The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-10-16
ALLIESCAPTURE
TOWN OF MENIN
Forces Advance Within a Mile
OF Courtrai and Storm
Cuerne.
BRITISH GAIN GROUND
Roulers Found in Good Condi-
tion After Germans Retreat.
Remove Prisoners.

| With the Allied Armies in Belgium
Tuesday, Oct 80 p. MIA. P)-
Menin has fallen. Allied troops are q
mile east Of Roulers and advanced pa
trolls are. according to latest reports.
within a mile Of Courtrai. The Lys
river seems to have been crossed be-
tween Confines, which has been cap
tured. and Warneton.
Reports indicate that another cross
ing of the Lys has been effected at
Wervicq. although this has not been
confirmed at his hour.
South Of the zone where the mud
spattered allied troops are fighting
their way forward through the rain
and the mist and over sticky ground
the enemy has begun a withdrawal.
His troops are being moved backward
from Pont-Vinin and Berclau and
from the Rolleghem front. Here Brit
ish patrols have reached the outskirts
of the town Of Neurchin.
Everywhere the Germans are fight.
ing rear guard actions, with large
numbers of men involved in the strug-
gle. The battle is being fought in
continuous rain, which makes the
fighting increasingly difficult. Troops
storming ahead lose their footing in
the mud. some sinking as far as their
knees. The wounded returning from
the front are plastered with mud.
Belgians Take Bevern.
Cuerne has been stormed and taken
and the Belgians have captured Be-
vern station. They are east and north
of the Bevern canal and are before
Iseghem.
Today's gains have further turned
A. Cn.,,,op lipao both Mortb and south
of the area under attack and thu e~emy
retirement reported from the south
ward is the result. Further withdraw
ais on a broad scale may be expected
unless the weather continues so bad
as to prevent further advance. The
enemy Is showing signs OF great ner-
vousness and more fires and explosions
are reported
British Make Progress.
Elsewhere along the front other
British forces are gaining ground but
their progress has been merely to
the lines and to carry out
operations in advanta-
.eous positions.
Enemy defenses of great strength
were encountered during the day by
the British. There were wire entan-
clements of great depth and innum-
cradle pill boxes which had to be re-
duced.
Played MarseiIiaise.
There was an impressive scene at
Rouers when the place was taken. a
French major gathered the rescued !
civilians and German prisoners around
a battered piano in the square. ana
as the shells screamed overhead, ne |
played the "Marseillaise."
"Did you ever hear that before?'
he asked the people Of the city. The |
civilians cheered themselves hoarse.
Roulers was in good condition after
the German retirement. East OF the |
city the Lngelmunster road has been
1t appears that the enemy
southwark Of the area un-
der attack will involve the whole Liiie
salient. Definite information has been
received that the Germans removed
,ations worth $4,000 francs before
ABANDONING Roulers. The civilians
here ceased rejoicing over their iiper-
,tion long enough to show the French
rooms where there were some enemy
mines which were designed to destroy
!, large part Of the town. They also
,cvealed the hiding places OF some
Germans.
Tonight's reports indicate/rhat the
French cavalry has managed to get
Trough the German lines. 1t Is said
hoy have reached Lichtervelde and
low are probably beyond that place.
Great Importance.
(Menln is eleven miles north or Lille,
nd Is of immense military Importance
wing to the number Of roads which
nter the city. In addition to the
highways Il Is the converging point
or two railway lines running from
Roulers, Turcoing and Lille.
In addition to the prisoners. ma
hine guns have been captured from
he Germans II
with the French Forces in Flanders,
)ct. 16.-(Havas)-The Germans today
esumed their long range lombard
1ent of the French seaport of Dunkirk
n the Straight Of Dover. There were ,
ONE civilian victims. s