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Show BATTLEFRONT SHIFTED BY ALLIED VICTORIES ON FLANDERS FRONT Military Expert Declares That German Retreat Is Being Conducted in Good Order With Relatively Small Losses. By NEW YORK TIMES MILITARY EXPERT. (Copyrighted by New York Times.) Special to The Tribune. NEW YORK; Oct. 19. The past week has seen a considerable shifting of the battleline incident to the heavy attacks which the allies have made on the Flanders front. This attack, or, rather, series of attacks, was participated in by the British, French and the Belgians. The Belgian forces generally were on the left, the French in the center and the British on the right. The first attack was delivered along the Lys river as the line of attack farthest south. The front extended as far north as a few mlLes beyond Roulers. This attack had several manifest objects In view. The first consideration was the recovery of the German submarine bases on the Belgian coast. The next point is the relation of the Flanders salient to the pockets about Lille. The. allies succeeded in throwing a half loop about the city, but the German Ger-man line, firmly fixed on the south bank of the Lys river, prevented the clearing of the pocket from the north. The best way of destroying the security of the German position or forcing them to give up the Lys was to make the pocket so deep that the hazard of holding the Inside In-side lines would be too great. Moreover, as was noted last week, there were indications indi-cations that It was the German intention to hold their line3 in the north and to swing their line southeast toward Verdun Ver-dun and the general region of the Meuse. If the northern section of the line could be broken, this plan, if it existed In -fact, would be spoiled. Attack Complete Surprise to Huns. The attack launched was a complete surprise and was effective. The Germans were holding their line in force, not as they are doing in the south, with heavy machine-gun posts only. Their line was quickly broken and overrun, more than 10,000 prisoners being . taken In the first day's fighting. More important, however, than the prisoners is the territory recovered. recov-ered. The entire line of the Roulers-Menln Roulers-Menln railroad was taken and the pocket already existing deepened by several miles. The success was rapidly followed up. Not only was the wedge pushed farther east, but it was quickly extended to the north, pinning the Germans in between the allied line and the sea. The line of the Germans was in a serious predicament, predica-ment, as the allied line was pushed to the north. Then, in the widening of this wedge, there was an excellent opportunity of closing all possible line of retreat for the German forces except that through Holland. In other words, It would mean internment. Discretion advised that the Germans fall back while it was still possible. Accordingly, Ac-cordingly, they got out of harm's way as rapidly as possible, leaving everything they could not move quickly to the advancing ad-vancing allies. Much artillery was taken, over 200 guns and a great quantity of ammunition. They did not hesitate even at Ostend, and the British occupied It on Thursday. The Belgian armored cars and cavalry were not far behind, pressing far In advance of the infantry and reaching the outskirts of Bruges. Bruges was entered en-tered Friday and Zeebruggc was also in allied hands. The entire Belgian coast was thus freed. This coast was useless to the Germans without these two cities. Removes Thorn From Allied Side. It is needless to say that it is one of the most Important victories which have been won since the allied offensive began. It removes one of the most painful thorns from the side of the allied command. Results of this success were made evident evi-dent in the south Immediately. The advance ad-vance in the north offered Ihe little pocket threatened every avenue of re-. treat and enabled the British practically to encircle the city. It was accordingly evacuated, and for the first time since the German retreat began the French found themselves in possession of one of their own cities which the Germans had occupied occu-pied but which they had not destroyed. Apparently the Germans had made no effort either to burn or to blow up the town. The allies likewise occupied Turcot Tur-cot ng. This occupation or reoccupation (Continued on Page Four) This Is the most vital arterv b, p and must ho protected -u , ,'l nw, to bo retiring method ca lv Vs -'I' 'r sonobly good order T ,V ' ., a''1'. in rV of their guns, poss'll, U L', , s.aving most munition, altho'ugl g" .? m-they m-they are certainly losln. J olenetit There does no. p K o of capturing large h V a"v chance German' defense is still S! J "00ns- The In almost every , " , K?"d for that hehlnd water barrier. f 9 ''"'"ans ;v they are holding VtrgcVTm"''' '' " FRONT SHIFTED B VICTORIES (Continued from Page One.) of Lille puts the allies In possession of the greatest base In the north. The British efforts still farther south against I.'ouai have heon keeping pace with those in the north. Steady, consistent consist-ent pressure has been exerted, bringing' their lines closo up to the city, and, in- deed, in the western suburbs. Here the Germans have been in the process of a withdrawal for some time, and the British Brit-ish have been engaged principally In rear guard fighting. But with a water barrier between them and the Germans, and the German rear guard consisting of massed machine guns, the defense was very effective. Along the Selle the British were held up for some time, exactly as they were on the Sensee canal. But In the "middle of the week they drove over the river, establishing es-tablishing themselves safely well to the east of the river line. This" movement Is in the direction of the main line of German Ger-man communications from Valenciennes and through Hirson. The primary objective, ob-jective, however, was the line of the Selle river. It has to be crossed In force and on a sufficiently wide front to enable en-able the British to spread out on the eastern side before the advance in general gen-eral could be continued. Delaying Battle Is Still Possible. In the allies' Immediate front 1b the Samlire canal. Behind this are many email streams running generally north and south, behind each of whicji the Germans will be aMe to fight a delaying battle'. On the American front the action has been sustained throughout the weak There has been absolutely no cessation In the lighting from the .lay the Offensive In the Argonne was first launched The advance has been painfully slow fur several sev-eral reasons. In tiie first place, the country Is the most difficult that Is being encountered by any army in France. Not onlv Is it extremely hilly, but It is heavily covered with woods. Every obstacle that nature could put In the way hay to bo met a.wl overcome. In the second place, we are not (urhtliii rear guard a. -tions. We are contending with the Hermans In their full M length They must bold the line whre We ,,' .' attacking or sulTer positive disaster If the Moziers, Hiram. Valenciennes ' II., In cut on the American froPt ti. c , man urmy will bo In serlou' ijiflU-ult'les" |
