The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-11-04
GERMANS FALL
BACK ONE MILE
French Force Retreat on 13
Mile Front in Aisne Sec
tor, to Ailette.

LONDON, Nov. S.--The whole section
On TIE HIshe front. extending from the
Oise-Aisne canal on the west TO Coroehy
on the east. a distance OF thirteen miles.
comprising the western end OF the IA
nous chemin- -des-Dames. was evacuated
Thursday night by the Germans. who re-
treated about one mile TO the north
are making at least a temporary stand.
Tho French followed them UP closely
and are now on the south bank of the
river. after occupying the four villages
Of Courtecon. Cerny. ALLIES and Chew
reux. all Of which are about eight miles
south Of Laon. the French objective In
this sector.
The new French positions on the ALL
ette are much more favorable for opera
ton. against Laon than those on the
Observation-Disclosures, while the German
defence. II one is made here. will be
much less effective. That the Germans
have suffered severely in the last week
or ten days is shown by the War Or
nee statement from Paris. which re-
norts the capture since October % Of
t22 German guns and 720 machine guns.
The ohicial reports follow;
Bridges Are Cut.
French (Day)-In the course Of the
niRht our troops continued to make
progress between the Oise Canal and
the region OF Corbeny and reached
the south bank OF the Ailette River
over this entire front. Friday nights
ofYlcial French communication, In which
the beginning OF this movement evi-
dently was announced, has not been
received.
The enemy has retired to tho north
hank NJ the river whose bridges and
foot bridges were cut.
Artillery fghting continues very
vigorously ir the sector of Chavignon
and at certain points in the region
Of the plateaus.
In the way OF material captured
since October % we have actually
counted 200 heavy and field guns. ?22
trench cannon and 100 machine guns.
on the right bank Of the Meuse
(Verdun 'front.' there were violent ar
tillery ENGAGEMENTS In the region OF
Chaume Wood. An enemy attack north
OF at. Mihiel waA without result Tho
nteht was calm everywhere else.
In the period between October II
and Al twenty three German airplanes
we're brought down. OF these twenty
one were destroyed by our pilots after
combat and two by our special cannon.
Furthermore, twenty-eight enemy ma
chimes were damaged seriously and de-
scended within the German lines
MAny Airplanes Wrecked.
French ,Night)-On the Ailette
front our troops are organising the
new ground conquered from the Disc
artillery actions were fought In the
different sectors OF the Chemin -des-
Danes. Two enemy surprise attacks
on small posts south OF Anixy were un-
successful.
tDurins the course Of the battle Of
Malmsison our aviators with great
audacityattacKed the enemy troops with
their machine guns. and bombarded
stations and points Of concentration.
They fought Gil aerial engagements
Sixteen German airplanes were
brought down and three captive bal
looms set on fire. In addition. Atty
enemy airplanes fell inside their own
lines, the greater part OF them being
completely destroyed.
In Champagne We carried out a
surprise attack against a small enemy
fort west OF Butte de ~Mesnil and
brought back prisoners.
On the right bank of the Meuse the
artillery struggle has taken on a char
acter Of great intensity on the front OF
Chaume Wood -BezonvauN. The can