THE WAR.
GERMANS
COMMENCE
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS MONDAY, OCTOBEK 7TH, 1916.
ABANDON.
MENT OF FLANDERS COAST:
BRITISH ENTER LENS AND ARMENTIERES: GERMAN FRONT IN CHAMPAGNE ENDANGERED.
ALLIED NAVAL RAID ON DURAZZO:
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY AND PEACE.
TSAR OF BULGARIA ABDICATES.
Franco-Helgian Front
* {THROUGH BEUTER'S AGENCY.]
BRITISH FRONT.
MINOR OPERATIONS NEAR ST.
QUENTIN..
LONDON, October 5th.
a
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE BY
BRITISH DIVISIONS.
LONDON, October 4th.
Sir Douglas Haig states:- In the operations by the Second British Army in Flanders on September 29th and subsequent days the Ninth. Twenty Ninth and Thirty-Fifth Divisions reader. Sir Douglas Haig states:- In sucessful minor operations on Fried distinguished service.
In most favourable weather they ad- day north of Saint Quentin, wo made substantial progress south-east of Beau-vanced to a depth of over nine miles across revoir and north of Gay and Le Catelet, very difficult country, clearing the whole ridge east and south-east of Ypres, and taking 800 prisoners.
We again slightly advanced our line as taking a prominent part in the capture, by British troops, of over 4,000 prisoners night north west of Le Catelet.
and 100 guns. GERMANS SET FIRE, TO DOUAL
LONDON, October 5th.
The Ninth Division, on the first day of the attack, took Becelnere, five miles
FRENCH FRONT.
An armoured cor entered Rulers and did greur execution. Two of the occuON THE CAMBRAI-ST QUENTIN pants were killed and two wounded; only one was left to bring back the car. GERMAN MAN.POWER WASTAGE.
According to prisoners, the German Fifty-Seventh and. Fifty-Ninth Reserve Divisions and the Second and Eleventh
FRONT.
Loxpox, October 5th.
A French communiqué, states ;-
GERMAN FRONT IN CHAMPAGNE Aerial Activites.
OUTFLANKED.
LONDON, October 8th.
Reuter's Correspondent'at French Head-
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]
quarters, telegraphing at 10 p.m., on Fri METZ-SABLON BOMBED AGAIN day, stated:-
North of St Quentin fighting continued The advance of General Gouraud's left with undiminished violence. We have thrown back the enemy, who was defending yesterday was very important.
occupies a line outdanking the Moron- ing himself foot by foot, from the height;
It
Divisions have been withdrawn as they situated 1,200 metres south-east of Charvilliers Heights which is the main bastion)
are no longer capable of fighting,
The moral of the Guards Division is reported asing ao reduced that some of the men ris on the opening of attacks Straggler pickets are posted in the rear to prevent this,
"A GRAND WEEK."
LONDON, October 5tb.
.British Reuter's correspondent at Headquarters, telegraphing
states:-
of the German front in Champagne.
EXPLOSION AT FRESCATY.
LONDON, October 4th The Press Burenú states --- An independent forcës last night, bòmb-
donyent and the neighbouring woods.
North-west of Rheims, we are again| The enemy's second main line of resisted the railways at Metz Sables and the whole front of the Aiane Canal, which we whole front between Rheims and the exercising vigorous pressure along the ance has been breached at Orfeuit and his aerodromes at Morhange and Fresenty.
Observation was difficult but a fire and crossed in several places." We advanced
explosion were observed at Frescnty. All our machines returned.
GERMANS BOMB HOSPITAL IN FRANCE.
as far as the outskirts of Bermericourt.
The number of prisoners counted in the past five days exceeds 2,300. We have taken 31 guns, including 20 heavy guns, of which five are 210 m.m. calibre.
Suippe is endangered.. TREACHEROUS CERMANS ENTER- MINATED.
