The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-08-09
FRANCO-bRIT|SH
DRIVE MENACES
ENTIRE HUN LINE
Danger to Channel Ports Is
Vanishing
MANY GERMAN PRISONERS
Penetrate 1.2 Miles Into German
Line Of Deepest Point--American
Troops Improving Their Stand

With the Army in France, Aug. s.
We'll out on the plains and pressing
forward, seemingly with great ra-
pidity, the present offensive of the
French and British gives promise of
seriously menacing The entire German
front from near the sea to Rheims.
If the drive should proceed eastward
TO any great depth it cannot but affect
he armies OF the German crown
prince now lighting between the
Aisne and the Vesle and possibly
make impraoticable stand by them
even north Of the Aisne along the
Chemin-des.Dames.
The historic battle ground between
Amiens and Montdidier again is the
scene Of mighty contest. This time
the British and French are the ag
greBsors, and under their fierce on
slaughts in the first days battle they
have penetrated deeply into the Ger
man positions over a front of more
than 20 miles, reaching from the
region of Breaches to the neighbor-
hood OF Morlancourt.
Following short but intensive ar
lillery preparation and aided by misty
weather the allied attack took the
Germans completely by surprise and
hey fed almost everywhere pell
nell before the tanks, motor ma
chine gun batteries, cavalry and in
tantry sent against them. All the OBJ,
iectves set for the Australians, Cana
dams, Englishmen and Frenchmen
we're attained In remarkably quick
time, and at last accounts last night
the allied forces were still making
progress Wherever the enemy
urned to give battle he was decisive.
y defeated.
Thousands OF Germans were made
prisoners, large numbers OF guns
we're captured, great quantities of
war materials we're taken and score
or more of villages and hamlets were
reoccupied. In addition heavy casu
i'ties we're inflicted on the enemy.
At It's deepest point the penetra
ion OF the German line was about
seven and half miles, eastward from
| Villiers-BretonneuX TO Framerville,
while from two TO five miles were
| gained all along the front from north.
west of Montdider to the region
| around Morlancourt. The fighting ex.
tended north of Morlancourt to the
Albert sector, but no official details
concerning 1t have been received
On the Vesle front little fighting oc-
Cured Thursday. except in the pro
| cess OF line-straightening operations
on the north bank, where under an al
most incessant rain of enemy shells
both the American and the French
troops improved their stand The
German guns not alone are playing
upon the allied forces but also are
hammering away at bridges across
the stream over which men constant
~ are making their way to the north
ern bank OF the stream to reinforce
their comrades already there. What
effect the present battle southeast Of
Amiens is to have on the Vesle-Aisne
front remains to be seen.
Paris, Aug. g-The battle on the
front south OF the Somme was resum
I'd early this morning and the Franco
British forces made favorable pro
sress from the start. reaching various
selected detectives. Powerful cavalr!
clashes are in action. Reports up Il
l1.30 show that the attack is develop
ing victoriously on great scale.
French Front, Aug. 9-The Frenc
on a six mile front northwest of Mont
ddier have advanced four miles an
captured three thousand prisoners
Important material also was captured
The advance was carried out with e'
tremely light losses. The Germa
soldiers were captured while harves
ing grain. so complete was the SUI
prise. Moreuil and Morisel were ca
ried by assault. Difficulties of cros
ing the Avre are being overcome RAJ
idly, the French using hastily col
structed foot bridges.
London, Aug. 9-Advices from IL
battlefield south of the Somme toda
report that the British cavalr
armoured cars and tanks in advan'
Of the infantry. have reached with
one mile of the Chaulnes railwi
junction.