Western Front
The so-called
Battles of the Hindenburg Line: Battle of Canal du Nord (27 September-1 October 1918): Messines retaken by British forces (see April 10th). Italians force crossing of the Aisne east of Conde.
Meuse-Argonne Offensive: Battle of Champagne and Argonne (see October 15th): Further Franco-American progress; General Mangin advances in Champagne and on the Aisne. Germans retire to the Ailette. American line advanced to Exermont and Brieulles, many villages taken.
The Allied
Flanders Advance begins with the
Battle of the Flanders Peaks (see October 10th) and the
Fifth Battle of Ypres 1918 (see November 10th, 1917, and October 2nd, 1918) (Other sources count this as the
Fourth Battle of Ypres (until October 2): Allied Flanders Army Group (King Albert, CoS General Degoutte) of 28 divisions with 2,550 guns (12 Belgian with 170,000 men, 10 BEF, 6 French divisions). Successful Anglo-Belgian attack after 3-hour barrage advances on 23-mile front from Dixmude to Ploegsteert under King Albert; Houthhulst Forest captured and claim over 4,000 prisoners, Houthulst Forest shows 4-mile advance; Wytschaete captured. Belgian 4th Carabineers storm Passchendaele.
Long range bombardment of Dunkirk.
Western Front, Air: Ernst Udet destroys 2 US-crewed DH and receives bullet graze. Lieutenant F Rumey (45 victories) of Jasta 4 killed in action. Bogohl 3 and other German units drop 167,154lb bombs. Most crews carry out 3 sorties (night September 28/29). RAF loss of 424 men since September 15 severest of war, average 15.5 per 100 planes flown (1,404 serviceable). 24 RAF squadrons support final Allied advance, helped by radio telephone. 6 main rail targets attacked, 27 aircraft lost in low-flying attacks.
German prisoners carrying a wounded soldier follow a British tank during the Battle of Canal du Nord: © IWM (Q 9345):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...289559263719424
Damaged town of Varennes, France on the River Aire:
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Panorama of Montfaucon, France after its capture by the American Army from the Germans:
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A British soldier guarding German prisoners at Bapaume: © IWM (Q 9339):
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American artillerymen exchanging fire with German artillery at Bois du Fays. A German shell explode in the background:
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British troops underneath a damaged bridge near Mœuvres: © IWM (Q 9640):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...651943358713856
Southern Front
Austro-Hungarian attack in Val Giudicaria (Dolomites) repulsed.
Salonika: Armistice talks begin at 1600 hours including General Lukov and Bulgarian Finance Minister who hope for neutral status but d’Esperey unyielding.
Serbia: French 57th Division occupies Ochrid.
Bulgarian soldiers in Allied captivity. Bulgaria’s withdrawal from the war causes the entire Balkan front of the Central Powers to collapse:
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Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Trans-Jordan: British troops under General Allenby cross the Upper Jordan at Jisr Benat Yakub and effect a junction with Arab forces near Deraa.
British cavalry at El Kuneitra, 40 miles from Damascus.
RAF bomb Damascus airfield from new Kuneitra landing ground, supplied with fuel by air. Aircraft land at Damascus on October 1.
Naval and Overseas Operations
Belgian Coast: British ships and aeroplanes co-operate in attack on Zeebrugge. Eleven German destroyers evacuate port on September 30 and reach Germany thanks to moonless nights, shoals and rough weather which thwart Harwich Force.
Britain: Swan Hunter yard launches first fabricated ‘straight line’ ship SS
War Climax, 31 weeks from laying keel.
Mozambique: Paul von Lettow recrosses river Rovuma into German East Africa, opposite Nagwamira (8 hippos shot for meat to celebrate return). Kartucol reaches river Lugenda.
Political, etc
Between Warring Powers: Germany refuses British proposal re: Prisoners agreement.
Japan: Baron Goto Shinpei, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, resigns (see 29th, and April 22nd).