Lesbos, October sth. Beuter's Correspondent at American
PARIS, October 4th. SPLENDID MOVE IN CHAMPAGNE. Headquarters states: - -
German aeroplanes twien bombed Lively attacks by the French and Ameri-ing Abri de St. Louis 100 Gecoans ruber 1st. A score of bombs were dropped, When the American troops were approach. Chalons-sur-Marne, on the night of Octo- to-day, cans in Champagne, and their advance out holding their hands up in token of several falling ou
Festerday in the direction of the Arne, surrender. The Americans ceased fire and Sixty sick men were killed and an equal s clearing hospital. forced the enemy, who threatened having allowed the Germans to approach. When nuraber were injuced. his left turned, to evacuate, precipitately the Germans arrived within bombing the eastern part of the mountain region,
range they plunged their hands into their Our troops in the western sector of the pockets and bombed the Americans, killing Suippe are on the heels of the energy rear- and wounding many. guards and at night. had reached the heights 800 kilometres south-east of Mozonvillera.
"
It has been a grand week, but the enemy is now fighting everywhere with great stubbornness
These optimists who already see the Germans back to the Meuse have not the faintest conception of the realities.
PROGRESS TOWARDS ROULERS. LONDON, October 4th.
A Belgian communiqué states: —- The French and Belginns to-day made slight progress towards Hooglede and. Roulers.
FLANDERS COAST TO BE ABANDONED.
LONDON, October 4th. Reuter learns From authoritive naval sources that there is every indication that
Sir Douglas Haig states:-- Minor operations continued successfully cast of the starting point of the advance, the Germans will soon abandon the whole
forth of St. Quentin..
and three days later reached Ledegbem
On the first day the Twenty-Ninth Divi The Australians and English. accom- panied by tanks, progressed in the neighsion passed beyond Cheluvelt and cap- bourhood of the villages Mont Brebain and Beaurevoir, and on the spur north- west of Beaarevoir.
As a result of our continued pressure, on the whole front the enemy is withdrawing from the high ground named La Torreniere Plateau, in the bend of the canal at De Lescaut hetween La Catelet and Creve-
coeur.
tyred Kruiseecke, having advanced five miles along the Menin Road.
On its right, the Thirty-Fifth Division also passed far beyond our old positions of 1017 and took Zandvoorda,
STRATEGIC SITUATION ON THE BEAUREVOIR FRONT,
LONDON, October 4th. Reuter's Correspondent at British Head "We are now east of the Canal on the quarters telegraphing this afternoon, whole front between Le Catelet änd Creve- | states :-- coeur, where we are driving in the rear- guards who had taken possession of La Teren ere, and the section of the Hinden- burg system in this neighbourhood.
The enemy has set fire to Douai. ENEMY'S WITHDRAWAL, IN LENS- ARMENTIERES SECTOR.
LONDON. October 4th.
Sir Douglas Haig states:-
Local fighting in which we made pro-
Beaurevoir, north of Gouy, and south of Cambrai...
of the Flanders Const. ·
It is "known that the Germans are already removing their guns from there-
There have been three heavy bombard. ments of the Flanders Coast in the past. lew days.
FLANDERS COAST BEING EVACUATED.
LONDON, October 3th.
Frontier correspondents confirm that the evacuation of the coast of Flanders is proceeding.
More Americans with fame-throwers came up and surrounded Abri. They poured in gas and lame till not even a
South of Mouthois we smashed up atas could have survived.. counter-attack against Croix-des-Soudans 1,760.000 AMERICANS SENT ACROSS. | retaining all our gains.
LONDON, October ath.
The Germans, who were heavily reia- forced, are disputing the ground along the Striking figures respecting the trans- entire Orfuil-Montbois front with export of American troops, to Europe show treme obstinacy.
"that the total, up to September 30th, was 1,760,000,, of which British. ships carried approximately 1,000.000.
HARD BATTLE SOUTH OF SEQUE
HART.
11
LONDON, October 5th. A French communiqué states North of St. Quentin we actively parti- cipated in a hard battle in the Hinden- | 6ärg position, and captored Chardouvert, south of Sequehart, and several fortifed woods.
Further south, we gained a footing in Les Dines and captured Morcourt.
The enemy made furious repeated coun- ter-attacks. All his efforts were shattered with heavy loss,
We captured 400°-prisoners and 'Four] heavy gun
IMPORTANT ADVANTAGE IN
CHAMPAGNE.
The Franco-Americans in Champagne gained an important advantage and com- pleted their yesterday's successes.
