The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-10-14
LA FERE FALLS;
FRENCH CLEAR
C0BAIN FOREST
Poilus Capture Several Towns;
italian Units Extend Drive
North of AiIette.
CITY OF LAoN IS CAPTURED
Bastlon Of German Line 10 Taken
by the Allles-BritIeh Are Within
Few Hundred Yards Of
Doual, halo Reports.

London. Oct. 14.-Laon, the anchor
west front, has been cast off by Luden-
dorff under Foch's terrific pressure
from four sides, and the whole Ger
man southern front is in Qrecipitate
retreat.
The city Is In allied hands. The
French have entered its outskirts and
not single German is left in the town.
Only two lines Of retreat are still
open toAthe huge German force In the
LaOn pocket-estimated at quarter
Of a mill1On-that to HirsOn and to
Mexieres. The Germans cannot stop
now until they have fed to the ap
pr0aches Of these places, which means
that their flight must continue for be-
tween 80 and 50 miles northeastward.
With the southern pivot gone, Lille,
the northern hinge, practically hangs
in the air." and the retreat must pres
emily extend over the whole 1OO-mile
front between the north Of Reims and
the North sea.
Douai, the "crutch" south Of Lille on
| which that stronghold has been lean
ing for weeks, is falling. Unof1cially
the British are reported fighting in its
suburbs.
Ia Fere Also Captured.
La Fere, which was to Laon what
Douai has been to Lille, has been oc-
cupied by the French. It lies a little
more than twelve miles northwest Of
Laon. The French there are driving
hard and fast after the Germans,
while Debeney's French First army to
the north, may at any moment sweep
across the Disc and dash to the Laon-
Hirson railway via Guise to cut off
part Of the mass Of troops now clog
ging this avenue Of escape in its flight.
Almost due west Of Laon GOuraud's
army north of Reims has crossed the
Aisne and is smashing against the left
flank OF the German LaOn army, threat
ening to cut the other rail OF retreat
between Laon and Mezieres.
While the Baden prince is frantical-
ly trying to hurry an armistice to ef-
feet the evacuation in safety, Foch's
armies are hammering hot on the foes
heels all along the front.
To the northeast, along the Serre
river, villages are burning. the state
| ment says.
On the st. 'Goba1n plateau the French
captured st. Nicholas-Aux-Bois and
Suzy. (Both places are east of the
forest Of st. Gobain, which thus seems
| IN. ho loI
Capture Of these towns also shows the
French are driving on Laon not only
from the south and southeast, but
from the west and northwest st. Mich
olas-aux-Bois lies eight miles north
west and Suzy six miles almost due
west Of Laon.)
Gain North Of Allette.
Italian cOntingents fighting with the
French made further progress north
| of the Ailette.
| Farther eastward the French now
hold the line Of Aielles Berrieux-A Ami
fontaine. (This shows another French
movement on Laon from the southeast,
| astride the Heims-Laon railway
The last resistance in the German
nests In the Aisne bend has been
wiped out, the statement says.
General ManginSs divisions, which
| drove In several miles Of the Cham
payne front north Of the Retourne
river, are continuing their progress in
| the direction of the important railway
junction Of Rethel. The German re-
| sistance to these advances is reported
| to be slackering.
Meanwhile the British, to the
north, are within few hundred yards
Of Douai, Field Marshal Haig reported
In his official statement. They have
captured the Faubourg de Esquer-
chain, the Douai prison and the great
| er part Of F1ers.
The edge Of Lieu-St. Amand, three
miles south of Domain, has been reach
ed by the British in their push up the
east bank Of the Scheldt canal, south
east Of Douai. The British in this Sec
tor have captured the town Of Montre-
court, scant seven miles from the
| outskirts Of Valenciennes and almost
directly south Of that city.