The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-09-04
VICTORY FOR british.
LAST BOCHES DRIVEN BEHIND
SONHE RIVER.
Haie's Men Capture CLERGY and Make
Advance Toward Peronne-ln1ilct
Terrible Losses on Beaten Enemy,
Who is Forced Out OF Many
Towns.

Aug. 90. (By Associated SresS) y
MT is reported that Bailleul, on
the nortl, side of the Lys sahent
has teen evacuated by the Germans
and that the British are either enter
ing the town or may soon occupy It.
Longatte and Ecoust-St. Melnf,
southwest of Bullecourt, are reported
to have been captured today by the
British. All the country south ana
west of the river now is free OF the
enemy.
The fighting British armies again
smashed their way forward today all
along the line. There has been very
heavy fighting almost everywhere be-
tween the Sonme and Scarpe ana
under the force of repeated blows'
delivered with machine line precis-
ion, the foe has been forced to aoan-
don many more town positions ana
large strips Of ground.
Once more the Germans have SUI
fered terrible losses. The British
have freed all the country south ana
west Of the Somme, the last Germans
being driven behind the river TINS
morning. Even there the enemy IS
now finding no rest, for the British
have crossed the stream at least at
one place south of La Chapellette.
From Peronne southwark first the
British cannon and then the French
guns ere hurting projeetiles, big and
little, on the other side Of the river.
Just north of the Somre, after 1t
turns to the west at Peronne. the
British have captured Clery and are
pressing on toward Peronne.
The Germans have been trying
ever since the fall Of BapaUne to hoid
| the line running along the road be-
tween that town and Peronne.l Brit
ish patrols, however, actually have
reached LIE Transloy, directly on the
road, and it is reported that lie
! Transloy has fallen and that a fierce
battle within a battle is raging al
most along the whole length OF the
road.
Hard fighting is going on around
Beau,oncourt which is astride the
| road between LIE Transloy and Ba-
paume. The Germans hold the ma
! jor portion Of this village for the
moment, but they seem destined to
be thrown out from it. A bitter strug-
gle also is in progress at Moorval'
southwest Of Le Transloy. The fight
| ing appears to have reached a hand
to hand character, and the Germans
| are said to!have suffered from the
British bayonets. Other towns in this
| immediate neighborhood fell this
this morning or during last night.
From this locality the line Of bat
tie swings wide around Bapaume, and
there has been more heavy fighting
here. Bancourt, east of ;Bapaume,
fell after being stormed
Astride the road to Cambria from
EPeronne, the British crashed into the
| Germans and smothered their resist
ance, here again at the point iof the
bayonet. Fremicourt seems to have
been taken and the British drive on
eastward. North of here Vaul Vrau-
court, which contained a large enemy
garrison that offered the strongest
resistance with machine guns, ap-
parently has fallen in its entirety to
the British Ecoust-St. Mien and
| Longatte again have been reported to
have been captured by the British.
Here the Germans delivered power
| full counterattack and the British
| withdrew in the face Of it. The ar
tillery was turned in the trap the Ger
mans had made for themselves and
after it had finished the British
moved back again and mopped up
with what remained of the Germans.
Bullecourt is in British hands as
apparently also is Hendecourt. Rein
court and Cagnicourt seem to be in
the possession of Field Marshal
Haigs men. Heavy fighting is re-
ported in .his locality, as here the
British have reached a point only a
few hundred yards from the Dro-
court -Queant switch line, which ap-
parently is garrisoned v every
man the German high con nand has
| been able to lay hands on. They are
waiting for what they expect may
come in their five lines of trenches
which are protected by many belts of
barbed wire.
But even as they wait they are be-
ing harassed by heavy fire from the
British cannon.
From here northward across the
Arras-Camhrai road and along the
River Scarpe the British are pushing
| forward, gaining more ground.
Strengthening their line and drawing
generally closer to the Drocourt-
Queant defenses of the enemy.
Counterattacks have been launch
ed on various parts of the battle
front, but none Of them seems to
have gained anything for the enemy.
A majority Of them have been COM
rletely broken up by the hail of bull
lets from machine guns and rifles be-
fore the enemy reached the British
positions.
In the north there apparently is
lively activity at several places. The
British are reported to have made
considerable advances. A report has
just been received that Bailleul,
southwest Of Ypres, is being shelled
by the enerny. If this is correct it
indicates that the Germans have