The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-10-22
Casualties to Be Made
Public Immediately
limited STATES CASUALTY
LISTS TO BE RUSHED BY
GEN. MARCH.


embarked overseas, or on French OF
other foreign soil, members of the
Senate military affairs committee
were informed at a conference yes
terday with War Department officials
While the conference was on, a
telegram from General Pershing was
read, stating that the entire Belgian
coast from Bruges to Holland had
been cleared of German troops.
The retreat of the Germans still
is in progress, General P. C. March
announced yesterday. The British
forces have reached the Holland
frontier in the vicinity of Bruges.
All reports from the western battle
front are increasingly good. General
Foch is keeping up the pressure at
all points along the line from the
North Sea to the Swiss frontier.
Retreat on 250-Mile Line.
The retreat of the Germans, which
started on a 60-mile front between
the Disc and the Argonne, has been
increasing so that now it takes in all
territory between the coast and the
Meuse, a front of some $50 miles.
The Americans continue in the
thick of the fighting with the French
and the British. American and
French troops have broken through
the Kriemhilde line and have reach
ed points on the Hunding line. In
four days the French and Americans
recovered some 800 square miles of
territory in the vicinity Of the St.
Gobain forest, along the Chemin-des
DANES and in the Argonne forest.
The retirement Of the Germans
from La Fere on Thursday left the
entire Hindenburg line in the hands
of the Allies, General March stated.
The entire week has been most ex-
cellent from the standpoint of the
Allies, General March said. The Brit
ish, continuing their drive south of
LIE Cateau, on Thursday had reached
the east bank of the La Sale River.
The Belgian-British drive in Fland-
ers has been radially toward Bruges,
Client and Turcoing.
The important captures of the
week, General March said, included
Ostend, Zeebrugge, Lille, Roubaix,
Laon and scores of smaller places.
In the east also the Serbs during the
week had advanced well northward
from Nish toward Belgrade, and now
are in possession of some rs miles
of the Berlin Constantinople Rail-
road.
Otranto Lists Lost.
General March explained that he
was making increased efforts to bring
the casualty lists up to date. His eff
forts are badly hampered. In the
case of the lost transport Otranto,
for instance, the muster rolls were
lost with the vessel. The troops on
board were casuals and replacement
units not attached to any division.
The result was that the entire list of
men on board had to be cabled from
the port of embarkation to be check
ed with the survivors and then the
list missing will be cabled back here.
From now on all lists of dead and
missing will be cabled' at once and
made public Immediately after the
relatives are notified. All other cas-
ualties will be rushed here by courier
and also will be made public.
kilograms notifying relatives will
be followed up with letters giving all
possible details of wounds, etc. Then
additional letters will be sent by the
Red Cross workers who are to aid
the department in keeping relatives
informed Of the exact nature of all
casualties, etc. Letters from wounded
soldiers to relatives will also be ex-
pedited in every way possible.