The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-23
BRUTALITY Barred
AS GERMANS FLEE
Vandalism in Douai District
Marked by Malignant
Savagery.
Women Torn From Homes and
Treated in Barbarous Man
ner by Captors.
~ PERRY ROBINSON.


Special caok Dsspatch to The Sun from the
London Times Service.
Copyright, lsls; oil rights reserped.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE,
Oct. 22.--On the whole British front the
eastward march goes on. Yesterday
morning, after a period Of comparative
inactivity at some points. all our armies
resumed their advance In some sectors
they travelled rast, With little opposi-
ton; elsewhere the Germans are fight
ing hard.
On our extreme left the Belstans are
treading on the enemy's heels as he
falls back toward GhenJ The troops
of our Second Army yesterday pushed
through the eastern edges Of Courtrai
and to-day were driving the enemy to-
ward the Scheldt.
Below the Lille area the Fifth Army
after making a crossing OF the river.
spread out over a wide front and Is
moving eastward toward Journal. East
of Douai the First Army on the left the
Third Army on the right, race tough re-
sistance but are continuing. taking
many prisoners and are rapidly Tight
ing their way into the forest OF VI
coigne, northwest Of valenciennes.
1t is here that the Germans are trying
hardest to dispute our advance, railing
back only reluctantly. In spite or TINS
resi- stance our Fourth Army, with tho
cooperation of Americans, has broken
the enemy's line OF defence 10 the seize
River, over which a crossing was forced
in the face Of heavy fire. The German
effort TO hold us was determined and
have
been heavy. We have taken at least
1000 prisoners.
Germans Shell City.
The Second Army met stin resistance
nj Courtrai. The Germans held the
eastern side OF the city. beyond the
Iys Canal. which divides the town. We
| were through the town, however, after
comparatively brief fighting. After
we had taken Courtrai the Germans be-
gan to shell the place. doing much dam
! age Until then the place was unin-
| tured.
From those who have been TO Court
raj this morning ! gather that the only
damage done to the town by our shells
was one shot, which struck in the belfry
OF St Martins. which the enemy was
| seen to be using for observation our
poses Noting this one OF our gunners
artistically Clipped the top of the
belfry. The German guns, however,
have now knocked the place about
badly and the city is a dismal sight.
though without any great area in ruins.
| Many OF the civilians informed us
| they lived several days recently in cell
lars and their condition shows that
they must have gone through great pri-
| yatiuns. There ~ a very large Flemish
population in Courtrai, and 1t seems the
! Germans have been very active lately
!, trying to play on Flemish ambitions
| painting a great picture Of Flanders as
| 4 future sovereign State in the German
| federation. In spite of this the genera!
view Of the people. including the Flem-
| !ngs Is that the Germans are barbarians
| and brutes.
| Here. as elsewhere. the German effort
to create disruption resulted only In
uniting everybody the more firmly
| against them.
| In Douai, as in Cambria. the Ger
mans before leaving the city blew uI
everything in sight. Public buildings
and the bridges across the canal were
destroyed and many houses along the
canal were burned. The rest of the
town, however. is In fairly good shape
with the great church OF st. Pierre un'
hurt. though the organ lies in ruins or
the floor. all It's metal parts stripped
away. In the City Hall all the lighting
fixtures were torn down for the metal
they contained.
II was 50 in all the houses, which had
been stripped OF valuabies. The people
were gone, giving the city dead ap
pearance. 1t was observable that much
that could not be carried away had beer
broken in simple malignant saw gerry
NJ do iay,