The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-19
Joint Operation on % Mile
Front in Picardy Reaches
Ridge Positions.
MANY VILLAGES WON
German Trenches Taken by
Haig's Men in Assault
in Driving Rain.
CLOSE IN ON ST. QUENTIN
Enemy Resists StubbOrnly, but
Is Thrown Out of His
Strong Positions.
CLOSE IN ON ST. QUENTIN

LONDON, sept. Is. - Inc Brltlsn
Third and Fourth Armies and the
French to the right of them drove
forward to-day on both sides Of st.
Quentin for large and important
gains, taking dozens of villages and
about 10000 prisoners. The British
advanced to maximum depth Of
three miles on n sixteen mile front
from Holnon, just west of st. Quen-
tin, to Gouzeaucourt, and the French
on n six mile front from Holnon
southwark. with maximum penetra-
tion of one and n quarter miles.
The French reached the western
outskirts of Francilly-Selency, cap
tured Savy Wood and FOntaine-les-
Clercs and tonight hold the outskirts
Of Contescourt, which Is less than
three miles from st. Quentin. In tho
Laon sector they progressed west Of
Jouy and repulsed strong German
counter attack east of Allemant.
Trenches Are stormed.
spite heavy rain. Sweeping beyond the
old British trench system which they
hsd occupied prior to the German
drive Of March 21, they stormed and
captured the outer trenches the Ger
mans held then. part of the old Hin
denburg line, and penetrated into the
German defensive works for three
miles. Epehy, the scene of some OF tile
heaviest fighting of the war, was
taken. with more than a dozen other
villages, sEong them Fresnoy-le-
fetit, Berthaucourt and Pontru.
Strong resistance was encountered
at these places, but the British brushed
II aside and pushed on. Australian
troops took lie Fergier, Villaret ana
Hargicourt. The high ground south OF
Gouzeaucourt was captured and the
outskirts OF Villers- -Glislain, Gauche
Wood, was occupied, as were also Le
Guerard, Ronssoy and Peiziere Hol-
non, used as point OF departure to-
day. was captured last night.
Crest OF Ridge Gained.
The Associated Press correspondent
with the British army in France reports
that west and northwest of ST. Quentin
most important results were achieved,
The deep advance into the enemy terri
tory strengthened the already powerful
grip the British have on st. Quentin, one
Of the most strongly fortified parts of
tho Hindenburg limo.
To the south tho French advance IL
likely to prove an operation of vast
portent with respect TO the HindenburE
defensive position.
The zone Involved In the British move
ment lay. roughly, between Holnon. on
the south. and Gouzeaucourt Within
few hours Pelziore. Tempeux-le-Guer-
and. Epehy, Ronssoy and Villeret we're
behind tho advanced British forces, and
bitter fighting was In progress At many
other points in tho forward zone
The advance recorded in some places.
about three nlles. means that the Brit
ish have at numerous points gained the
crest OF tho ridge along which their old
front line ran prior to tho German Of
fensive In March. and from their new
positions were looking down on the Hin
denburg limo in the valley TO tho east
That hard fghtinE would hs encoun-
tered In this sector was a foregone con-
ciusion. Tho main enemy opposition
came from machine guns and artillery.
The counter barrage which tho Germans
sent over in reply TO the British BON.
bardment was much moro severe than
the eneIny had bean able to provide in
tho recent fighting. and. as an additional
new feature. tho Germans maintained \
heavy bsrrage over the back areAs with
high velocity guns. which had been con-
centrated for the purpose
Many OF Enemy Surrender.
The Smelling OF tho back areas during
an attack is to be expected, but a bar
rage has seldom before been attempted
and then without great success
The German infantry surrendered
quite freely In places. In fact, In tho
centre OF tho attack where thu Aus
tralians were working. a considerable
number of grsycoats deliberately
charged through tho British barrage 70
give themselves up.
To-days operation cannot be consid-
cred as a major operation, as compared
with recent battles, Tho objectives
sought. however, were important. both
from the defensive and offensive stand
points.
The assault began at dawn. Urfor-
tunately rain began TO fall about !
o'clock. and when the British went over
the top the ground was already slimy
and hard to negotiate, especially when
the ridges we're reached and the mon hsA