The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-10-19
800 SQUARE MILES INCLUDING WHOLE BELGIAN COAST RECLAIMED
LILLE NOW FAR
In BACKGROUND
British Cannon Pumping Shells
Into Bottle Neck by Which
Huns Retreat.

German Military Commanders
Issue Documents Seeking
to Rally Soldiers.
With the Allied Armies In Belgium,
Friday, Oct. 1S.-Lille Is fast being left
behind by the advancing Fifth British
army. In spite of German posts estab-
lished north of Roubaix and Turcoing.
these rich manufacturing cities have
Oeen taken. The Germans blew up the
bridges leading into Bruges and left
strong rear guards there, but these
forces were sacrificed by the enemy
while the main body of his troops
moved eastward from the city and
those near the coast FASTENED to es-
cape.
Today has been fine and clear, and
the Belgian airmen have again come
into their own. The Belgian sky has
been literally full Of them and they
have worked great havoc with bombs
and bullets among enemy forces fleeing
through the gap between Bruges and
the Dutch frontier.
More cannon have been brought up,
and all last night and today they have
been pumping shells into the bottle
neck through which the Germans are
retreating. The number of Germans
killed in this area since yesterday is,
Of course, undetermined. but, from the
amount of explosive projectiles. large
and small, dropped on them. their
losses must be tremendous. In addi-
ton, the French cavalry has been
making dashes here and there, and has
also taken its toll
Paying High Price.
The German army is paying high
price for its attempt to retain its hold
( on the coveted coast Of Belgium. Ger
man military commanders, being un-
able to win any victories, now seem to
have gone in for literature on an ex-
tensive scale. Today's reports include
masses of captured documents which
have fallen into the hands of the al
lied soldiers. They treat of all sub
iects, but, one in all, they contain a |
sub-current of despair. One says:
Il will take strongest action against |
men who absent themselves from their |
commands, only to turn up again when |
danger is over"
Count Won Waldersee, Of the Fifty !
ninth reserve regiment, wrote that he |
knew his regiment was going to be at |
tackled and warned his men that the |
attack must be broken down. Incl
NChtuiiyp tiC dS6dult IClCIICu u Ic.
suited In the smashing Of that regi- |
ment. ..,sssa |
a3osss nsrasM- eas.---------~t
This officer ordered all auxiliary !
services to the assistance of the In I
fantry in the line, (which needs all the
support imaginable"
Count Won Waldersee discloses some
German ideas relative to the gaining
of time In which to prepare defenses
that may be valuable in view Of Ger
many's efforts to secure an armistice
or peace.
wherever defenses are Of a tempo
rary nature" he said. they must, If
the enemy leaves us sufficient time, be
continually improved and strength
ened in accordance with the princi-
pies laid down for defensive fighting"
"The enemy's great successes have
strengthened his consciousness of su-
periority," this commander very
frankly said. "The strength and con-
dition of our troops cannot be I'M
known to him. and there is no doubt
that he possesses the means to over
come the difficulties which confront
him."
Knows War Is Lost.
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- =
ton 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. t
or course, the allied guns would not
fire on towns known to be full of civil t
Ians. The Germans. knowing this, i
could use 1t to protect themselves.
In many Of the towns and localities c
where the allied troops have swept 7
past celebrations over their deliverance
rom the Germans were carried on all O
lay today by the people. In Lille there g
we're crowds in the streets singing,
cheering and throwing roses every II
where. The people have become so g
iemonstrative in many places that G
hey have interfered slightly with the II
work of the soldiers. Runners and dis a .,
,atch- riders Obliged to pass through II
,ourtrai. for instance. have not been c.,
making as good time as usual. u
Women Kiss Heroes.
This fact came to the knowledge Of 4
British brigadier- general. who Or d
lered the dispatch riders brought be- b
ore him. One blushingly said that the
harge against him and the others was 81
uite true, adding: "But we could not Al
elp the delay, sir, for every time we
o through town we have each been ii
oundly kissed. 1t would not do to tell
he women and girls we were in A
urry. They Just insist on stopping CO
our motorcycle. all wanting to kiss
ou at one time"
What the brigadier- general said Is
OF recorded. but the charges against r
he men were dropped.
1t has been learned from resident
Courtrai that German cavalry off,
ers were giving ball there, celebrat-
1g the return Of peace. on the night le
ne city was taken. At the middle of he
he dance British infantry. which had ].
roken through the defenses to the m
'est. stormed into the town and the Vi
erman cavalry dandies had to run co
pr their lives Cs
Letters and diaries taken from can ur
bred soldiers make interesting read vi
lg. One man tells how his division Al
got 1t In the neck" Another wrote, IVA
There was the devil to pay" and adds
hat there were only sixty men left out III
one entire regiment. Not a. single in
Pptured order, document, letter or rel
ary displays a single note Of op- ju
mism. wi
In the neighhorhoo5 ~ r,,r,.;. - | "a