Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-08-11
Enemy is In Full Retreat Along
the Front Against Which
French and British Made
Attack on Thursday,
VALLEY OF S0MME
IS DOMINATED BY ALLIES
Germans Reported to Have
Lost ChauIneS, Which, if
True Places Rupprecht in a
PreCariouS Position,
undated War lead by the Associated
Dpneq \

undated War lead by the Associated
PresS.l
The French have driven the Ger
mans Before them for an important
gain east of Montddier in Picardy. That
city, which was the apex of n Ger.
man salient that now has been WINGED
out fell 10 the French First army at
midday saturday. Before HigltfaII.
according 10 the French war office
statement, the victorious French
FORCES had carried the battle line on
ward 10 an average depth of six m.Ics
on front of approximately twenty
miles.
In the three days of engagements
that eliminated in the taking OF Mont
didier the French took 5000 prison.
crs. Their captures also included 200
teriaI
Crushed by the impact of the Biit-
lsh, French and American offeneive
on the battle line from Albert, north
east of Rheims to the Disc river,
north of Compiegne, German forces
are streaming back toward the Som
me river and the Nesle- Noyou canuL
SO far as can be deter uined. the enc
my is in full retreat all along the
front against which the allies flung
themselves on Thursday rlorning. IT
Is reported from Paris that French
patrols are in Chaulnes. the principal
German cefter west of the Sontne.
Montdldier, at the tip of tho German
salient In Picardy, has heen taken by
the allies. who cut off large numbers
cf The enemy when they s1ught 10
beat a retreat from the city Thous-
a. de faf ...tas. .st..
by the allies. 1t is reported
North of the Somme, stubborn enc
my at Chipilly Spur. height which
dominated the whole valley of the
Somme in that region. has been
broken and the Germans north ~ tie
river have joined their comrades in
retiring.
FHIch Pierce Bocte Line.
South of Montdidier, the French
have plunged through the German
lines on the hills west of tho Matz
river and are reported to he In the
valley of the stream at Marquegiise.
When the situation is studied on a
map 1t can be seen that the ,iermans
are in serious position east os Mont
didier The allies have closed IN on
Chaulnes and have had the railroad
junction south Of that town under
artillery IRE tOr tWo days
If Chaunes is lost to the Ger
mans they will be forced to make a
long, perilous march eastward over
country roads toward Noyon. The
rapid progress Of the French below
Montdidier has placed even this road
under fire and made it almost inn
possible as an avenue of escape.
In the center the Germans are re-
ported to be in full retreat. Allied afr
men have seen roads filled with Ger
man motor iorries and have been act
i've in bombing these lines of trans
port. The bridges df the Somme river
south of Peronne are under fire and
the one at Peronne Is reported to have
been broken. This will throw new
complications in the German high
commands task OF extrlcating its
shattered armies from the field where
they have been defeated
1t now appears that the German
lines In Picardy must have been strip
ped when Crown Prince Rupprecht
sent troops to the rescue of the Ger
man crown primes armies south of the
Aisne three weeks ago, Paris news
papers remark on the fact that the
captives taken are, for the most part,
rather old and 1t Is said tsiat hey are
Crown Prince Rupprecht is known
10 have a large number of splendid
troops which will probably be thrown
into battle at once. So far, only two
of these divisions have come in con-
tact with the allies but they nave
been unable to cheek the onward rush
Of the victorious armies OF Haig and
Debeny.
The number of prisoners captured
during the first three days of the Of
fensive is very large. 1t IS hinted at
Paris that it eceeds by far the figure
given out in the official statements.
Two divisional headquarters with
their staffs, are said to have teen
taken The guns and war materiois
lost by the enemy constitute a very
heavy loss.
Since the American forces occupied
Fismette. the northern suburb of Fis-
mes, on the Vesle, there have been no
reports of further attacks in that re-
gion. 1t is believed, however, that the
allies there are gathering themselves
for new assault which may have ita
effect on the great battle going on
further north.
Although there have been rumors
IF heavy fighting south of Arras there
has been no confirmation yet. Moth
ng Is known of the situation in
Flanders. where on Friday the Ger
mans are reported to be withdrawing
from their advanced position. ..