a Most favorable impression uot °Ma with regard to the working methods adopt- ed and the rapidity of exploitation, but also from the point of view of the 'order and zeal displayed, as well as the discipline prevalling in the coin - patties which he saw at work • "He noted with the greatest satis- faction and pleasure that all the ques- tions to which attention had previous- ly been drawn had been taken into immediate consideration, anel that In particular the neceasity of snowing 'respect for the Weber' had been fully • understood, in view of the fact that eltbough we still have timber in France, there is but the strictest quan- tity necessary to overcome the Ger- mane. "Tins necessity having been appre- ciated by all, General Chevalier pre- sents his most sincere congratulations to General McDougall, his officers, non-commissioned officers and men." Colonel J. B. White, of Westmount, head of the Canadian Forestry Corps In France, is what is generally knowu In America as a "live wire." His genius for administration and indefa- tigable energy bave had much to do with the sueeess which has undoubted- ly attended Camula's efforts in this field, Owing to the scattered nature of the Corps and the vatioue Commands in which its companies are operating, Army proceaure has often proved . inadequate. Lieut. -Colonel J. B. Donnelly, of St. Catharinea,, Ontario, • the expert in Army procedure, by lib- eral application of common sense, has steered the Corps safely through the niaze of militate, procedure. .A tre- mendous number of administrative problems have had to be worked out— tore the founding of a special hospital service for the Corps, to the proeer handling of discipline for Men who are not trained soldiers the adjusting of rations to suutain men who are do- ing hard manual labor ten hours a clay, end a thousand other questions. The Canadian Forestry Corps is the greatest lumber organization in the .world. Its monthly -output, if it could be published, would read like fiction. It is out to do everything in its power to tacilitate the speedy attainment of 'a lasting peace. The inmortarce of their work to the Army in the Field •eannot be overestimated. • Many people consider that the Can- adians are the most efficieni, fighting force in the world. Concerning the -Canadian Corps commanded by Lt. - General Sir Arthur Currie the follow- ing from the Continental edition of the "Daily Mail," is significant:— "When it was finished and the de- tails were reported of the exploit of the Belleview Spur, the General, who had conceived the plan declared, Writes the Haves correspondent *ith the British Army nutter yesterday'e dato:— "It is tbe finest feat of arms of DUI' army. "Yet that army was the one which enad so superbly conquered Messines =el Wytsehaote. To surpass these feats was not easy, mid yet the army's ,own conunander has declared that it was done." What is true of the 'Corps is true , or all the other troops which are tin- der the eommand or Lieut -General Sir Richard Turner, V. C. The imperishable deeds of our mon •• should go clown through the ages 01 a beacon light, illustrating to all peoples the enabling effect of free Ine stitutions and the virility of higher civilization. Their success OW03 Innen to two main consideratiohe The • crusading spirit, in that every man feels that he is fighting for the wel- fare of Munanity, and a highly devote . aped discipline which makes it impos- •sible fox' a inan to tail his friends, even though Ito knows that it means the loss of his ewn life. .That is the coma mon, ,every -day story over yonder, which the Woresters have been able to meet the total demands of the ar- mies—matured timber is, of course, still imported. Some of the logs taken by the Cana- - diens are cut out of forests slightly - over half a niiie trom the front line. The splendid spirit of the men is dem- onstrated by the fact that the compe- tition to get into this battle area is tremendatisly keen. The Corps also has trequently been the loser through of- ficers and men insisting on transfer- ring to fighting unite. Much of the timber used in the last vietbrious advance of the French at ioissons eves supplied by Canadian companies operating with the French army. The French Army Commander In the