Evening star., 1918-07-07
AUSTRALIANS HIT
GERMANS AGAIN,
ADVANCING LINE
Sharp Action Takes Place on
2,OOO-Ya Front Near
Villers-Bretonneux.
AMERICANS UPHOLD
TRADITIONS BRILLIANTLY
Fight Like Fiends in Recent 'Ac.
tions-French Down 18 Planes.
Gain Near Chateau Thierry.

Gain Near Chateau Thierry.
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, July 6.-The Aus
tralian troops advanced their line
northeast Of f-Villers-Bretonneux
last night on a front of 1000
yards, according to Field Mar
shall Haig's report from British
headquarters in France.
"a successful raid was carried out
by Lancashire troops near Hinges, in
which several prisoners were cap
tured." the statement adds.
Is 1-2 Tons Of Bombs Dropped.
British aerial bombing squadrons
continue to destroy German military
works in Belgium. An oficial state
ment issued today by the British ad-
miralty says:
During the period between. July l
and July 8. one enemy seapIane was
destroyed and three indecisive COM
bats took place.
Fifteen and half tons OF bombs
were dropped by our airmen. Fires
were stafted at Bruges. At the Vars
sennaKg airdrome bursts were OBJ
served among the sheds, hangers and
warehouses, while. other bombs ex-
ploded on the Maria Aelter airdrome,
and at Zeebrugge near the lock gates
and near two submarines. Four hits
were registered on an enemy destroy
er of the Bassin de Chouage. and on
sheds, warehouses and quays at
Ostend."
Other Aerial Activities.
The official report on aerial opera
tions says:
There was little fighting in the air
on July 5. Two German machines
were destroyed and one was driven
down out of control One of our ma
chimes is missing.
Our airplanes and balloons carried
out large amount Of successful ar
tillery work. Nineteen tons of bonn BIS
were dropped on selected targets dur
ing the day and the following night"
Progress Near Chateau Thierry.
PARIS, July 6.-The war office an
nouncement tonight says:
West of ChateauSThierry we made
some progress in the region Of Hill
204 and took about thirty prisoners.
Aviation: From July 1 to our
aviators brought down or put out of
action eighteen enemy planes and set
on fire seven captive balloons. In
the same period our bombing ma
chimes dropped ffty-six tons Of pro-
| farfflao afaf3nnd 70 nd
aviation grounds in the enemy zone.
A fire was started In the station at
Chaulnes and at Amagne-LucQuy, and
violent explosions followed by fires
occurred in munitions depots at Neu-
Vile and Roye."
o. s. Army Traditions Upheld.
By the Associated Press.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN
FRANCE. July 6.-An the traditions
Of the United States Army for valor
were brilliantly sustained yesterday
in the successful attack made against
the Germans south Of the River Somme
fantrymen took their stand beside
their British cousins and fought
shoulder to shoulder with them
against the common foe.
It was a baptism of fire for the
Yankee soldiers on this front, staged
through with flying colors-ftting COM
rades for the famous Australian war
riors whom they were assisting.
Fought Like Fiends.
'aThe Americans fought like hends,"
declared one British stan officer.
They did all of that. They were
magnificent and folks at home may
be proud of the part their boys took
in this unique Fourth of July cele-
bration in the shell-torn valley Of
ing over ground which had already
been stained with the blood Of thou
sands of brave soldiers, but no better
troops ever charged across the roll
ing fields than the pioneers from the
American Army. Along with this it
statement that their casualties were
very small, according to the latest re-
ports Virtually the entire body of
Americans came through unscathed.
This was probably due. to the weak
resistance which the Germans offered
to the Anglo-American onslaught.
One does not need to detract from
the work of the gallant Australians
by telling Of the prcwess of the
Americans. The soldiers from the
Antipodes far outnumbered those
from the United States and did a cor
responding amount of the sanguinary
labor. It goes without saying that
the big-framed men from Australia,
who fear neither man nor devil,
fought with the customary f1ercement
which has made them a terror to the
enemy. Yesterdays oprations were
specifically planned as a Fourth Of
July celebration which should bring
the Americans into the British battle
line for the first time.
Plans Are Rehearsed.
The American troops who were to
take part In this memorable event
wsrS SEigaded with their Australian
al1iSL who took the deepest interest
In thA- A,r.hcomi~---' welding Of the
link Of brotherhood. The Eians were
carefully rehearsed until every Amer
fcan knew his role as well as tho
hardy veterans from his majesty's
army. Few people along the front
knew of the forthcoming event, but
Z