The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-07-31
GERMANS ON EVE
Of ATTEMPTIN
T0END RETREAT
Allied Advance Has Materially
Slowed Down.
ENEMY FEARS PINCERs
Australians Still Ganine--Four At
taoks by Germans Were Repulsed
6y French

Paris, July S0--The Germans ap-
parently are on the eve OF attempting
to end their retreat from the Sois-
sons-Rheims salient and turning and
offering frontal battle in force to the
entente allied armies.
The day OF rear guard actions
seems drawing TO a close. Violent
counter offensive measures against
heir antagonists already are in pro-
gress by the Germans over most Of
he battle front and seemingly, for
the present at least. the allied advance
has been materially slowed down.
Further gains have been made by
he allies including The Americans.
but only after the bitterest kind of
Hshiing And these gains have been
considerably less in extent than those
OF previous DAYS, before the Germans
sllfcned their relreating armies By
rushing numerous fresh divisions to
their aid and adding greatly to the
aggregate strength % their fighting
force within the fast disappearing
pockct between SOissons and Rheims
As "a result OF Violent counter at
tacks delivered with huge electives,
The Germans have heen able TO force
lhc falling back ~ ihe Americans
and French on several positions but
nowhere were they able to find a
spot weak enough through which they
could penetrate the allied line. stand
ing firmly and giving ground only un-
Ter absolute necessity, the allied
troops everywhere have exacted a
huge toll in men killed wounded or
made prisoners from the Germans in
their every effort partly to retrieve
their losses OF ground
Particularly heavy has been the
fighting IN the center OF The salient
md on the right and left anchor
points OF The salient resting resnec-
iiyelv southwest OF Rheims and south
oi scissors Il is still on the two
inchor points that the Germans are
Ieping a most wa.chfu eye, fearful
hat the allied troops may yet press
lack the line and threaten the armies
" the German crown prince with the
orincor maneuyer, for the Germans
are not yet far enough out Of the
pocket 90 have passed the danger
I'm the center Of the pocket north
Of the Ourcq river, the Germans in a
counter attack drove the Americans
ont Of Cierges but this slight gain
vas more than overcome later by the
penetration OF the Americans north.
ward from Sergy. Btugneux. living
on the west side of the pocket north.
west OF Fere-en. Tardenois. also was
/ AIKEN hy the Germans but later the
French and Americans recapured 1t
md, with Grand Rosoy in their pos.
session they stil hold vantage points
or a small turning movement toward
Fere, which IL successful. would give
hem goodiy number OF prisoners.
Southwest OF Rheims the Germans
delivered q violent attack AGAINST the
French from both sides Of ST. Fuph.
raise Their attempt 10 capture the
village however. was futile. although
hey pushed their line slightly for.
ward on the west side OF it
Southwest Of Ypres the Australian
roops are keeping up their attacks
AGAINST The Germans and have can.
'ured the town OF Merrs and l6o
prisoners and a number of trench
mortars and guns The Germans at
asst reports were heavily bombardine
'he new positions Of the British.