The Sentinel=record., 1918-10-17

With the Allied Armies in Belgium,
Oct. 16.-The Germans have started a
retreat on a tremendous scale from
northern Belgium French cavalry ls
approaching Thiolt, seven miles from
the banks of the Ghent Bruges canal
The canal itself is only ten miles
from the boarder Of Holland. 50
fast is the enemy retreatins that the
French. British and Belgian infant
ry at least in the center of the battle
front. have lost touch entirely with
the enemy The Belgiaus advancing
astrlde the Thourout- Bruges and
Thorout -Ostend roads have defeated
the Germans who are retreatins rapid
ly.
This undoubtedly is one OF the wal S
greatest and most vital victories ior
the gallant little Belgian army, ably
assisted by Greek, French and British
troops, now have driven the dCspoilels
of its country from a large section
which the Germans have occupied
since the early days or the Mar and
has gained positions Of such impor-
tance that the Germans may have to
abandon the entire coast Of Belgium.
Moreover, the ewseping advance Of
the allied infantry preceded by a ian
of French cavalry advancing rapidly
has left the entire area in which are
the important city of lille and the
great mining and manufacturing dis
tricts OF Tourcoin& ROubalN ana
Tournai in a salient which is growing
deeper every hour and which the en-
emy cannot hope to hold
The French cavalry which is ON the
crest OF the allied advance, has done
marvellous work To-day it sallCpe
forward more than ten kilOmeters
frequently carrying out charges with
Il dash usually associated with cav
airy upon isolated posts of enemy ma
chine Eunncrs which vainly attempt
ed to hold up its advance. Some ol
these gunaers, taken prisoner, said
they were totally unable to under
stand why the war was going on and
W nv ineN Ntit NdllOA ul.Oh " WA
tlnue fighting. One officer said:
I'VE have offered All the terms in
the world for peace nobody seems
wilins to accept them
Resistance where it has been offer
ed by the enemy, has been eXtraordi-
nariy fierce, for in these places #
obviously has been the purpose Of TIM
commanders OF the fleeing Germans
TO gain time in which to remove thei
materials stubborn fighting has beer
reported especially from the region o
Thourout The battle here has beei
frcm street to street and house e
house, and large numbers of the en-
emy have been killed
Some Belgian forces have sVep
around the city in order to cut th'
roads at the rear and also assist II
bottling up the enemy trying to hol'
out in the city itself.
The Germans had placed machin'
guns in the windows Of houses an'
cellars anr poured murderous stream-
of bullets into the advancing Bel2iau'
but were unable to stop them. INT
Belg!ans fought with a dogged de
termination such as only troops llght
ing to regain their outraged countr!
could display Nothing could stop
them. The British following up tn
retreatine Germans and overcoming
the rear guards, are reported as reach
ing Quesnoy ana as having captures
Iinselles along the lys The belgian
at the time this dispatch was filed
we're reported to be past Keyem an
-to have reached positiones on IN
other side of Cachten and Ardoye, bot
of which they captured Northeas
Of Coutrai. Buvichove was storme
and taken and the Beigians We're stu
going.
The I.inselles POSITION is most val
uable. for the place being northwest c
rurcoing, the allied troops are grad
ually outflankin2 the entire Lille sa
lient. from which there are furthe
siens thar the enemy ia withdraw
ina. As matter of fact his TROOP