Vosges the famous General Case tlenau, has expressed to Colonel I. 13. White. General MacDOugall's chief lieutenant in Fraiece, his intense eat- isfaction with their work, Their Ma- jesties Ring George and Queen Mary inspected the tortes on the oce,esion of their last visit to France, and eXerees- ed their satisfaction with the splendid work being done. The people of Canada Aviii be proud and interested to know that Canad- ians are supplying much of the titn- ber required for buts for the Ameri- can troops. One quality which bas cuaratterigea the Canadians in every phase Of their •part lit this wer, is their initiative. P101teer conditions in Canada have produced nit adaptable race, arta the Men of the great Dominion have dem- onstrated that quick mastering ot un- accustomed conditions is exeeedingly 'Meerut in War. Lieut.-Colobel debit, sten, who was mecoatical Rupert*. tenant for McLatigitlin's, of Arnprior, halt had peteliar scope tor bis UAW'S, and has surprised both the Englisli and French engineers by his Iml)ro". visions. Engineering difficnities in getting tlinbere out, Opplying Water, etc., are numerous, Seed ingenious Im- • proVision is itecegettey, in many • 'caeca parts of machinery from ruins lit the army Zone have been saleaged and used to complete laoreetry Corps' ALLIED TROOPS IN MONTENEGRO Big Austrian Convoy At- tacked and ;Captured. Two -Thirds of Serbia Now Cleared.. HUN STRIVING DESPERATELY Power of the Fatherland. The Ger- :NW be an exhortation to the Will- man PreaS is peppered with artIclee of thia natUre, and the ,popular figure- ' To pliDemilp trityttr o;11=1.teVent° itatbteilete.ilttidt4)1f- tele.11COUlaiitil IOES dorta's name appeara as stgetatory to CHECK an advertisement for the 'thar Loan I V ' campaign, which runs as follows: "Will le the wince ef MI motive power, might and decilitre. Win hue But British French and Ameticans Still Make It determining effete upon the shaping of things....The barder the task, the firmer the will. He who loosens his Gains in France, 02 us all once more compelling will, will goes under. This hour demands and of this will the Eight War Loan ;nest be the proof," • Tile University of Roetock, confer- ring an honorary degree upon Captain • Nerger, of the raider Wolf, conclud- ed bis diploma in the fellolving terms. ".. —And when he returned home, he proved by Ms bold cruise and his unbending will to be a splendid soul- doctor and certainty of victory or his (dlooucutottliy.e.,ilio hastrengthened tile con- s . The Frankfurter Zeltung, in a recent review ofthe situation, delivered it- selftlil "E'en 11 the East does not bring us • the great support which enthusiasts hoped, yet every trifling effect sig- nifies a gain for those who are shut in but patient, and males it easier to bear the present and look to the fu- ture with well-founded hope....All outward 'troubles and dangers can be overcome; it is the spirit which maims history, tne spirit, the moral strength and the will of man." • instances of such turgid appeals as these could be multiplied indefinitely, They are an eloquent testimony to the claange of spirit in the German mass- es engendered by long fatiure, long suffering and the eternal repetition of - Pronaises never brought to fulfilment Even the patient, patriotic and illimit- ably gullible German people is not foods. rrevever to be deluded by empty w Britieh Army Headquarters in !France, Cable.—e)neo more the Ger- mans have hen forced out of wide etrips ,of land all the way irom the North ace to the region east of at. Quentin in arance. The greatest allied gains or to -day SUM to bay() beemade cast of Douai, where the British have eliced off a substantial c.orner ou the east or the disappearing Lille salient. The laitt reports received from here indicate that the British in their forward meth have reached positions close to the L'Eseault Canal, north of Cambria!, and gained ground about five ratio east of Douai, Steadily, and not without somo tia- Phlity, the battle line is being straightened, and the Lille salient shortly should be obliterated. East of Le Cateau and the Sense° River the BrItieli and Americans con- tinue attacking. They fought all day to -day against stubborn resistance, Which in all eases was overcome. The