, 1918-08-15
ALLIES TAKE $4,000 PRISONERS,
INCLUDING 1000 OFFICERS
AND OVER 500 GUNS.
is CAPTURED
FRENCH TAKE MoNTDIDIER, AND
FoCH BLOWS UP BRIDGES
ON SOMME.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

With the American Army in France,
Aug. 1.-THE first American field
army has been organized. 1t is under
the direct command of Gen. John j.
Pershing, commander IN chief of the
American forces. The corps COM
manders thus far announced are Maj.
Generals. Liggett, Billiard, Bundy,
Reed and Wright. The creation of the
first field army is the first step to-
ward the coordination of all the
American forces in France.
Paris, Aug. 1.-THE number of pris-
oners taken so far in the allied often
sive in Picardy is now estimated at
$4,000, including more than 1000 Off
GERS. More than 500 guns have been
captured, according to the latest al
vices. -
London, Aug. 12.-Chaulnes, the i'm
portant railway town in the heart of
the Somme battle front and the key to
the southern line of the German sa-
lient, has been captured by the allies.
The capture vas effected by Austral-
ian n Canadian troops.
The French have driven the Ger
mans before them for an important
gain east of Montdidier, in Picardy.
That city, which was the apex of the
German salient that has now been
wiped out, fell to the French First
army at midday Saturday.
The Germans have materially stiff
ened their defense against the British,
American and French troops on the
Picardy battle front, but they have
been unable to stem the tide.
Although the forward push of the
allies has been slowed down, they have
made important progress from the
north of the Somme, where the Amer
leans and British are fighting to-
gether, to the northern bank of the
Disc, held by the French.
Americans and British are pressing
closely upon Braye-Sur-Somme, aided
by tanks and armored cars.
Across the river the Germans heav-
lily engaged the British at Lihons and
its vicinity, and at n point pierced
the British line and gained the out
skirts of Lihons. A counter attack re-
stored the British line and the enemy
retired to positions east and north.
Unofficial reports credit the British
with entering Chaulnes and the Brit
ish cavalry with a notable advance.
The greater progress has been made
by the French from the region immedi-
ately southwest of Roye to the Disc
river. Here they have driven their
line well across the Roye-Compeigne
road, and at Cambronne have reached
the road leading from Compeigne to
Noyon. Since the capture If Montdi-
der the French have penetrated east
ward to Tilloly, a distance of about
seven miles, and to Canny-Sur-Matz,
more than eight and a half miles, and
the Disc have averaged gains exceed
ing six miles over a front of twelve
miles.
The %stiffening of the German de-
Tense does not, in the minds of observ-
ers on the battle front, indicate that
the retreat of the enemy has ended.
Rather, it is assumed, that these man
euvers are similar to those carried out
over the Marine front.
Aviators have destroyed all the
bridges cross the Somme from the re-
gion of Peronne southwark, and with
the enemy's communicating lines
either in the hands of the allies or
dominated by their guns, the retro
grade movement necessarily must be
slow.
Intensive air fighting is proceeding
over the battle line. In Fridays bat
ties thirty-nine German machines were
destroyed and twenty-five driven down
out of control. The British war Of
flee acknowledges that t~wenty-three
British machines are missing.
StxTN-SIx KILLED IN HOLDUP.