The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-21
(l3y Associated Press.D

British forces struck the Germans
over front of approximately 10 miles
on the line southwest of Arras at dawn
this morning.
According to meagre details receiv-
ed from the scene of the new assault.
the British have advanced from TO
miles and have captured the towns
of Moyenneville, Courcelles, Achiet-Le-
Pedit and Beaucourt-surAncre and
| have reached the town of Achiet-Le-
Grand.
Unofficial dispatches appear to indi
cate that the British advance has car
ried the battle line up to point three
miles from Bapaume, an important
highway center and place reputed to
be an important German base in the
| northern Picardy sector.
Enemy Position Endangered.
If the British drive continues to
press the Germans back along the
northern side of the Picardy salient.
the enemy forces further south would
appear to be in serious position.
The new advance seems to have
placed the north =rn section of the en-
emy's front in great danger.
In the Flanders battle area, the Ger
mans also are under heavy pressure.
during last night an attack was made
from Festuberg to the Lave river,
distance of more than 4 miles.
Attack Old Line.
While the width of the attacking
front is not clearly defined a wide
front" probably would include a line
from the Ancre to the Scarpe, about
fifteen miles. There has not been any
havy fighting recently on the line
, north of the Ancre, although the Ger
mans some days ago retired slightly
on the front between Beaumont Hamel
and Bucquoy. There has been more
or less raiding activity, however
The battle front from north Of the
Ancre to north of Lens has not seen
as great a change is other sectors be-
tween Ypres and Rheims since the
beginning Of the German offensive,
March 81.
In making an attack hire It would
appear that Marshal Foch is striving
to break the old German line in the
Arras area. Any considerable forward
movement here would menace the
German positions north and south for
many miles. Strategically, a blow here
would seem to be a companion one to
the French offensive south Of tile Disc
and strong attempt to force the Ger
mans to retire all along the line.
village at bout the middle Of this
line has been captured, making an ad-
vance of nearly mile at this point.
On the northern side of the Lys
salient the British made a local at
tack over a mile front near Locre
this morning. Important Dranoutre
ridge has been rested from the enemy.
Between the Aisne and the Disc
French troops continued their advance
this morning. According to the latest
advices. the French now are on the
high ridges to the northwest of Sois-
sons and have a position which over
looks and virtually dominates the
German position along the Disc to
the east of Noyon
Defensive System Breaking.
French progress on the vital sec
tor between the Disc and Scissors
bids fair to bring about cracking of
the German defensive system from
Ypres to Rheims. Marshal Foch has
connected up his Marne and Picardy
successes with new triumph which
appears to be a greater threat than
either of the others.
In the new major operation, be-
tween the Aisne and the Oise the
French have gained the heights and
are advancing rapidly toward the Disc
and the supply lines connecting Laon
and other bases with the Noyon pock-
et In two days of local operations
an done given to a concrete attack.
General Mangin has advanced forme
than two and onehaIf miles on a front
of more than Is miles. The Disc and
the railway line. paralelling it, are but
three miles away and the French ap-
paently holds all the important high
ground which had barred the way to
Noyon and the line of the Disc.
II Marshal Foch can push the ad-
vance to north OF the Disc, it would
appear to be inevitable that the Ger.
Continued on Pare Eieht)