The sun., 1918-10-06
ENEMY GRIP ON
CAMBRIA FAILS
Fall of City. Near as British
Cross Canal on Eight
Mile Front.
FIRES MARK RETREAT
DOuai in Flames and Other
Towns and Villages Evacu-
atpd Rpino Laid Waste.
FIRES MARK RETREAT
Special Cable D,spdtck 10 THE suS.
Copyright, 1915: oil yi0hts reserved.

LONDON, Oct. 5.-Another day OF hard
fighting north OF st. Quentin. where the
rearmost defences OF the Hindenburg
system we're preached on Tuesday, ended
in a further British advance. which as
II extends northward will compel the
Germans to give UP their last hold on
Cambria. which they have been defend
ing tenaciously against attacks on three
sides.
The British made new progress to-
day near Montbrehain and Beaurevoir
and now are east of the st. Quentin
Canal on the whole front Of eight miles
between lie Catelet and Crevecoeur.
They have driven the Germans from La
Terriere plateau. two miles north OF
81. Quentin, which they took together
with part of the Hindenburg system in
that vicinity. About 1000 prisoners
were taken.
From this section as far north as the
Ypres district the British are applying
very heavy pressure before which the
Germans slowly are giving ground. Be
hind their front the Germans are dew
astating the country as rapidly as they
can, apparently trying to do as much
wanton damage as possible In the short
est time. preparatory to evacuating the
whole region.
Blowing Up Supplies Also.
Douai Is in flames and new fires have
been observed in Cambria. Scores OF
smaller places In that area are burning
and explosions are heard everywhere as
the Germans blow up the ammunition
and stores that they cannot take with
them.
In the Belgian sector the French, Brit
ish and Belgian troops are working with
the British advancing from Lens, and
are striking In the direction Of Turcolns
and Rubaix. These blows at the north
| ern end of the German defences in con-
nection with the Franoo-American ad-
| vance northward from the Aisne west OF
Rheims and In the Champagne and the
Argonne, have placed the Germans in the
loop south Of Cambria in most serious
| position.
| All these separate movements are COM
pletely coordinated and have a meaning
the Significance of which begins TO be
understood In the report that the Ger
mans are preparing to abandon the en-
tire Flanders coast and already practi'
cally have ceased to use it's ports fol
naval purposes and are moving theii
heavy guns into the interior.
Fixed Defences Being Lost.
| Possession OF the country arounC
Lille and Douai, with La Bassee anC
Lens as points of support covering it OF
the west, gave the Germans the strong
est defensive position on the western
front. The retention OF this area Away
depended first on holding the Ypre
ridges on the north and secondly on thu
impregnability of the Hindenburg de
fences to the south.
The Allies thrust north OF the Lys Il
sweeping away the fixed defences anS
changing the character Of the fghtini
there into open warfare. making 1t nee
essary for the Germans hastily TO in
crease their forces in the Flanders sec
tor. Coincidentally the British betweeI
Cambria and st. Quentin broke up th
Hindenburg quadrilateral there. Thu
threatened on both tanks in the centra
poations, this sector became 80 dan
eerous that the Germans found 1t i'm
perative to withdraw. giving up Len
and La Bassee, but with every indication
that they intend TO hold on to Lille ant
Douai as long as possible.
The Allies penetration in the Lill
sector and also between Cambria ant
st. Quentin. Joined TO the loss by tn
Germans Of Challerange, an importan
road centre west of the Argonne, and tn
Franco American pressure in the Cham
payne, have brought on the contingenc'
which the Hinaenburg defences wer
constructed to avert. The Germa
armies in the loop from south OF Cam
brai to the Meuse now are in the graves
jeopardy. There are six of these armies
They comprise moro than half OF tn
total strength OF Germany on the west
ern 'front.' and they are dependent to
great extent on the Belgian lines Q
L Nonfinaed M Hecond p00e q