Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-08-30
HUNS FIGHT HARD
TO HALT BRITISH
ON SOMME RIVER
Australians Reach Line of
Fresnes- HerbeCourt.
HAIe CAPTURES MORE TOWNS
Terrific Battle Raging on Both Sides
Of the scarpe - Sanguinary
Losses inflicted on
the Enemy.

the Enemy
London. Aug. 29-The Australians
have reached the line of Fresnes-Her-
becourt, according to Field Marshal
Hafg's report from British headguar-
ters. but have met with much opposi-
ton in their efforts to reach the cross
ings of the Somme river at Brie and
Peronne.
TThe line of Fresnes-H erbecourt
runs north and south. and parallels the
Somme, where is turns directly south
at the strong enemy base of Peronne.
This line is only from two and half
to three and half miles west of the
Somme The Australians apparently
are within two miles of Peronne. hav-
ing made a net advance in 24'hours
of nearly five miles over a 12-mile
'front.'
British Take More Towns.
With the British Army in France,
Aug. 29.-The British have captured
the town of Croisilles, northeast of
Bapaume, and obtained control Of all
of the village of Pelves, east of Arras.
TO the southeast patrols have entered
Remy and Haucourt. while southwest
of Peronne the British have taken Fay
and Ablaincourt.
On both sides of the Scarpe river
hard fighting continued, the British
launching fresh attacks and wrestling
from the desperately resisting enemy
additional valuable ground, many more
advantageous positions and numerous
towns
Pause in Center.
In the center of the wide battlefield
on which three British armies-the
First, Third and Fourth--are operat-
ing. there seems to be slight pause.
Fay and Ablaincourt, which lie
south of the Somme. were taken by the
British without much difficulty, for the
Germans, being had pressed south of
these points by the French, were ready
TO 90 with slight persuasion. Prison
ers at other places say some enemy
units have refused to attack.
Storms Sweep Fields
Since early morning storm after
storm has been sweeping across this
section of France, but despite the I'M
favorable weather, the forces in the
north have driven deep into the hur-
riedly arranged enemy defenses,
smothering with their fire hordes of the
Huns.
These Huns had been thrown into
the fighting in this section in an eff
fort to keep the British from penetrat
ing the famous Queant-Drocourt switch
line. which formed the northern con.
tinuation of the old Hindenburg line
after the British last year beat the
Germans back from Arras. This line
has been approached in several places
and has been reached in at least one
place in the neighborhood of the SEN
see river.
Break Old Defenses.
The success of this drive here and
the breaking through of the old Ger
man defense system may have far
reaching effects both in the north and
the south.
South of the Scarpe the Canadians
finally captured all of Pelves after
brisk street fighting and pushing east
ward their advanced patrol entered
Remy and Haucourt The British are
well east of Fontaine, and the main
body of the Germans has retired from
Hendecourt eastward.
Beat Down Resistance.
Extremely heavy fighting is in prog
ress from a point south of Lens south
ward across the Scarpe river to tae
ArraS-CambraI road, but the British
are making progress everywhere. beat
ing down the German resistance with
steady blows.
All sorts of troops have been hurled
into battle south of the Scarpe. as well
as north of that river. but many for
nations have been finished off almost
as soon as they appeared The ground
over which the advance was made is
covered with large numbers of German
dead. lust south of the Scarpe one
place was carpeted with bodies in field
gray.
Cannon Takes Big Toll.
Sauguinary losses have been in
tlicted on the Germans In all the fight
ing in this general region, British guns
placed back Of Croisilles have had the
retreating Germans at many places,
particularly in the neighborhood of
Henoecourt' under direct fire.
The gunners have had the unusual
experience of seeing where ever,r Sbor
fired fell and noting what damage each
did. The enemy artillery. retiring from
the rear on Hendeconrf differed q fnn