British are driving east astride the Le Cateau-Catillon road and have taken alazeuel, 3,00 ye; de east or Le Cateau. by assault. The Germans are fighting with the greateet desperation here and along the battlefront southward to protect the retreat that is going on north- ward. WassIgny, south or Le Cateate is beteg neared, and an additional large section of the west bank of the Oise Canal undoubtedly soon will be in allied hands. . PRO:MESS IW FRENCH. Paris, Cable—In the region of the Oise and along the Aisne in Champagne the French troops everywhere have made further pro- grees, according to the French offi- cial communication issued to -night. The text of the statement follows; "To the west of the Oise the troops of the nest army resumed this morning their pressure from the for- est of Andigny to the river, These valiant troops, which for more than- e month have not ceaeed fighting the enemy, • powerfully fortified, have won again to -day further successes. . tittered the village of They have recon .; — • • • Mennevret and the forest of AndignY, ; the eastern outskirts of white) they aold, making at that point an advance of more than five hilometrea under conditious particularly difficult. "They have reached the oatakirte of Pannapples, Le Grand Ye -fly Ind Noyales, They have captured in spite of furioue resistance by the enemy, the village or tirougle, Ath- sonville anti Boyonville. "Farther south our advance guards hs.ve continued to pursue the enemy between the 016111 and the Serre. We have advanced our lines to the earth of Seray-les-Liziero, to the southern outskirts or Fenta:ne and to the north or Nouvoin and Canticle We have captured about ten villages and made numerous prlooners the number of which actually counted exceed 1,500. "On beta sides of Vouziers (Chalbpagne) our infantry has cross- ed the Aisne on a front of five kilo- metres and taken' a nesting on the heights to the •east. The vilia.ge ot Vandry and several farms organized as supporting points fell into our hands. The capture o !several hun- dred prisoners is aunounced. "Further east the fighting which has been going on since yesterday has developed to our advantage. We have succeeded in makIn; pregre4s in the wooded i'egton between 011zy and Grand Pre." THE AMERICAN FRONT. With the American Army North- west of Verdun, Cable.—The enetny to -day used considerable gas in the vicinity of Rofagno tied put in an- other new divisions, melting a totel. of 20 divisions on this front collected to delay the capture of Sedan. The Americans sprang another sur - price upon the Germans to -day, the infantry advaucing north of Romano and taking Bantheville without artil- lery preparations. The Americans pushed the German infantry and machine gunners back after fighting that lasted all day. North-west of Grand :Pre the Ana- ericaus captured Telma Farm in the face of a etift machine-gun aesistance. •,, ALLIED FORCES ON THE DVINA • WITHDRAW BEFORE BM FORCES And Are Still Under Heavy Fire by Bolshevi4 ki. • •44-0-.4.44-4.4-•-•-•-.-.444-.+4-.44-4-•• • IArchangel, Northern European Rus- sia, Special Cable,—(By the As- sociated Press)—Allied forces on the Dvina have' been withdrawn a little over six miles in the face of an attack by greatly superior forces, which had been reinforced from Petrograd and apparently Commanded by competent officers. The withdrawal was success- ful under a severe bombardment. . At last reports the Boisheviki rein- forcements were reported advancing. and 'the Allied forces were under a hail of shrapnel shells and "pom- poms." ' Occasionally a six-inch shell from a Bolsheviki gunboat or a land battery • would strike. The positions abandoned by the 'Al- lies were held for a week against a greatly superior force. The Allies op- erating along the Deana and Vega Riv- ers have been handicapped by a fall of the water, which left boats stuck on sand bars and barred progress by gun- boats at critical times. ee t ,I Paris, Cable—French and Serbian troops, invading Montenegro, have captured the important town of I 16 miles inside the frontier, it was an- nounced by the French War Office to- day. Additional progress was made north _ and west of Nish and the large towns of Novibazar and Mitrovitza, were oc- cupied, Fully two-thirds