Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-08-31
From Somme North British
Pressure Continues and
Results in Further Ad-
vance of Nearly a Mile. 80.
GERMANS RETREAT
NEARLY A ROUT.
Haig's Forces Threaten Ser
iously Support of Famous
Defense Line, Foch Smash
ing Forward.

NOyon, the southern anchor pOin
of the German armies in the Somm,
battlefield, has been occupied by
the French, who have pushed OF
westward north of Noyon and are
said to be in the vicinity of Ham.
Peronne another German strong.
hold, is imperiled by fresh advances
of the British forces, who have prac.
tically outfianked the city, while
further north Bapaume has been
entered by Haig's men, and east OF
Arras the gap in the Hindenburg
line has been appreciably widened
The capture of Noyon by General
Humbert's men had been expected
for several days and it's effect ON the
great battle of Picardy was there
fore largely discounted
With the fall of Roye and Chaulnes,
to the northward, Noyon became un-
tenable and the retirement of the
German forces from west of the Som
me river apparently spread far to the
south and involved both Noyon and
the country adjacent Morlincourt,
on the north bank of the Disc, east
OF Noyon, has been taken by the
French. This may mark a crossing
of the Disc over wide front.
East of Arras, the Germans have
launched heavy counter attacks,
which were repulsed, according
to the British official report,
but 1t is admitted by London that
the British forces holding positions
at Oppy have been withdrawn to
he west of there.
The Germans have been fighting
rear guard actions along the Canal
du Nord, which runs from Noyon to
Nesle. The French are close to this
waterway at Fresnoy wood.
The situation closely resembles
that in the Marne sector after the
Germans had made a determined
stand olong the Ourcq. 1t was found
that their resistance there had per-
mitted the withdrawal of the main
German army on the Marne salient,
and it is probable that Gerenal Won
Boehn has succeeded in moving the
greater portion of his army and ar
tillery behind the Somme river and
along the Ham-Chauny line.
The development of the allied ad-
vance would seem to indicate that the
pocket on the southern end of the
battleline is being emptied and that
there is little hope that the allies will
be able to catch any large number of
enemy troops there.
Having forced the Germans to re-
treat between the Somme and the
Disc, allied forces are pressing the
advantage gained and continue their
advance eastward.
French troops, after an advance of
nearly seven miles on front of 19
miles are fighting for the crossings
OF the Canal du Nord. Immediately
south of the Somme British forces
have moved east to within three miles
of the Somme. south of where 1t
bends at Peronne, and are driving
the enemy back to the river crossings
at Peronne and Brie.
From the Somme to north of Bs-
paume the British pressure continues
vigorously and has resulted in an ad-
vance of more than mile on front
of more than five miles in the region
of Curlu and northward.
Southeast of Arras where the Brit
ish have crossed the Hindenburg line
they are now east of Boiry Notre
Dame about three miles east of Mon |
chy-le-Preux and threatening SER
iously the Queant-Drocourt support
line.
While the enforced retirement of
the enemy from the Roye-Chaulnes
line adds to the difficulties of the
German troops north of the Somme
French and American troops under
General Mangin have struck at the
vital salient north of Scissors. An
advance of nearly one mile has been
made in the Chavigny region.
The allies here are driving toward |
the heighths at the western end of
the Chemin-des-Dame imperilling