The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-10-31
BRITISH TROOPS
IN VALENCIENNES
Despite Desperate Resistance
of Germans, Haig's Men
Enter City on West.
FLANDERS DRIVE SLOWS UP
But AppreeiabIs Gains Are Still Being
Made-Huns Massina Troops Be-
hind the SheIdt River.

HInO bnS SnStoI FhINSTs
Washington, Oct. 23-The fall of
Valenciennes to Field Marshal Haig's
foSces is imminent. Despite the des-
perate resistance Of the Germans, the
British have entered the city on the
west, while to the north they have
made a deep thrust into the great
Raismes forest and are moving in the
direction OF Condo near the angle of
the Sche1dt.
Valenciennes had been In uninter-
rupted French possession from 1877
until the onrush of the Germans early
in the present war led them many
miles into France. 1t is now about
to be added to the rapidly growing
list of towns, the redemption of
which has brought rejoicing to the
French people.
Advance Slows Up.
Although the progress of the Allied
forces in Belgium and French Elan
ders has slowed up somewhat in the
face of the stiffening of the lines, of
rear guards aiding the retreat of the
German armies, appreciable gains
have been made, some of them of
much importance.
Hollain and Bruyelles on the
Scheldt, south of Journal, are now in
the hands Of the British and north of
Journal, the village of Froyenne has
been cleared of the enemy, who is
Withdrawing toward the Scheldt
There has been sharp fighting for the
crossings of this waterway at Pont-a-
Chin; the Germans are battling hard
to keep the Allies from outflanking
Journal on the north.
Behind the Scheldt, the Germans
are massed in strength; their machine
guns on the east bank are active and
are receiving the support of artillery
and trench mortars.
In the northern battle area, the Bel
gians have reached the Lys canal
along their entire front and have cap
tured a bridgehead with numbers of
the enemy west of Meerendre.
Czechs on West Front.
An item of great interest appears in
the latest announcement by the
French war office concerning oper-
atoms along the Aisne. 1t says:
1.-THE Czecho-Slavs with us retook
the village of Terror"
The French are still moving actively
to the north of Laon and have now
completed the occupation of Chalan-
dry and Grandlup. To the southwest
of Client, they are firmly established
on the east bank of the Lys river, hav-
ing made crossings at several points
against which the enemy resisted
with determination.
Around LIE Cateau, where Ameri-
cans are fighting with the British
Fourth Army, activity has diminished
greatly. The same is true of the
American sector northwest of Yer
dun, where the chief activity of the
enemy has. been the Smelling of the
American lines with mustard and
other gas shells, and an air raid,
which came near to achieving the de-
struction of an American base hos
pital.
Winter, unusually late this year, has
set in on the front in northern Rus
STA and a prolonged lull is looked for
IN that territory.
Flanders Battle in Second Phase.
With the Allied Armies in France
and Belgium, Oct 22.-The great bat
tie in Flanders and Northern France
passed into its second phase today
The first phase was completed when
the Lille salient was eliminated and
the Germans were driven out of West
ern Belgium, so that the line all the
way from the frontier of Holland to
the Disc Canal is virtually a straight
one.
Drive Has Pivot Near Courtrai.
The Belgians, British and French
in the north started a sweeping move
ment today pivoting on point about
east of Courtrai. The object of this
appears to be the clearing of the
enemy from his front in Northern Bel
GUM and at the same time to threaten
his extreme right flank.
The key position at the south is In
the region below Valenciennes. At
both places the exhausted German di-
visions, whose ranks have had great
holes chopped into them by terrific
blows, are fighting with the greatest
desperation. The German command
ers are sacrificing many men in their
endeavors to hold their ground, but in
both sections the Allied troops have
smashed into the enemy and made ap-
preciable gains. Scores of additional
villages have been reclaimed and nu.