The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-17
HUNS ARE IN PERIL.
FRESH FORCES USED BY GER
MANS IN DESPERATE
EFFORT.
Americans and British Gain Foothold
in Bary-sur-Somme on Northern
Bank of River While French Cap
ture Gury-Place Of Great Strate-
gic Value.


ing fresh forces of reserves in efforts
to hold back the Allied troops who are
pressing them from the region OF the
Somme to the ,Aisne, the American
British and French armies continue 70
make progress. Monday witnessed
gains Of ground at various points
along the battle front of high 1mpor-
tance for the further prosecution OF
the endeavors of the Allies to drive
ont the Germans from the old Amlens-
Montdidier sector.
After an extremely bitter contest
the Americans and British have gained
a. footho!d in the important little
town Bary-Sru-Somme, on the north
ern bank of the Somme. A short dis
tance across the river to the south,
the British have taken Proyart ana
midway of the line have pressed on TO
the east of Fouquescourt in a ma
neuver which has resulted in the 1uF-
ther outf1anking Of Chaulnes from the
south and of Roye from the north.
On their part the French in the
rolling country Immediately north Oh
the Disc have captured Curry, po-
sltion of great strategic value, lying
southwest Of Lassigny and at several
points southwark to the region OF the
Disc have advanced their line furth-
er toward Noyon.
In Mondays fighting hundreds Oh
additional Germans were made pr1s-
soner and the enemy also lost heavily
in men killed or wounded. Unofficial
report gives the number Of Germans
captured in the present offensive as in
the neighborhood Of 10000.
The Germans at last accounts were
still throwing reinforcements to the
east Of the road running through
Chaulnes, Roye and Noyon, the
passage Of which by the Allies would
seriously menace all the German
forces inside the pocket formed by
the Somme on the north and east
and the Disc on the south Not alone
are the Allies endeavoring to press
their advantage by frontal attacks
but they have drawn to their back
lines guns of medium and heavy cal
ibers and with these they are heavily
shelling the areas held by the Ger
mans even as far back as Berthen-
court, which lies on the Somme sew
en- and half miles east Of Chaulnes
Meantime allied airplanes continue to
bomb German positions and to use
machine guns from low attitudes or
troop formations.
Seemingly the advances by the
French troops on the southern part
of the line can not but have an ex-
tremely important effect on the pres
ent battle. The hill positions they
have gained not alone dominate the
Disc valley running northwestward
to Noyon but around Lassigny also
give them sweep Of the positions
south of Roye.
Aside from the Aniens- -Montdidiel
sector little fighting has taken place
on any of the fronts. Along the
vesle the Germans again had deliv-
cred violent counterattacks agains,
the Americans and French who are
holding ground on the north bank o.
the stream AS on previous occasions
when the enemy attempted to dis
lodge the Allied troops the counter
attacks failed.
British aircraft have brought down
German airship off the coast OF
Holland, according to announcement
by the British admiralty. An unoffl-
cial report announces a Zeppelin OF
the largest and newest type has been
brought down off the English east
coast.