The sun., 1918-08-29
SMOTHER GERMANS
IN THEIR OWN GAS
French Pursue Enemy Closely
North of Avre. .'...
BY the Associs.sd Pres.

WITH THE FkEscH ARMY IN FRANCE,
Aug. 2s.-Ths German retreat north of
the Avre River has been far more speedy
since the fall of Chaulnes than pre-
viously. Vigorously pursued by Frengh
troops and harassed by their own mus
tard gas shells. which they left behind
and which are being fred from German
guns by French Gunners. the 2nemv is
making haste to cross the River Ingon
in the region of Nesle and the Canal du
Nord
Gen. Debeney's men, without great op-
position. advanced four and a half miles
during the night. and this morning their
cavalry was upon Nesle. close on the
heels Of the retiring enemy. The pur
suit toward the Canal du Nord slack
ened this morning, when the enemys
artillery OF all caiibres maintained a
heavy fire from strong positions west Of
the canal.
After Chaulnss fell. Gommieccurt to
the north, and Sept Fours were taken
by the French, while later Greasy. Ba-
latre. Chamrien and Roiglise, between
Nesle and Roye, were captured and
more than q score OF other villages
occupied.
Names of Towns Alone Remain.
The battlefield the Germans have
abandoned presents a picture OF devas-
, tation and desoation that has not been
surpassed during the war;, Roye and
the villages round about have been quite
as thoroughly demolished as Montdidier
and .Moreuii Even cemeteries have been
blown UP. tombstones smashed and
graves opened.
The names OF towns in this region
no longer have any other Significance
than as a Renaissance and a geosraph-
ical designation. They have CEASED to
recognizable. for the intense Smelling has
not only obliterated streets and defaced
boundary lines but has rendered the
topography unacceptable in many
places.
The ruins abandoned by the Germans
previously were carefully filled with
mustard gas. For this reason Roye is
st.ll inaccessible for occupation.
The Germans were not able to use all
the gas projectiles they brought to the
present front and large dumps of them
fell into French hands. They are now
being fired against the enemy from some
OF the hundreds OF German guns the
French First Army has taken since
August s.
Can Take Noyon Quickly.
The French Third Army also attacked
this morning. occupying Dives and puat-
'ng eastward to yauchelles. less than
half mile from Noyon. the fall Of
WHICH appears to be only a question OF
hoyFs, IL the French so elect.
With the French in possession of
Noyon the Germans will have only their
positions to the northeast in the hills
along the Disc and In the northwest. on
the west bank Of the Canal Du Nord. to
protect their retreat to the Forest Of St.
Gobain ana the Hindenburg line.
1t Is not considered possible that the
German retreat will halt on the Disc, 80
close are the French pressing the enemy.
French patrols reached the region OF
Bethancourt this afternoon.
The crossing OF the canal and the
River Somme In that region by the
French troops would create the gravest
menace to the safety of the enemy's
troops and material still south of the
river. This prospect explains the sacri-
fee of an immense quantity of material
in the region between Roye and the
canal in order to accelerate the retro
grade movement. which in some places
has been SO rapid that contact between
the French advanced guards and the en-
emy's machine guns sections protecting
the German rear has almost been
broken.