On the left we pushed over four kilo metres north of Auberive and eight kilometres north-west of Sonimepy to the river Arne where we captured the villages of Vaudesiucourt, Doutrien, Itsouplet and the Grand-Bellois woods in spite of
The Germans are hurriedly sistance, removing material, guns, provisions, etc., HEAVY FIGHTING NEAR
CHALLERANGE. from numerous villages. They are also
The general strategic situation is very removing huge stores and provisions from
Ghent towards Germany. interesting.
The trend of the fighting on the Beau revoir Front has now swung nearly due north, and the battle will possibly have far-reaching resulta. BEAUREVOIR SYSTEM IN BRITISE HÄNDS.
LOADOS, October 4th. Router's Correspondent at British Head.
states:--
Some reports state that the docks at Bruges are on fire.
GERMAN RETREAT SOUTH OF
LILLE.
LONDON. October 8th.
A semi-cficial statement concerning the enemy's retreat south of Lille states that the edemy appears to contemplate fol-
as far as the Scheldt.
Seventy per cent. of the work of co- voying was performed by the British
Davy.
IL
During September 311,000' Americans, 5.000 Canadians and 4,000 American bluejackets were transported to Europe. Half these Americans were Innded in France and the remainder in England.
The largest single convoy, from the United States which came in September numbered over 31,000.
The previous record was 29,000.
The figures emphasise the enormous contribubtion which America is making and the strength of the British navy, as well as the failure of the much vaunted U-boat threats to prevent the arrival of the American Army.
DETERMINED ENEMY
RESISTANCE.
LONDON,October 5th. Reuter's correspondent at American Headquarters SHOW! that yesterday's American advance which was, well sup- reported by gas, artillery, and aeroplanes'
met with a most determined resistance.
Further east we reached the outskirts of St. Etienne Aarnes and got a footing on the plateau of Orfeuil, capturing Orfeuil village..
We evacuated Challerange, which nel ther side hold, being intensely shelled by both artilleries.
SPLENDID WORK IN THE AIR. Favourable weather facilitated aviation on October 3rd.
Nineteen enemy aeroplanes were felled
Our scouts pushed as far as the enemy and three balloons were set on fire. lines.
Fifty-one tons of hombs and thousands alcartridges were fired during the day on
beounter-attack in one sector.
gress occurred in the neighbourhood of quarters, telegraphing this afternoon. towing the line of the Ladeule Craal as
With our line still creeping towards the far na Donai and the line of the Sensee,nemy reserves mansed with a view to a The enemy's withdrawal continues in the east beyond Lena and Armentieres, and the whole of the Beaurevoir system reported Lens-Armentieres sector.
Our advanced troops reached Wavrin na being in our hands, it may be said that and Erquinghem. »
THE AIRMEN'S PART IN THE
BATTLE.
LONDON, October 4th.
Bir Douglas Haig states: There was intense air activity on all possible occasions on the battle-front
our counter-attack.
Our patrols successfully forestalled the enemy's intentions, by warning our Hend
quarters.
Our advancing infantry were screened by smoke-curtains caused by smoke bombs dropped from the air, while the forward. machine guns were supplied with ammuni- tion dropped by our airmen.
Our fighting squadrons kept the air free from hostile machines, enabling this work to be successfully carried out.
We destroyed 27 hostile machines and drove down 3 out of control...
Twelve British machines are missing. We dropped 96 tons of bombs during the day and 30 tons at night, causing consider- able damage at junctions and communica tions.
yesterday was a good day.
A distinguished, officer freeh from the thick of the fighting said "We have the Germans pressed and cooked.”
The trend of the fighting his swang nearly due north, and the strategic effect of yesterday's battle will possibly have far- reaching results. Our patrols' pushed out beyond the Beaurevoir line along the whole length of the new front.
The aeroplanes again fed our advanced troops with five tons of food and cart
German Headquarters has been shown to recognise the necessity of securing proges tection against Tanks by establishing a
line behind the water-ways.
The question is whether the Germans will be able to "maintain the new posi- tions.
BOOTY TAKEN IN BATTLE FOR
FLANDERS RIDGE.
