Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
BRITISH HURL
GERMANS BACK
ON 3O-M|LE LINE
Haig's Forces Advance Four
Miles in ~ Hours.
WITHIN RANGE OF CAMBRIA
Important City Only Six Miles Away
Lens, Great Coal Mining District,
Is Occupied by English Forces
Many Other Towns
and 10000 Prisoners
Captured.

London, Sept. 4.-1ne SdSglnS Oei-
man line from the vicinity of Peronne
northward tc Lens, distance of near
ly thirty miles, has been crushed back
from one to four miles by the British
advance in the last "a hours.
This is indicated by Field Marshal
Haig's report, which names string of
new villages much to theeea of the
fighting yesterday. The report says
the British are at Baralle, only six
miles west of Cambria. and within easy
artillery range.
Meet New Switch Line.
new switch line, approximately
six miles to the east of the Drocourt-
Queant position of the HindenDurg
5lefenses. to which the Germans have
been retiring, may have been pierced at
several points, most likely at Baralle.
The new switch line runs from Bre-
bieres, FIVE miles southeast OF Dro-
court. southwards to Moeuyres. ana
Joins the Hindenburg line in the vicin-
ity of Graincourt, three and a halr
miles northwest of Marcoing.
Where British Front Stands.
Field Marshal Haig's communion
ton gives the general line of the Brit
ish as Ypres, south of Bertincourt,
Beaumetzlez-C Cambria, Barelle, Romau-
court, and Lecluse, which, If not across
the new defensive position at points, Is
In contact with it.
Fleeing Foe Shelled.
In describing the advance Field
Marshal Haig says:
Hostile rear guards, which resisted
the advance of our infantry, have been
CAPTURED or driven back with loss, and
heavy casualties were inflicted on the
retreating columns by our artillery.
Large numbers of the enemy retiring
in close formation were successfully
engaged by our batteries over the open
heights.
"ln his hurried retreat quantities OF
stores and materials of all kinds were
abandoned by the enemy"
British Capture lie Mesnil.
The British have captured LIE Mes
nil which lies to the southeast of LIE
Transloy, a further twO-mile advance
on six-mile front, battle front dis
patches say.
South of the Sensee river the enemy
is evacuating the ground west of the
Canal du Nord. The British are east
of Ytres and hold Etricourt and Man
aucourt There also has been slight
advance in the direction Of Buissy. MI
merous fires have been observed at Bus
and Bertincourt, southeast of Ba-
paume, and there are other indications
that the enemy's retirement sill con-
tinueS.
British at Neuve ChapeIIe.
In the Lye salient where the Ger
mans are retreating the British adj
vanced and now hold the western out
skirts of Neuve Chapelle. The Brit
ish have captured Richebourg St.
Vast.
Lens was powerfully defended, the
lines in front of it resting on a laby-
rinth of coal pits and heaps of mining
debris. They were an integral part Of
the German defenses on the western
front, being aligned to the northward
with the La Bassee position and the
Messines ridge, and to the southwark
with the Hindenburg defenses and La
Fere.
Throw in Last Reserves.
Southeast of Lagincourt, the south
ernmost point at which the British
have a hold on the Hindenburg line,
the Germans fruitlessly threw in what
is believed to be every reserve avail
able. Most of the reserve troops, how
ever, have been worn out in the recent
fighting and put up weak resistance.
The Second Prussian division, con-
sd = che of the enemy's best was
rushed up from Cambria, but the men
were 80 worn that they were easily
pushed back. Hundreds of prisoners
were taken.
Carrying their attack to the north
east of Arras, the British captured the
village of Hamblain-LesPres just to
the south of the Scarpe in the direc.
tion Of DOuai.
London. Sept. 4.-The British have
tdptuTeu the city VI LShS' AHe to"L
of Queant also has been taken. Lens
was evacuated by the Germans, the
british moving in.
More than 10000 prisoners were
taken by the British Monday. Add
tional prisoners were taken Tuesday
The British also hold Doignies, Velu
,and Bertincourt and Rocquigny, rep
Presenting an advance TO a maximum
depth of four miles on a twenty-mile
front