Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-03
EtACEs ARE CAPTURED
itish Join French in Attack
From Plessier Hulue to
Fere.en.Tardenois
BY WALTER DURANTY
}lsriaI Gable to Erenine Public Ledge

- ~ ohe; lying apprOSlfnAtelN between
Plessier Hulue and Fere- -Tardenois
70 the north of the River ourco. Once
more the British Joined the French in
sharp onslaught on the enemy. who
us spite of his determined effort to
nold on, could not resist the allied ad-
vance and the capture of a number of
seropgly organized villages. woods and
Avst important heights. giving the
widest views over the rear of the enc.
mys lines and commanding the sole
railway that leading to Bazoches
which permitted the Germans to bring
gn supplies of food and ammunition
end relieve their harassed troops.
Every thicket, patch of wood. hamlet
s Village was n miniature fortress
RtfstlinE with German machine guns
but this did mot suffice to stay the
AIlies' forward movement
The. first enemy stronghold to fall
Eas ssHill POS. northeast Of Grand
ROsoy. The VILLAGE of Beueneux was
tAken. and then followed with extreme
Apfdity. considering the nature of the
eeurtryside- the taking of Courdouy
and tCramoiselles. while in the course
of the evening Crammaile also fell.
Moved Batteries Forward
ks Within three hours of the beginning
% the assault the advance had been
20 quick that the French and British
lDatteries were enabled to move their
kuns forward to other emplacements
which gave them "a better Opportunity
40 -hRrass the Germh n communication
within the rapidly diminishing pocket.
II The place where the fighting was
most severe was Plessier Wood. south
ward OF Hartnes. which, when this dis
patch was written, was still in the
hands of the enemy, but threatened
with capture as the allied artillery
was enfilading it, as well as Droissy,
further north.
A number of German counter-at
fcks debouching from Buzancy and
Evq Wood were repulsed with heavy
lesses for the Germans, whose artillery
pad hitherto been rather quiet. Large
eatches of prisoners are coming in.
NJ Fhe story aof the British participa.
: qon in General Foch's commensurate
Retween the Marne and the Aisne
Ehich parrted the Crown Princes VIC.
8ent thrust and eventually caused him
~ withdraw his troops to many miles
North OF the Marne is one of the most
brilliant of the war II
81 went among the regiments of a
cottish division composed of High
Mnderss and Lowlanders,a which was
loidtng an important part of the sec-
{or below scissors forming the west.
Hrn pivot of the German retreat. After
fatfguing journey lasting three days
md nights this division was ordered
lmmedfately to march ten miles with
III It's baggage and relieve an Amer:-
can division which had covered Itself
with glory at this vital point.
Went Right Into Fighting
On the same day. without having
4ad time to become acquainted with
xhe ground, the British division was
oroered to assault the German posi-
uons in conjunction with the French.
Ene attack was successful against the
@ost determined German resistance.
Iued by hundreds of machine guns,
e0me of which caught the British
Nroors in the flank for moment. The
HPJectives, however. were reached and
4nen the Scots busted themselves with
thir positions on the cap
ahred ground.
! II The work had to be carried on under
continuous enfilating fire from the
Herman heavy artillery in emplace-
nentS on the hills north of Scissors
Which had an accurate range of every
Point along the Soissons- Chateau
Hhierry road, as well as every village
and hamlet in the neighborhood. The
: ground is of such a nature hereabout
A1at the; troops have virtually no
9helter and are subjected to incessant
.gunfire and bombing. But the Scot.
stigh divisic.s had been trained hard
for 1t had wtthstood the great German
ATTACK before Arras in March of this
year. and it would have taken more
than this to shake its nerves.
The rest did not last long, for on
1h9 morning of the Goth it's front was
&hansed to face Buzancy,, and on the
19th. In conjunction with their French
comrades alongside, the Scots were
0rdered to take the town.
The task was difficult one. as the
place bristled with machine guns. but
the Allies never hesitated, and within
an hour and q half all their objectives
had been reached. Scots and Gauls
vie with one another in courage.
Each house had to be taken separate
", and individual fights with bayonet
and grenade Were frequent.
French Climb Chateau Wall
A chateau had been strongly organ,
he'd for defense. II was surrounded
by a high wall, which had been loop
: hcied. But the Scots aud Frenchmen,
ohoulders. jumped over one after an
,ofher and soon had firm hold on the
/ chateau.
The enemy, however, managed to
retain possession to the southwark of
position known as the Grenadier
Work, and from here We're able to fire
With a large number of machine guns
into the backs of the Scots in Bu-
xancy. from which it was decided to
retire when the Germans launched a
strong counter-attack with the Grena-
der Work TO support II.
Officers and men of the Scots diVi-
ION were full of admiration for the
4 American division which they relieved
Y A. the Scots, owing to the rapidity
with which they entered the sector,
had been unable to get their own guns
into position, the American gunners
qIfhough they We're thoroughly ia
.f1kued. offered T. cir services and re-
n1ained in the line until the British
cannon could be brought UP, The
wounded also were looked after Won
derfuily well, both by Americans and
French. and the closest comradeship
EXISTS between the soldiers of the three
1Ilied nations.
1 neastsr Marine Killed in Action