Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1918-08-03
GERMANS Retreat
FROM TIGHT PLACE
THIRTY SQUARE MILES GAINED
IN ONE DAY BY AMERICANS
AND FRENCH.
NEW TOWNS ARE TAKEN
rench-American Forces Take Vafua-
bic Positions From Germans, In
Guiding An important
Supply Base.

French and American troops closely
pressing the retTeating German ar
mics IN the Marne salient have enter.
ed Fere en- Tardenois, the great Ger,
man supply base, on the north bank
of the river Aurcq, which the allied
commanders have been striving to
gain for some time. The retreat of
the German armies has become more
preeipitate. but it does not in any man
aer resemble a rout. The withdrawal
is being orderly conducted, while i'm
mense concentrations of artillery of
all calibers, and infantry, on the two
flanks-in the region about scissors
and before Rheims-hold stubbornly
to the ground and prevent any advance
by the allies on the flanks.
Approximately thirty square miles
of ground was gained by the French
and Americans Sunday, the greatest
advance being on the French left,
where the troops entered Fere en- Tar
aden0is. The Germans have fallen back
to the river Ourcq, On which stream
they apparently had determined to
make stand, at least temporarily.
But the pressure of the French and
Americans was so great that a cross
ing Of that stream was forced and al
lied troops entered Fere en- Tardenois.
This crossing by a small force is be-
lieved to pTesage a general crossing
Of that stream and further retirement
of the Germans.
Slight gains were also made on the
French right flank, and the villages Of
.Anthenay and Olizy ct Violaine, just
south of the Rheims-Dormans road,
were taken The French official state
ment says "our troops have approach
ed appreciably the line of the road
from Rheims to Dormans"
For the first time the German Of
ficia1 statement even hits at retire
ment in the Marne salient The of.
ficial statement dealing with events
OF Saturday says "0n the German
crown princes battle front the day
passed quietly. There we're small in
fantry engagements before our new
positions The report does not indi-
cates where the new positions" are,
nor the outcome of the small infan-
try engagements.
Official reports fail to indicate If
any great number of Germans were
made prisoner in the fighting Sunday
or if many guns or large stores of Ger
man war material were taken in Fere
en- Tardenois It is unlikely that the
number of prisoners were great, or
that much war material remained in
Fere en- Tardenois to fall into the
hands of the allies, for the Germans
have had ample time to move or de-
:stroy, such war material, for they must |
have known for several days that the
supply base must be given up.
The retreating Germans are being |
harried by allied cavalry, numerous
tanks and airplanes. Infantry patrols |
also are causing very heavy losses
among the retiring Germans
Successful raids are being carried |
out by the British in Flanders, accord |
ing to the war office statement.
While large developments are ex-
pected soon on the Italian front, there
is no indication of unusual activity
there now. The official statement I
from the Italian army headquarters
effective concentration of fire
by our batteries in the Iagraina Val
ley in the Vallarsa and in the Brenta
Valley.