of Serbia has been reeovered. "North of Nish allied troops have reached Kelm and have occupied the heights eouth of Jekrinac and Krushe- vete," mid the communique. • urther to the west, French and Greek troops reached Itursumlje and Nobibazar, from whieh the enmity fled. "On the iltiontenegrin frontier, French cavalry, supported by Serbian mouhtaln troops, attacked Austrian eOnVOYa retreating west of ailtrovitza and captured them, including 3,000 ,wagene and immenee quantities of ma- terial. ' "The same detachment entered Ipek on Sunday and took COO prison- , ere, Urge grain stores and a number of machine guns. The evaettation of the territory of 'Serbia, Albania :and Montenegro by forces of the Central Powere has been begun, aecording to a deepen -it from Vlenna, forwarded by the Amsterdam correspondent Or the Ventral Nethi agency. AUSTRIA NOW A FEDERAL STATE Emperor Charles' Message First Step in Plan. Independent Poland— Trieste Region Separate. Vienna, Cable — Steps for the organ- ization of Austria on a federalized basis were proclaimed by r9mperor Charles to -day. The plan does not include the union of A.ustrian Poland with "the in- dependent Polish State," the Emperor declared The city of Trieste and the Trieste region will be treated separately, "In conformity with the wishes of Its population." The Austrian Emperor has issued the following manifesto: "To my faithful Austrtan peoples," The or says: "Since I have ascended the throne I have tried to make it my duty to assure to all my people the peace 'so ardently desired and to point the way to the Austrian peoples of a probsaptearcottetss tdveivilect opment unhampere brutal force creat ltst Int41eett.al and econo • elm= es in the world - war hay us far acle the work. of peace impossible. The • heavy sacreices of thib„war should are to us an bon - "The orabirpeate, on the treshold of which, by the help of Cod, "We are to.day. "Wo must, therefore undertake with- out delay the reorganization Of our country on a natural, and therefore, solid basis. Such a eitestion demands that the desires of the Austrian people be harmonized And realized. "t am decided to accomplish this work with the &He collaboration of my peoples In the spirit_s and prinelples widen a r tiled monatel have adopted in thelr offer ot pearel.' "Austria must become, In conformity with the will of its people, a confeder- ate state in which nationality shall form on the territory which it occupies its own local autonomy. "This does not mean that we are al- ready envisaging the union of the Pol- ish territories of Austria with the In- dependent Polish state. "The tlty of Trieste, with all Its sur- roundings, shall, In conforntity •eittt its population, be treatcd separately., temperer Charles addressed the Aus- trian lend and ses forces at the came time he issued his message to the pee- ble. In ids 01 der to the sailors and sold- • • 10 8, .• I "a On•i'r the emicord which bas ex. leted in the army and the navy until 'new wet meet for the future tor the eeenneeng or the new conft.derat, d tini.1 • These ore busydays. Work the world worlee with you, loaf anti you log alone. From World -Power To .W1.11 -Power 1 111 >44.•-•-•-e-e-+:4 (By Lieut. C. D. Stelling). Nothing, perhaps, is more signifi- cant of the change that has come over the German people than the change of tone in which their maim now • think fit to address them. It would be interesting to trace the psychological history of the kaiser's tractable sub- jects from the days preceding the in- vasion of Belgiuth, whop the fine frenzy of battle stirred thom and the mirage of victory tared them, onward, down to the present day when they are slowly awakening to the bitter truth about war and their rulers. It would be a story of alternating waves of optimism and pessimism, a story of dazzling hopes repeatedly disappoint- ed and as repeatedly replaced by oth- ers. The rulers cd Germany are adepts in the arc of "window -dress - mg' and have as skillfully enlarged urion successes in minor theatres of war as they have concealed from their public the failures in the main theatre. ' In the early days they expected that their speedy triumphs in the Danish, Austrian and French wars of 1864-71 would atte repeated in the summer of 1914, and