The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-10-31
French Breach
HUNDINC Line
Germans Driven Back on Whole
Front Between Sambre
and SCheIdt.
MAKE HEAVY RESISTANCE.
Furious Fighting RACES All Day From
Journal Southwark to lie Cateau.
Raismes Forest Ie Cleared
of Enemy.

| dAlo' Lie DTlllSIl, FRENCH anu
American trops renewed their offensive
on the front between the Scarpe and
Disc rivers and made fast progress.
To the north Of Valenciennes the in
tervening territory before the Scheldt
river is being rapidly cleared up, while
to the south the allies are on the out
skirts of the large forest of Normal,
where desperate resistance is expected.
Nalenciennes is reported by fliers to
be evacuated, except for small German
outposts. The allies are farther east
| than the city on both the south and
north, leaving it In a salient
The British have crossed the Ecail-
Ion river at Beaudignies, north of the
Normal Forest
South of the forest the outlying
Bishops Wood has been entirely clear
ed Of the foe and the Sambre-Olse ca
nal reached to the east.
Many villages have been liberated.
More than 5000 prisoners were taken
in the first day of the drive.
The French to the south crossed the
Sambre-Oise canal at Verly-le- Grand
and progressed beyond.
North of Nizy-le-C omte, between Sis
some and Chateau-Porcein, the French
carried part of the Hunding position.
Pershing reported that the Ameri-
cans east of the Meuse had taken Bots
Belleu and penetrated Bots d'Etraves
and Bots de Wavrille.
Military observers continue to spec
ulate on a probable blow by the Amerl-
cans toward the German fortress of
Metz.
The possibility Of renewed Italian
operations on large scale was also
introduced by the capture of Mount
Sisemol, three miles east OF Aslago, of
iicially reported in Rome. Here and in
two other successes the allied troops
on the italian front took more than
thousand prisoners.
The enemy shows no signs of ceas.
ing his orgies of footing. Every town
the British have captured has been
pillaged. Usually the Huns break up
and destroy whatever they are unable
to carry off.
There are further signs that the
Germans either are now carrying out
or are on the verge Of beginning re-
treat from the Scheldt line, as the
British north Of Valenciennes push out
in the direction of Mons and Maui
beuge. They are less than IS miles
from Mons and about Is from Maui
beuge.
There was sharp fighting at Bousies
before it was captured. AS the enemy
retreated he exploded mines under
roads and railways
Many Alsatiahs have been captured.
a large number of these expressed
desire to join the French army, say
ing they had been dragged into the
German army against their Will.
In brilliant moonlight, assisted by
roaring flocks of night bombing air
planes, the British fought throughout
the night and made steady gains. They
are using seesaw tactics. Guns are
moved up In relays, so there Is con-
stantly a heavy fire on the German
front and rear. Infantry assaults are
launched at different times.
These tactics bewidered the Ger
mans. No enemy unit knows where
an assault is coming, and all are forced
to stand in readiness under torrents of
steel, high explosives, shrapnel and
gas. A concentration 1t Preux for q
counter attack vas observed from the
air.
The Germans have broken down the
banks and opened the sluicegates
northeast and southwest of Valen-
ciennes and have flooded vast stretches
of the country in an effort to delay the
British advance.