20 October 1918
British First and Third Armies attack north of Le Cateau. By the end of the day they have advanced two miles and are in open country.
War at Sea
The US destroyers USS Balch (DD-50) and USS Paulding (DD-22) collide while carrying out convoy escort duties. One deptch charge is knocked overboard from the Balch, but luckily doesn't explode. The Balch needs two weeks of repairs to her steering gear. The Paulding needs repairs to her bow, which are carried out in the dry dock at Queenstown.
U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History, Norman Friedmann .
The standard history of the development of American destroyers, from the earliest torpedo boat destroyers to the post-war fleet, and covering the massive classes of destroyers built for both World Wars. Gives the reader a good understanding of the debates that surrounded each class of destroyer and led to their individual features.
How to cite this article: Rickard, J (3 January 2018), 20 October 1918, http://www.historyofwar.org/firstworldwar/daybyday/1918_10_20.html
