Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-04
ANDFEAR
IN VALENCIENNES
Hungry and Gaunt, Inhabi,
tants Quietly Welcome
Allies
STORIES OF CAPTIVITY
Germans Looted City of
Many Naluables--People
Hid for Days
STORIES OF CAPTIVITY
fDy PHILIP GIBBS.

special Cable to ECenfug PuOHC Ledger
copmioht. 1918. by Nc,c York Times co.
(. With the British Army. Nov 4.
After fierce fighting by English AND
Canadian troops. the old city of Nalen-
cfennes, across the Scl.elu canal was
entered Saturday morning. AT $50
Ne M. the general commanding the
& canadian troops which encirclcd the
town sent this historic message:
'T have the honor to report that
valenciennes is completely >-in our
bands"
From the north al advance was
made impossible by the opening of the
echeldt sluicc gates. which Hooded
that side of ehe city. and the encmy's
only way to escape was by the south
east so that here he had concentrated
all his available men. They fought
with great cburage and obstinacy. but
1t was unavailing against the Cana
dians and English, supported by an
immense concentration of artillery.
Many German dead lie across the
little Rhonelle River. and 1000 pris-
oIlers were taken by the combined
forces. The enemy's counterattacks
were made with the help of tanks. but
they broke down utterly. so that the
British captured tanks and many more
prisoners.
Haunting Pictures Of War
The way to Nalenciennes from
Douai was fun of haunting pictures of
-~the war. because Canadian and Eng
lish troops fought through many of
the villages along these roads, and
, those places have not escaped un-
. scathed.
Their people have fled from those
4 nearest to Valencennes because of the
German shells which smashed through
their roofs and walls and made wreck
age in .many houses. Some of them
' have been sliced in half. so that one
looks into rooms where cottage pianos
and woinens sewing machines and ba-
bies' cradles still stand against the
farthest walls amid broken beams
and plaster
Only a few soldiers move among
these abandoned villages, and Satur-
day. which was a foul day with the
west mist sieaming through their
shell-pierced walls. which shook like
sounding boards to the roar of gum
nre, they smelled of tragedy. Through
z Orgy and Audry 10 La Sentinelle =
suburbs of Nalenciennes on this Side
of the Scheldt--there was hardly Il
living soul about. except old figures
like shadows in the wet fog, lurking
under the wallsBrtish soldiers
as one could tell by the shape Of THEN
steel hats.
~ All along the railway from Do,iai
the bridges had been blown up by the
g enemy and lay IN nonstrous wreck
age across the line. Beyond. in this
thick vel! Of mist black Stag nom.
tains. like Egyptian pyramids. loomed
vaguely Factory chimney. were
faintly benciled above them. as
3 though this were 4 wal. in Lanca shire
City Between Two Fires
Dead horses. horribly mang,ed lay
< A. the roadside. The war had passed
TINS way not long ago. 1t was still
very close to Nalen -iennes. and that
K city was between two fires Most OF
tne fre came from our side. The guns
We're crowded IN this fog, through
which their flashes stabbed with sud
den gusts Of flames
Inen we came to the Scheldt canal
and saw Nalenciennes spread OUT be.
1ore US on the other side. a long. mar
\ row city. built along the line of the
Scheldt, so that one Sees it. from end
2 TO end. with its churches and factories
and towers high above it's crowded
roofs.
People Remain Hidden
But where were the people of Nalen-
cfennes? The solitude was beginning
to be oppressive. This WAS not like
the entry into Lille. There were no man
ifestations OF JOY in this liberated city.