Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1918-09-05
BRITISH CAPTURE
KEN MEL HILL.
KEY TO YPRES
Dranoutre Entered as the Foe Is
Pushed From Lys
Salient.
ADVANCE NORTH OF PERONNE
Haig's Troops Occupy Ground North.
east Of Bethune-German Driven
From Their Positions East Of
Clery on the Somme.

London, Sept. 1.-MOnt KENNEL, the
famous stronghold of Ypres, which was
the scene Of terrific fighting during the
German offensive in Flanders late In
April, has been captured by the Brit.
ish, according to advices from the
front.
Mont st. Quentin, mile and half
north Of Peronne, has been taken by
Field Marshal Haig's forces.
British forces have entered the vii
lage of Dranoutre, south of Locre on
the north side of the Lys salient, ac-
cOrdlng to the official statement issued
at the war Office today.
German troops have been driven
from their positions east of ClerS on
the Somme northwest of Peronne and
the British advance In this locality Is
continuing, according to the official
statement.
On the south side of the Lys salient
the British have occupied the village
of La Couture, northeast of Bethune.
The British have captured strong
point known as the ST. Servins farm
and the village of Eterlgny north of
the Arras-C Cambria road and southeast
Of Arras.
Artillery Duels In Plcardy.
Paris, Sept. 1.-Heavy artillery fire
north of Noyon and between the Allette
and the Aisne rivers is reported in
the official statement issued at the war
Office.
While the center of the S0-mile bat
tie line was relatively quiet. enemy re-
Nistence increased on both, wings. He
was unable, however, 10 arrest the
progress Of the allies.
General Mangin attackedsthe south
slv. end OF the line. 5fne region in which
he is fighting forms an elbow where
the line running from Dunkirk to
Noyon meets line running at right
angles across France to Nancy. This
hinge" position is exceptionally
strong since II is based north of Sols-
sons on high plateau overlooking the
valley of the Alsne, to the south, and
the Allette to the north. There are
wooded ranges Of hills In this ST.
Gobain country which dominate Laon
and serious defeat here would oblige
the enemy to make preclpltate re-
treat and force him to abandon not
only the line of the AlSne, but the
three lines formed by the Aisne, the
Chemln des Danes and the Ailette.
General Ludendorfl In consequence
has thrown in the best divisions he can
muster. These are Alpine regiments,
Prussian guards and picked Bavarlan
and Saxon units.
Manoin Has Crack Yanks.
General Mangin has In his command
some of the finest American divisions,
together with elite French and colonial
troops. The fighting during the last
4S hours has equaled In ferocity any.
thing as yet seen during the war.
Nevertheless. the enemy had to give
way, and the Franco-American forces
have won half the plateau between
Soissons and the Coucy-le- Chateau.
The S0issons-COucy and the SoissOns-
Anizy-le-Chateau roads are threatened,
and the Germans are faced by the dan.
ger Of the French getting behind the
Chemin-des-Dames, In their rear.
Conservative military opinion here
views the situation with great salts.
faction. II is felt the Germans delayed
their retreat too long and that they
are fighting so hard and sacrificing
men TO gain time because the Hinden
burg line is not yet ready. In any case
that famous position is not believed tC
be such solid rampant as II WAS when
first made year ago, when the works
were new and well kept up and wer,
solidly garrisoned by troops with un
impaired morale.