Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-12
GERMANS FLEEING
IN DISORDER WITH
ALLIES PURSUING
Continued From Page One.)

Confined From Page One.)
thoroughly disheartened, continue to
arrive at the collecting cages. Among
the captured were FIVE regimental
commanders and 10 battalion com.
manders.
Late today, strong enemy forces
were concentrating east of Proyart
and apparently were making prepara-
tions to oppose determined resis-
tance. The German object probably
is merely to cover the retreat of the
large enemy forces.
Allied airplanes reported that long
streams of enemy troops and trans
ports were rushing eastward. The
enemy bombers, ,alsoshave been busy
and repeatedly were chased away
by the British pursuit planes to pre-
vent them from dropping bombs to
hinder the advance of the troops.
The Germans were reported to be
retreating eastward past Peronne in
the greatest disorder. Many were
said to be without arms, apparently
having discarded their weapons.
Among them were many wounded
men staggering along on foot.
Chaulnes in Flames.
Reports from the south received
here say that the French continue
to push along the Montdidier-Roy
road. Many fires and explosions are
reported within the German lines as
their retreat goes on. Chaulnes was
shrouded in clouds of smoke, shot
with flame. Among other buildings.
in the town, the railway station was
reported as having been burning for
many hours. .~
The German resistance thus far
generally appears to become weaker
as the battle progresses toward the
center, especially opposite the posi-
tons held by the Australians.
Tanks, both the large ones and the
"whippets," again performed tremen-
dous services at small cost to them
selves all along the line. At one
small town, south of the Amiens-
Roye road, the advancing French in
fantry sent word to the British that
they could not get on because of
heavy machine gun fire from the
town.
Five armored monsters went over
and rolled directly into the place,
Their crews discovered that the
houses were crowded with Germans
manning machine guns, principally
from second story windows. One
tank leisurely advanced upon a house
while hail of bullets splashed off its
metal hide. After reconnoitering at
close range, the tank backed off and
charged. Its great weight crushed in
the whole building and it continued
forward until the structure was fiat
tened out, with the enemy machine
gunners thoroughly effaced.
Tank Crushes Entire Village.
After this success, the four com
panion tanks engaged various groups
OF the enemy and the house wreck
ing machine proceeded to roll down
and flatten nine other houses. This
tank literally crushed the entire vii
lage and all the enemy within.
When the French infantry. who had
paused until the way was made clear
for them by the British tanks, pro-
ceeded on their way, they met no re-
sistance. On the other side of the
town Germans who had witnessed its
demolition fled in terror.
German prisoners have boasted
that their forces now are equipped
with new anti-tank rifles, firing large
projectile at great velocity. Actual
encounter with these rifles, however,
demonstrates that they are complete
During the advance east of Ro-
sieres British cavalry sent back word
that they could not proceed because
of heavy firing from a woods on their
front. A number of swift "whippets"
rolled around to the back of the wood.
but the Germans saw them coming
and ran for their lives. The cavalry
then charged and the Germans were
sabered right and left and 700 of them
surrendered.
That was only one Of the many
instances where British cavalry dur
ing the course of the battle, in addi-
ton to scouting far ahead of the ad-
vancing infantry and rounding up en-
emy forces, has made thrilling
charges with the traditional dash Of
the mounted forces. If the Germans
have had hard time of it with the
allied infantry and artillery, they
have had doubly hard one with the
cavalry and the tanks.
The battle is progressing at this
hour from one end of the line to the
other and the most favorable results
are reported everywhere for the allies.