it was in this spirit that, the German people were led into the busi- ness of war. The defeats on the Marne, at Yptes and in Champagne were concealed behind spectacular vic- tories in the East and by grandilo- quent promises of whet would be achieved by their Zeppelins and sub- marines. The British, victory at Loos was set off by a showy success over little Serbia, whieb put the peo- ple In good heart for the second win- ter of war. Then followed the attack on Verdun, the battle hearIded by bombastic forecasts, which was to be the final battle of the war, but 'which proved for the Germans • so costly and so futile a failure. Again defeated and driven back with further huge losses n the battles of the slimmer of 1016, they heartened thepeople for the third winter by a suecessful coup do theatre on the Roumanian front whIch raised great—unfulfilled—prospects of plentiful suppliee. The failure of the Zeppelins was only gradually brought home to the people, and was cameu- ringed with attractive prophecies of What could yet be achieved by bomb Ing aeroplane squadrons. And so the tale went on. Failure lurke h the background while some gaud insetted success held the one tre of •the stage, and the crafty mane ipulaters of public opinion always suc- ceeded in working the Ihuelight for their men ends. Throughout all the Ups and downs in the fortunes of the Fatherland and war cry ef "World - Power", which had been officially din- ned into German's listening ears dur- ing the years of war -preparation, was heard only fitfully, at moments that seemed to justify a bombastic ottani- Ism. In IN place were here vary- • ing erica of more particularity: "Air- Powcre, "Gun -Powder", "The newer • of German Kultur," "The Power of our Heroic Field-Clreys," "U -Boat - Power" and so forth, But to -day ail Moe cries have been whittled doWn to one•---"Will-Power." Tlie astute leaden; of the docile Ger- man ramie realize that rhodomontede and military panache and lavish prom - fee are of no avail against the even more inaistent gnaving ef empty Stomachs, the even more urgent Miser - lee Of a suffering populace, bereft of Re Menfolk and bereft of almost all the 'necessaries of life. to the word ban gime forth from the Iligh-wellebortt Direclore Of Official Psychelogy that the -order Of the daa FOG FAVORED THE GERMANS • But Canadians Overcame • • . Many Obstacles h Their Capture of Douai City. 4 v -ENEMY TROOPS ::1RENC11 STILL .HAVE UAL AND .DRIVE AHEAD TREY KNOW 11 AGAINST 'Kt (By 3. F. B. Livesay, Special Corres- pondent of the Canadian Press.) IWith the Canadiaa Forces, Cable.— Either by lila or through his excel- lent meteorological service the enemy was favored with the same conditions Ignfous retreat of. 1917. Our airmen og that enabled him to mike his were unable to do effective work, and our infantry, in pushing forward, had a narrow range of vision. This morn- ing the fag settled down very heavily, obscuring the sun. The enemy put up an admirable piece of bluff when, at 5 o'clock yes- terday morning, he made a false at- tack on the line of the Canal de La Sensee we held south of Douai, em- ploying large ,ntuttbers of machine guns, to which we repaied with a coun. ter -barrage. Before noon it became ap- parent that the frone was not strong- ly held, and the first' brigade crossed the canal -at Ferin and rapidly pushed up to the outskirts -of Donal and east- erly. • Meantime the Canadian brigade crossed the canal further south and advanced through Ocoulzie and Can - tin, but the expected enemy was nee wlAt ear ae t toe rb eefaonuanddi a. n division on the right crossed Albrunemont and east of eachain, and by night we had es- tablished a line well to the east, which lonlay we advanced to the line of Montueny, east of Douai, Lewarde, Mencaecourt and Marquette, to which latter point other troops advanced this morning after crossing the echeidt. • Cur cavalry outposts have sought to get in toueh with the enemy, and tound him in full retreat. it is re- ported that troops of a British divi- sten on our ratht is in the outskirts of -Denain. Except around Marquette the enemy resistance has not been ser - bus, but he may yet stand west of Valenciennes. The Canadian engineers again did fine work on the omit, throwing out eork