Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-21
10 BEL CLAN TOWNS
FALL TO BRITISH,
HUNST|LL RUNNING
Tournai, Important Railroad juno
tion Practically in British Con
troll Haig Nearing Mons.
HIT HTNDING LINE IN REAR
By Associated pres to Every E~enine

By Associated Press fo Every Evenine
Paris oct 2l The allied forces
while pushing farther into central Belgium
on the north arr fighting IN the south
toward the Belgian border south n
NaIencienncs sunday The allied troops
had - fight he elements a. seil ~ ne
Germans II drzzied continu0,Isly and
the soldiers were soaked and blinded fv
the ram whlIe alrplanea were III little
use The British nave captured fifteen
Belgian towns
With spirits undampened, he allied
troops continued their efforts and n
Flanders they got little nearer to the
important city of Ghent and are approach
ing very close 10 the west hank 81 the
Schedt On the right II the front II
Belgium the British Fifth Army has p
all intents and purposes taken TouFaei
m important railroad junction.
Farther south the British Third army
has crossed the SclIe and j. headed
towards Mons by way Of Ouesnov and
north Of the Normal forest, while General
Rawiinsons Fourth Army has reached
the Samhre-DIse canal and - advancing
around the southern end IN Normal
forest up the valley of the SaInbre towards
MauDeuCc The net result III the efforts
Of the Fourth ana Fifth British arInies
was that he pivot on winch the German
retreat across Belgium swings WAS BADLY
shaken
ON the British right General Deheney
Is outfiauklng tiiIIse and j marrhi1C
toward, lIirsQn for the purpose ol taking
the IIunding line IN the rear.
At the sIne tame Generals Mangin
and Gmliaunat between the ~errc and
the Aisae aud north of ~issonne are
attacking lie front of the Hunding line.
Finally General C,our4ud and ne AMerI-
cans are fighting IA most difficult country
against determined and strong resistance.
Ther are making slow but solid progress
in tire ,8Sl, of pushing the enemy towards
fhe southern Ar,lenneS and Ip both banks
oi the Meuse.
There Wa> no infantry lighting nl
moment GA the trench front last night.
The official statement from sle Uar afire
TO-DAY only reports artillery activity
between thc >erre au,i the hene
During he evening certain points AZ
which parties ri the ueny ,tll were
resisting were cleared lp y lo,ai opera
tions and counter attack from the
region 81 Romerjes Was beaten of with
heavy loss
North Of Denain our advance troops
continued to push forward in contact
with the enemy ana are approaching he
village OF st Amand and the line Of the
Scheldt north Of Journal.
London. Oct. 2I.-More than three
thousand prisoners were captured by he
! British Yesterday in the operations north
OF LeCateau when the Selle river was
crossed on a wide front according 70
Field Marshal Halg statement today.
The German positions were ~ great
natural strength and mere strongly
held and there was heavy lighting
Throughout the day The weather was
unfavorablc and the river was in flood,
bu. the British forced & passage oi the
river early III the tghriag, supported 10y
tanks
The attack vas launched rs English.
Scottish and Wclsh divisions II two
O'Clock ia the morning under most nm
favorable weather conditions. d continuous
rain rendering the advance extremely
difficult he sighting WI, heavy Trough
out the dav. the enemy Offering strong
resistance III thc VILLAGES and along be
line ot the railway In overcoming this
resistance great assistance WtS rendered
At certain points ~ tanks. which despite
the flooded state 81 thc river, succeeded
IN passing to the c5-t bank AZ an early
hour
As soon az the line ii tile river vas
secured a number IF bridges were rapidly
constructed under heavy fire from The
hostile artillery and machine guns,
enabling our guns to push torN ard close
behind the advancing infantry ana to
afford them effective support at short
range
In the Ealencicnncs region The British
are approaching II Amaud, six mleS
northwest of Nalsnccnnes North If
Toarnai thrv arc pl9hiag forward to the
Inc of The Sch..ll rINNr