Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-10-18
(By the Associated Press)

(By the Associated Press)
Over front of fifty miles
from the North Sea in Belgium
to Lille in northern France, the
Germans are in general retreat
before the Belgian, French and
British armies. Likewise the
enemy is being forced to con-
cede defeat by retrograde
movements before the British
and Americans southeast of
Cambria; under the attacks of
the French in the pocket be-
tween the Disc and Serre riv-
ers north of Laon, and by rea-
son of continued strong attacks
by The French and Americans
in Champagne and along the
Mouse river. Nowhere how
ever, is the enemy in disorder.
In Belgian Flanders steps are being
FASTENED bv reason Of the swift drives
into his line by the British at Lille, just
south of the Belgian border. and by the
French and Belgians further north.
which threaten to compel him to enter
Dutch territory and face internment I'M
less he is fleet enough to withdraw out
of the entire pocket between the Sceldts
river and the sea and reconstitute his
line with its RICH. wing resting on Ant
werp.
Ostend, one of the famous submarine
bases on the sea, is in Britis.. hands
Bruges is all but captured. while to the
south from the region east of Roulers
the Allied forces are fast driving toward
Client in an endeavor to seal the wes.-
ern Flanders sack and retain in it large
elements of thc enemys forces. Stron,,
opposition is being offered OF. The Cour-
trai sector to prevent the Allies from
carrying out heir meneuver to the full!
More than score of additional villages
have been liberated by the Allied troops
and numerous guns and quantities of
stores have been captured. In their
withdrawal from west Flanders the Ger
mans are carrying out tactical move
ment which doubtless will end in gen.
eraI falling back of their line in north
ern France and permit them to
strengthen their resistance materially
en- a new and short front. This probably
will be from Antwerp to Namur ana
Metz and thence to the Swiss border,
which would still leave the Germans 80
miles from the crown border line both
at Antwerp and Namur.
At present the center OF the Flanders
fighting is near Thielt. which is abou;
125 miles from Aix-LaChappelle on the
German border. Southeast of Cambria
over a front of 10 miles between Leca-
teau and Bohain the British and Ameri
cans are delivering violent attacks
against the Germans and at the last re-
ports they were meeting with success,
although the Germans were savagely re-
sisting with machine guns and infantry
and with artller-' behind their line.
North Of Laon in the sack between
the Disc and Serre rivers the French
are endeavorng to drive out the Ger
mans or capture them before they can
make thei- way eastward to Hirson.
Here, also. the enemy is using his ma
chine guns and artillery to impede the
progress of the French. but neverthe-
less further iins have been recorded.
The creates. resistance of all, howev
er, is still being imposed against the ef-
forts OF the French and Americans IN
Champagne and along the Meuse river,
where the hc,ding line is essential 10
stave off a general retreat by the Ger
mans all the lay from Belgium to the
Swiss frontier. The French in Cham
payne are still fighting hard to capture
Rethel, but the Germans thus far have
| been able to hold this important posi-
ton in their own hands. North o. Grand
Pre- both the French and Americans
| have made further progress over the
difficult ground. Especially severe have
been the hardships suffered by the
Americans in encompas sing the natural
fortihcations and the attacks by hordes
Of enemy machine gunners. Before the
Americans the Germans are giving
ground only inch by inch.