pontoon bridges and bridges for heavy traffic. By nightfall they die. covered several booby traps, ,includ- ing an immense mine of over one hun- dred shells. The epproaeh to Le Mouline Canal Is very deep, and protected by high wooded hills on the east slopes, so that the enemy might (meth, have held the position almost indefinitely . ' LIMITS RETREAT TO TWO ROUTES Poe Masses His Forces On Flanks of These 'While the Bitk of Them • March Behind. gf.e014 Show It Clearly During Germans Are Reacting Their Retreat VIM& Strongly, Wit Pau to Islanders. aoid Their Linea. TERRIBLE LOSSES AMEIIICANS, ttio German Dandies, Celebrat • ing Peace, Nearly Caught. With the Allied. Arrhies in Belgium, Special Cable.—(Ely the Assetieted -Press)—Lille ia fast being ieft be. Itani by the advancfag fifth Britieh army. In spite of German posts es- tablished north of Robalx and Turco. Ina, these ricli manufacturing cities have been taken. Tile Germans ale* • bridges- leadiair into Bruges and left strung • read guards there, but tleese torces were sacrificed by the. enemy, while the Main tacitly of his troeps moved eastward from elle .city ' and those near the daast hastened to ue seri ttialloedea 7 lias been fine flea dear, and ' the Iiielgian airmen have again come, . into their own, The Belgian sky has ,ben literally fitll of, there, and they have waked great iiavac With bombs nee Inflicts itanong the enemy forces fleeing through the gap between Breve and the Dutch frontier. • Mora cannon leave been btotight and all last night and, to -day they have been puniping into the bottle neck tare -Ugh whieh the Germans are retreating. The Militia:it of Gethiatie killed In this area since yestdrday is, of course, undetermined, but, from the amount of "explesive projectiles, latge and entail, (trapped on them, their losses must be tretrieadous. In addition, the Frenalt cavalry has been making deithee here and there, ale liae also taken its toll. The German army is paying a high price for its attempt to retain its hold oe the coveted coast of Belgium. Ger- man eithtary commanders, being Uri- nate o win any victories, now seem to have gone in far literature on an extenalve scale. To -day's reports in- clude messes of captured documents which have fallen into the hands of the Allied soldiers. They treat on all subjects, but one and all they con- tain a sub -current ,of despair. One say: take strongest action against men who absent -themselves ream their commands only t� tarn up again wlien danger is over." Count von Waldereee, of the 59th Reserve infantre Regiment, wrote that he knew his regimeut was going to be attacked, and warned his men that the attack be broken down. Incidentally the assault referred to resulted in the smashing of that regiment. This officer ordered all auxiliary services to the aselstatice of the In- fantry in the line," Which needs all the support imaginable." Count von alaidersee discloses some German ideas relating to tho gaining of time in which to prepare defences that may be valuable in view of Ger- many's efforts to secure an armistice or peace. "'Whenever defences are of a tem- • portray neture," he said, "they mut, if the enemy leaves us sufficient time, he continually improved- and strength- ened In aceordanee with the principles laid clown for defensive fighting. "The enemy's great successes have strengthened hip consciousness of su- periority," this cohimaini very frank- ly said. "The strength and condition of our troops cannot be unknown to him and there is no dotibt-that he pee- sesses the means to overcome the dif- ficulties which confronts him." KNOWS IT IS BbATEN. It would appear from many docu- ments that the German army knows it has lost the war and is blue over the fact. German soldiers on the battle- front have shown unusual considera- tion for civilians. Notices In French and English have been found at Dig- nies, informing civilians that they would not be moved east of that town. Of course the Allied guns would not !ire on towns known to be full of civil - fans. 