The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-02
Withdrawal From Belgium and
France Nearer Now.
FOch Blows Near Cambria
Threaten German Retreat.
GREAT CHANGES ARE EXPECTED
Reports That Cambrai Falls
Great Victory Is Hailed.
On All Fronts Today the BOche
Is Bending Back.


London. Oct. 2 (4:1O p. m.)-Cann-
brai was partially occupied this morn
ing, it was stated in battle front dis
patches received this afternoon. The
city is now believed to have fallen.
Break Line. Capture Villages.
With the British Army in France.
Oct. (1O:30 a. m.)-British forces,
breaking thru the German line on the
Beaurevoir- Wiancourt front and cap
turing both these villages together
with Sequehart created a salient
which aided materially in the capture
of ST. Quentin by the French.
Take 1000 Prisoners.
London, Oct. (4:35 p. m.)-Be-
tween the Vesle and the Aisne, where
the French are pushing northward. In
the encircling movement against the
St Gobain maSsif, 1000 additional
German prisoners were taken today,
battle front dispatches announced.
Hailed as Great Victory.
British Headquarters in France.
Oct. 2.-The long bitter battle is still
raging, but it has turned do definite
ly in favor of the British that 1t is
scarcely even now premature 10 hali
it as a great victory.
British Headquarters in Flanders,
Oct 2.-The British second army, CO.
operating with the Belgians in Flan-
ders campaign, continued to press for-
ward in the process of encircling Ar
1nentieres 1t took the hamlet of
Lebiset, close to Armentieres on the
north.
(By the Associated Press)
Germany defenses between cam
brai and st. Quentin are crumbling un-
der the determined blows of Marshal
Foch and the time of the expected
German withdrawal from France and
Belgium apparently is drawing ap-
preciably nearer.
finder the attacks of British,
French and American troops, the Hin
denburg defense system from the
Scarpe to the Oise, a distance of fifty
miles, is being overrun. In the north,
the valuable network of railroads IN
Flanders, rapidly is becoming useless
and in the south the French are press
ing vigorously their advance west and
north of Rheims.
Advance Five Miles.
Northeast of ST. Quentin, the Brit
ish have advanced more than five
miles eastward from the front line of
the Hindenburg positions. "A salient.
most dangerous to the enemy, has
been driven in between st. Quentin and
LIE Catelet. and the British are ad-
vancing thru big gap in the enemy
line across important roads and rail-
ways toward La Cateau, one of the
the German border.
Net About Cambria.
Cambria has not yet been occupied
by the British but Field Marshal Haig
has taken important heights south of
the town and east of the Scheldt canal.
thus drawing closer the net about
Cambria. The French met with spirit
ed resistance in entering st. Quentin,
but succeeded in throwing the enemy
beyond the canal which cuts thru the
eastern suburbs. North and south of
the town, the French have advanced
further eastward.
Start Fires.
In Flanders the Germans are re-
ported to have set fire to the railway
functions of Roulers and Menin and to
be removing their big guns from the
Belgian coast around the submarine
base of Ostend which is being out
flanked on the south.
The Belgians now are five miles
from Thourout, while the British are
across the Lys seven miles north of
Lille. and are within seven miles of
Courtrai. All these are important rail-
way centers. and Lille is the strongest
German position north of Cambrai.
Back to Old Lines.
General Berthelot speedily is driv-
ing the Germans back to their old lines
in the Rheims region. Further gains
have been made between the Vesle and
the AlSne ana nOTtn OIL fInellnS. Sew
eral miles more, and the French will
be in the open country north of
Rheims and threatening the immedi-
ate communications of Laon.- The
French advance here and east of the
Suippe is placing the Germans between
Rheims and the Suippe in a pocket
from which they may have difficulty
in withdrawing.
Chance for Americans.
In Champagne there has been little
change, but the French have rendered
useless the railroad running thru the
Argonne forest from Challerange. This
makes possible a further American
movement on the eastern edge of the
Argonne. North and west of Mont
faculon. in the center of the American