River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-09-12
SLASH THEIR WAY
INTO ENEMY LINES
BRITISH AND FRENCH ARMIES
CONTINUE THEIR ADVANCE
AT SEVERAL POINTS.
CAPTURE LIE HAMEL VILLAGE
Allies Are Now Within Five Miles of
the important Rail Junction at
St. Quentin-3ritish Reach
Their Line OF March II.

London, Sept. 5-The British and
French armies continue to cut their
way into the German lines on various
sectors Of the lower part of the battle
line in France.
Notwithstanding the bad weather,
which has caused somewhat of a
slackening in the violence Of opera
lions, Field Marshal Haig's forces
have materially encroached upon Cam
brai and st. Quentin, while farther
south the French armies are pressing
eastward on the old Noyon sector
toward La Fere and Laon and north
ward from scissors in an auxiliary
maneuyer with the same detectives in
view.
The French have pressed forward to
the little village Of LIE Hamel on the
Somme and have occupied it. This
puts the furthermost advance of the
Allies to within five miles of the rail
junction at st. Quentin.
British Take Old Positions.
Between the Vesle and the Aisne
rivers, while the American troops are
fighting with the French, additional
ground has been gained by the Allied
forces
The British now are standing at
Villeyeque, six miles from st. Quentin,
having carried out an advance over
10 mile front on the general line Of
Epehy, Hesbecourt and Vermand. To
the north the greater part Of the Hav-
rincoUrt wood, one of the German
strong points barring the way to Cam
brai also has been captured.
So rapid has been the British adj
vance along this portion Of the front
that they now are in positions they
held before the big German drive of
last March. In these positions the
Germans are Offering stout resistance
to further progress by the British.
French Surround Forest.
Gradually the French are working
their way around st. Gobain forest,
north Of scissors, in the movement
that aims at the Outflanking of La
Fere and Laon and all the German
positions east of this region. They
have reached the outskirts of the vii
lage of Servais, on the northern edge
of the forest and 21A miles from La
Fere. While a short distance to the
north they have taken the village of
Nemesis on the ST. Quentin canal,
eight miles from st. Quentin
North Of the Aisne, near scissors,
the Germans are fighting hard to keep
the French in check realizing that the
gain by them of much more territory
in this region, in conjunction with the
maneuyer that is in progress around
st. Gobain forest will place the entire
German defense line eastward toward
Rheims in a critical position. Near
Laf1aux and north of Celles-sur-A
the Germans have delivered strong
counter attacks, but the French
everywhere have maintained their
ground.
Foe Reacts Near Ypres.
The Germans also are reacting
somewhat south of Ypres, especially
on the region of Ploegsteert, where
the British are threatening the recap
ture of Armentieres. Counter often
sive maneuvers here and east of Wul-
vergehin were broken up by the Brit
ish.
During the first week of September
Field Marshal Haig's forces have
taken more than $4,000 prisoners and
large numbers of machine guns and
quantities Of stores.