'The Germans, knowing this, could use it to protect themselves. In many of the towns and localities where the Allied troops have swept past, celebrations over their deliver- ance from the Gernians were carried on all day to -day by the people. le Lille there were crowds in the streets, singing, cheering and throwing roes everywhere. The people have become so demonstrative in many places* that they have interfered slightly vvith the work of soldiers. Mainers and ne- spatch-riders obliged to as through Courtrai, for instance, have not been making as good time as usual. This feet came to the knowledge of a British brigadfer-general, who or- dered the dispatch riders brought be fore him. One blushingly said that the charge againet him and the others was quite true, "but we couldn't help the delay, sir, for every time we go through a town we have each been soundly kissed. It wouldn't do to tell the women and girls we were in a Iltit sh I ea qua e a10 • !miry, They just insist 011 stopping Oct. 20.---(Rettter tiespatch.)—Fyour motor-cyole, all \venting to kissrom Le - you at one thee." What the briga• iaateau to tite sea the Germans ainaost everywhere are, in retirement, and are lier-general seld it not tecorded, but standing to fight only at such places the charges against the men were Amen the pressure of the allied dropped. putault might Maly traneform them It has been learned from a resident Into points of great menace to the of Courtrai that Cerruti cavalry cal - German retreat. Where they are hold- eers were giving a ball there celebra- nng, they are holding subbornly. ting the return of peace on the night Any idea Of a straggling receding the city was taken. At the middle of line is quite incorrect. On. wide secthe dance British infantry, which had tors thee has been little appreciable broken through the defences to the movement for some days past; these west, stormed into the town and the Have Mad.e Gains itt Their Sectors of the Great Battle. Paris, Oct, 20.—The French armies all along the front have been :lamas- ' ful.ln their conthate against the, Gen - titans, making advances at numeratai • Points and at others warding off 'aka lent cotenter-attaelts, according to the official .estrontualcatione. • In Mame pagne the Fieuch have reached the ; teunding late, attacked it lAld Wren St, Getniatiunent. Sven Min- uted Germans were taken., ' The Frenalt have made theportalet Paegress %let of anitzlers, capturing numerous heavy guns. The Associated Mee corthavonaent ' With the Fieneit army in France tele- . gluing "Opeiationa alieng Bali battle- front of • the Frenth arnalea in the poet 24 hours 40.0 been clia.racterized by the active reaction of the enemy, \elle shelled . the French lines and rear tutu opt- ) ously with gas and.htgh explosiees, While 'Me infantry debouclitag from - the Innuiliig position, launched sharp counter-attacks and the front of Vet- : natill-Fayereego Mid Niftier east In Gertrudninent, both of wallet were reveled& - • "Just before dawn Sunday the Ger- mans beganen latent* boraltardinent In the region -nu NantetillasareAhlne, while the attacks were. renewed east tit Vernetiii at 1 e'cloelt. Gen. De- leendy'e ferees eatatinited• their adveime early tits inortirtig, fierth of LIMY, along the, left batik of the Oise. The indicatioiat ate that tile eneiny's /lee, from the Oise -to the Alsbel etronaly held. "Drenching -.rains throughout the night and mopning made observation extremely diffieett and interfered eoe- siderablye witty offensive operations." HUNDING .1.1NE FORCED, Saturcley (aight)—"On the Oiaa front the enemy was completely r4. pulsed. East,of the Oise our trootad have ad-vanced along the canal trona Choy to Hantevalle. They occupied the forest oftAndigny and the villages at Eteeat and Venerollea, and continueel With their tightawieg the pursuit ay the eneree began yesterday between the OiSe.,ahd La Fere. "The first artily achieved new eue- ceases. .ntoveracint and the position -Maintnaardir Villers.leaSee fell inta our hand', Mere to the east we, went beyond Pals-lea-Noyers and Catilion de Tempha • "On tlia•getre front- the tenth ern* this morailsg started nn attack on the Hunding line, in the region of Poilly and the emarshes of Sissonne an tia front of five kiatenetret. This position, which waspowerfully organized arid comprised., twO Jities. of trenches protected by a ineaweela �f barbed wire and provided with numerous. concrete dugouts. Was forced by our troope, who •. broke the enemy's 