The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-09-08
General Foch Reports Capturing
Outskirts Of chauInes, and
Cutting Railroad Leading 40
Roye As British Take Leuze
vERMANDoVlLLIERS SALIENT
FLATTENS UP UNDER ATTACK
French Troops Drive Deep Into
Heart of German Lines, and
+ Officially Report Having Made
Gains South of River Somme
,tAss9cia.sd Pres. by Federal wlrsIs..1

'GAssociated Press by Federal wireless)
~ ARTS, September THE steady
pressure the French and British
have been exerting north and
south of the RIVER Somme, following
the first burst OF their great offensive
there, beginning July I, has come 10 an
md and the Allies have resumed their
terrific hammering Of the German lines,
md with good effect.
Berlin has been compelled to admit
that the Germans have lost the town
of Chilly in the fighting of Tuesday,
and last night the official German state.
ment told of the capture by the French,
IF the important town Of Clery Sur
5omme, just to the north of the river,
there IL bends to the westward after
passing Perrone. This step forward
brings the French lines north Of the
'tream and level with the most advanc.
ID of the British positions about four
miles north, and beyond Combles.
Avoiding Front Attacks
Military observers here last night de-
Olared that the evident object of the
French commander, General FOch, is 10
avoid frontal attacks upon PerrOre, If
possible, and by fanking the town,
ompel the Germans to evacuate it I'M
der the fire of his artillery, and with
out exposing his men to the risks of an
assault upon the powerful works that
defend the place.
But while the capture of Clery sIr
Somme was taking place the French
were striking hard OF the German Ii res
south of the river. In the same sector
of the front where they reported sue.
cesses the day before the French Inst
night announced that they have made
most notable gains. Chilly is already in
their hands and they had pushed their
lines well to the east and south of that
place and drove the Germans back
from their advanced positions over =
four mile limo, between Chilly and Yer.
mandOvilliers.
Capture Vermand ovtlliers
The men under General Foch had
llready taken large part Of Verman-
!Gvilliers in the attacks of the dby be-
fcre, and yesterday they drove the
Teutons out of Their last positions, oc,
'upying the crossroads to the south
and east Of the place, as well as cut.
ting the turnpike that leads to Estrees.
The capture of Vermandovillicrs fat.
tens still more the sharp elbow in the
French line. As the situation in that
sector now stands, there is a rounded
German salient sticking into the
French positions. The present line
coming southwest from Belloy en- San
teTre to Berry runs then on slight
slant to the little town of DeniecOuTt,
Just TO the south of EstTees.
Nearing ohaulnes
Here the line bends westward and
| southwark and runs in an almost
| straight line to Verma Ovilliers. At
this point there has been an elbow, al
most right angle, as the line Of tren.
ches swept directly south toward
Chaulnes an important junction town,
from which runs the railroad to R"ye
and PerrOne, as well as to a number
| of minor towns and cities.
Yesterday General Foch launched u
series of attacks in this sector. He bat.
tered at the German lines between
| Barleux and BellOy en- Santerre, until
| ne finally forced the Germans out of
the trenches southeast of the latter
town. This is an important point for a
number of hilllqoads LsonWerge just
south of Belloy en- SanteTTe. Incident
ally it fattened out slight salient in
the French positions.
French Out Railroad
Foch also pounded along the four
mile front between Chilly and Verman-
| dovilliers and he threw his men against
the outskirts Of ChauInes, taking them
after u severe struggle.
| South of Chaulnes he cut the railroad
TO Roye and moved his troops some dis,
lance down the road, driving back
the Germans as he advanced and cap,
turing a number of prisoners.
Berlin reports number of German
counterattacks and so do the official
French communiques the latter claim.
ing that the attacks were driven bac k
by the curtain fire maintained by the
French 'seVenty-fves and the French
infantry.