The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-23
Haig Makes New Breach In
Centre of Great Hunding
Defences.
FRENCH PUSH ON GHENT
Take Chalandry and Grand
lup After Pause Due
to Rains.
BRITISH REACH SCHELDT
German Resistance Stiffens at
River Where Artillery
Supports Them.

\ LONDON, Oct. 22.-Still driving for,
ward, although at a much reduced
rate, the British to-day entered Va.
lenciennes, thereby making a new
breach in the so-called Hunding line,
which they pierced yesterday east OF
Courtrai, some thirty-five miles to the
north. On their left the French began
new drive toward Ghent, which
their cavalry reached last week; the
infantry was unable to follow up the
mounted men promptly because of the
tremendous rains that deluged the
country and this morning still were
five or six miles out. They were then
holding a line ten miles long on the
d.ys Canal, west Of the city. At last
reports they were making excellent
progress.
An official statement issued here
late tonight says:
Throughout the day the enemy
endeavored to maintain his posi-
tons on the Lys and on the canal
between Deynze and the Dutch I
| frontier.
Several counter attacks were
launched IN order to retake the
| bridgehead. we established yester.
day. All failed with heavy losses
to the enemy
To the northwest of Valenciennes the
British penetrated deeply into the for
est OF Raismes toward the angle of the
! SCheldt at Conde. They made progress
east OF St. Anand and reached the
Scheldt at Hollain and Bruyelle, to the
south OF Tournai. both of which were
taken. Northwest of Journal they
| drove the Germans from Froyenne.
Sharp fighting developed at Pont-a-
Chin for the crossing OF the river there,
| which still was in progress at last
reports. The British now practically
are at Tournai, being within half a
mile of the place.
Opposite Pecq they crossed the river
and established a bridgehead on the
eastern side, a little north of Tournai.
! French Make Gains in Might.
on the Serre front the French made
additional gains last night, reaching
the railroad northeast Of Assis-sur-
Serre and the St. jacques Farm, north.
east of Chalandry.
Paris announces tonight the cap
ture by the French of Chalandry and
Grandlup. north OF Laon. Czecho-
Slovak troops, fighting with the
French. recaptured the village OF Ter
ron. which the Germans had retaken.
German forces at Brussels are work.
ing necessarily to remove war material
from that city, according to tho
Roosendaal correspondent of the Han
deiSbldd. He says chat many regi-
ments OF German troops are leaving
the city and that there is much ex-
citement among the people there. On
the other hand, Antwerp is very calm
and has not been affected by recent
events
The same newspapers correspondent
at Roermond says that hundreds of
refugees from northern France are
| arriving there. These have been on
the road for three weeks. They re-
ceived only two hours notice to collect
their belongings by German officers az
Douai. Camblai and other cities In the
war zone.
Capture IL Inch Cannon.
Allied forces which swept the Ger
mans out Of Belgian Flanders captured
the big Is inch cannon with which the
Germans have been bombarding Dun
kirk during last year. The gun was
undamaged, according to an official
statement issued at the War Office,
which reads:
Tie group of armies commanded by
the King OF Belgium has maintained
Its pressure along the whole front
In their hurried retreat before the
Belgian army the Germans were
forced to abandon all their coast de-
fence guns of which n number were
intact. The big SS centimetre gun at
LeuEunboom (three miles south of
Gh!stelles), which was fired up to the
last minute on the city Ot Dunkirk,
was also captured undamaged.
Opinion among military experts in
clines to the view that new and larger
attack will he launched by Marshal
Foch Eoon. 1t is believed that the Ger
man stand on their present line. II they
make one there, will be brief. as the CON
ditions are all against them. and that
they will make their frst strong re.
sistance on the so-oalled Meuse line
running from Antwerp TO the river at
Namur, thence along the stream through
Mezieres And Sedan TO the vicinity Of
Dun. which is only fifteen miles east OF
Grand Pre-. now held by American
forces, and then across their own fron-
tier to Metz
1t is probable. however that by the
time the Germans reach this line. which
may not be for several weeks, Gen. Per-
shing will have prepared some unpleas-
ant surprises for them, II is generally