'resistance. We realized an advanee, of 1,200 metres in depth. The village and flour mill taa • Verneull, the Athanteud farm and Feyles•See are in oar, hands. The number of prisoners taken runs into the thousand, "West of -Barenton Rivulet enemy counter-attacks carried out by impoie tent effectives who had received tali order to hold on at all costs have been • repulsed with heavy losses, Between. Sissone and Chateau Porcien theahagitt has not been less spirited. Local, at- tacks brought no appreciable progress. We have reached the road from Sig- sonne and Chateau Porcien the fight has not been less spirited. Local at- tacqs brought us appreciable progress. We have reached the road from Mee sonne to Le Seive and have carried several fortified works'. • "More to the Oat we held *than - court, Espagne, Tinain ena CoMplers.. Between these, villages and Nizy-le- Comte and west of Chateatt piercien our trornia dis'o eatne hito. erkifiatetaith the Hunding Line. Our troops at- tacked after a short artillery prepata • tion and took St. Germanmont. Sev- en hundred ptisishers were taken ale 'the colitse at this fighting, "In the region of Vouziers the bat.. tie continued the whole day with eae treme stubbornness. On the heights east of Aisne we have titikeee after a hard struggle; the atacQuart-Feeat aid Hill 193, east 'oh Vandy, Mora to the south We captured •the village of Chea- tres, and went far beyond this village.' We took more than 400 prisoners and captured 10 cannon and some machhie guns." Sunday (Day)—"Late yesterday the Germans launched two violent cone - ter -attacks between the Serre and tire Aisne, one in the region of Vernealt and the Other inerth of at. Germain - 'Ilona Both were repulsed by the French who took prisoners. "DutIng the night, the • atertaatie reacted witli 1iv1y attillery, and mhe chine -gen fire at different points eie the front.' AMERICANS ADVANCE. are the sectors in which the principal German dandies had to tun tor their Ilves. Letters and diaries taken from The retreat is limited to certate definite routes whieh the allies have captured soldiers make interesting reading. One man tells how Ma divi• steadily narrowed down. The enenlY has massed lite forces athwartWrites: the ellen "go,tnr.litorian was hr tnhescdsvll taiapara flanks of thee routes, and behlita the ' and adds that only eixty men were left battle lines hie legiona are tramping out of one entire regiment. Not a ellatward. single minuet' order, document, let - The eneeny's nerthward flank nas . ter otimriotimia,ry dispieys a s111,110 noteer d ' the coast. On the right, with three In the neighborhood. of Tureoilig ' Britlah armies pressing on, the French e n 1 e g , 9.nd Roubaix more than 1,000 tivilians. '' ' " • hav I..teen liberatea. e Gobain marsifl the strategic positien ii.agins wak.---8 lour Tislifirstulltfliwttlivyi.titlelitnItlitolultthl)°,estslielotilteaai. languages,' ?Marked Niles Cayettrie "Mr, il or fiv . the allies are confronted With the "Valuable accomplishment." "It wool strongest reelstance in men and gtina be if he could think tip sontethin whielt the alertnans are able still to worth geeing in any one ot them." — Malts, Weshingten Star. fight -111g la taking place. • t 4. With the American Army North- west of Verdilli, Clet. 20,—rfy shoving ahead here and therd the Americtau line to -night rests aeross the Freya, • defenee position at several places the • Americans on Sunday having Mahe slight advances on the northern edge of the Bois de liantheville Vela in tile region of Bietirrut, both of • Whieh • points touched by the Freya line, After an artillery preparation the Americans cleaned Up the Bois Rap - Des, taking more than 80 prisonets, Most of the resistance encountered' was from Gentian Machine gun nests. There were attilIery outbursts nt in - tenet's during the afternoon. tan attack in the region of ulsed. The A.luerle 'can, sons, at first • gave a little g en rushed for- • ward and swept the Gerreaus off their feet. . The (lent= artillery shelled the en - 'tire district, inchitling Bellealeaealt e Farm, and the wood is to the south mid a • between there tind Grand Pre. laiereee _ tgliting took place throughout Sundlay. lespite the heavy rain, the Mao rim* holding the upper hand. VAC-