LONDON, October 3th.
Twenty-nine tons of projectiles were dropped during the night on enemy bivodes and cantonments on 11 wide front.
ATTACK WEST OF THE MEUSE RESUMED.
LONDON, October stb. An Américan communiqué states :---- This morning we resumed our attack west of the Meuse and overcame stubborn resistance
1
A Belgian communiqué issued yesterday. We advanced our lines from 2 to 5
states:-
There has been much heavy counter" The British, Belgian and French attacking on the Cambrei-St. Quentin attack, on September 29th, conquered the
Front.
During the night we were driven out
of Beaurevoir Mill and La Motte Farm. but we recaptured the fortified positions
Fighting is very serate around Seque hart. We are maintaining all our gains Our tanks assisted by infantry are operat ing very effectively,
Down to laat evening over 4,000 prison-. ers were counted in the Fourth Army "cages." Prisoners are still coming in.
BELGIAN ARMOURED CAR ENTERS ROULERS.
LONDON, October 4th. Reuter's correspondent at British Sir Douglas Haig tates:We dropped Ecadquarters, telegraphing this even-
LATER.
21 tons of bomba during the day and 25 | ing, states:-
tons at night, attacking at night, the How forcely the Belgians are now railway junctions in the rear of the fighting is shown by the fact that, a enemy's battle-front and causing damage German battery in action was captured to the permanent.way and rolling stock by the use of knives and revolvers alone. We destroyed 14 aeroplanes and drove The Eelgians rushed the guns while they kdown 6 out of control. Eight British were being fired and killed the whole
machines are missing.
i
Crew.
whole of the Flanders ridge in 48 hours.
Local actions, since the, armed freeing of the approaches to the Ridge, resulted in an advance of 14 kilometres on a front of 40, completely freed Ypres, and per mitted the occupation of the Lys River between Armentieres and Wervicq.
I
The prisoners counted number 10,500, including 200 officers. We also took 350
guns, 200 trench mortars, and 000 machine
guna.-
A German official statement says:- The enemy captured Le Catelet, ad vanced as far as Beaurevoir and Mont Brehain and penetrated Sequchart.
kilometres and carried Hill 240, north of
Exermont and took the villages of Gesses, Fleville, Chehery and La Forge.. Despite heavy artillery and machine- gan fire we forced the enemy back to the Kriemhilde" positions, south of Poise de-Foret." GERMANS FALLING BACK ON THE
RIVER ARNE.
Our progress,, after the first objectives were reached. was slow, owing to the "great artillery and machine-gun fire..
GERMAN VANDALISM.
PARIS, October 5th. 3. Ringuier, the Deputy for St. Quentin, who has visited that town, states that the Germans bave destroyed, by fire and dynamite) the spinning mills, lace factories and metal works.
The bombardment continues, and bä number of houses have been destroyed. and the furniture removed.
All public monuments, fountains, and statuce have been defaced and the Cathedral destroyed by the explosion of munition dump, but the Town Hall and theatre are scarcely damaged.
The German officer who was ordered to completely destroy the town was taken prisoner the mument he was about to do so.
Naval Activities."
{THROUGH REUTERʼS AGENCY.) ALLIED NAVAL ATTACK ON DURAZZO..
THE AUSTRIAN VERSION,
LONDON, October 4th. An Austrian official report states: ---- About thirty units of enemy naval forces and numerona airmen bombarded the town and narbour of Durazzo for two hours on October 2nd.
The material damage is not important. The enemy's attempt to penetrate the harbour with torpedo boats and gliding boats failed. One enemy glicing boat was sunk.
RUSSIAN BATTLESHIPS COMMAN- DEERED BY GERMANY.
AMSTERDAM, October 6th.
LONDON, October 5th." Reuter's Correspondent at Freach Bead- quarters, telegraphing to day, states:
A telegram from Berlin announces The Germans are falling back in East that the battleship Volga and other which is a tributary of the Suippe ern Champagne on the line of the Arne, units, completed in war time, are now under German control, and are protect- The Americans reached this line at Sting the Black Sea and the Straits, This north af step has been taken in agreement with Etienne village, 4 miles
the Moscow Government. Italian Front
■..
Eominepy. -General Gouraud's troops have now broken through, in eight days, two systems of defences, the first of which was con- sidered impregnable n year ago.
[THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.)
AUSTRIAN ATTACK NORTH OF MOUNT GEAPPA.
LONDON, October 5th. An Italian official statement says:- The British broke into the lines on the Asiago Plateau and destroyed the de- tensive works, taking 150 prisoners.
The British Navy and British airmen powerfully contributed to the victory.
THROUGH GERMAN EYES.
Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that the enemy has abandoned the theory of an LONDON, October 4th.breakable line, and now talks in official communiqués of "glacis in France rand Belgium, which is all he needs to hold for the defence of the Fatherland. notation in German. It has already. The word glacis" has an ominous con-
served before as an excuse for pillage, We drove back the enemy on both sides and laying waste large tracts of populous of Le Catelet beyond his starting positions country.
The enemy attacked north of Mount and recaptured Beaurevoir and Mont There in every renson to fear that this Brehain.
is what is now meant. However, it also Grappa, on Mount Solarolo at the head of the Stizzon Valley. He gained s Sequehart remains in the enemy's hands, means that the German-High Command foothold on our post at Malgaval pez, Small French Dents remain a Weissen is preparing the public for another suffering heavy losses. barg and Medeab and on the heights near treat. That retreat,, however, will bring Естімеру.
the fighting line uncomfortably near the We recaptured Challerange.
German homes.
201
Air activity was intense. We have brought down Four seroplanes
"THIS DEBT SHE SHALL PAY."
PARIS. October 3th. letter referring to the bombing of the M. Clemenceat, in the course of a
tioning some Chalons-sur-Marne hospital, after wen-,
of Germany's various crimes, says that in the fury of defent she is destroying our cities, homes, sacred monuments, art, industry, and even our trees. In fity months she has contracted a crushing weight of debt. This debt she shall pay."
The Near East,
{THROUGH REUTHER'S AGENCY.}
PALESTINE SITUATION
UNCHANGED. · ·
-15,000>PRISONERS MORE.
Los Dos, October 5th, A Palestine obcial statement anys:- The general situation is unchanged. Our cavalry north and west of DamascuR, clearing the country, have taken over 13.000 prisoners.
Since September 18th we captured 71,000 prisoners and 0 guns
King Hossein's Arabs took an addi- tional 8,000 prisoners.
Included in these figures are several Turkish commanders and 3,200 Austrians and Germans.
The Balkans.
[THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.)
BULGARIANS SURRENDERING
IN MACEDONIA
OVER SEVEN THOUSAND COUNTED.
ין
LONDON, October 5th. An Italian oficial statement anys: In Albania we passed Ljusnat
Au Macedonia, the surrender of the Bulgarians facing our positions on the Monastir--Kicevo rond began. On Thursday 11 officers, (of whom two were .brigade commanders and four were regi
mental commanders). and 7,218 of other* ranks, were counted.
We also took & guns and 70 "machine- guns and other material,
AUSTRO-GERMANS IN SERBIA.
A SERBIAN VICTORY.
LONDON, October 5th. A Serbian communiqué states:- We repulsed Austrian and German reinforcements yesterday and pürived them towards the old Serbian-Turkish frontier, taking 100 prisoners.
ADVANCE IN ALBANIA.
AN IMPORTANT SUPPLY CENTRE REACHED.
LONDON,October 4tb." An Italian othcial statement from
Albania says:—
We continued to advance on the whole front between the sea and the Tomorines Mountains on Thursday.
One column crossed the Bomeni and advanced across the plain of Mazukja, on Ljusna, an important supply centre.
The other columns, from Berat, are advancing in the direction of El Bassan.
ENEMY TROOPS IN SOUTHERN SERBIA.
SERBIANS CAPTURE PRENYE
LONDON, October 5th. A French Easterni communiqué states: Allied troops: came into contact, on, October 3rd, with "Austrian and Germany forces in southern Serbia, south of Vranya.
The Serbians, on September 30th, carried, Prenys on the E basa Road, west of Lake Ochrida, taling 100 pri-
Boners"
Largo booty, including a heavy Naval gun, was captured
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