The sun., 1918-08-27
Bapaume Surrounded on
Three Sides and Picardy
Sector Slowly Narrows.
GERMANS GET NO REST
Reserves Being COncentrat-
ed North of scissors in Ef-
fort to Check French.
ENEMY MORE STUBBORN
Critics Incline to Belief He
Will Be Unable to Hold on
Hindenburg Line.
ENEMY MORE STUBBORN

ipNpoN' AuS' pr ieN Mdrsuni
Haig struck new surprise blow to-
day on q new front east Of Arras. on
the Scarpe River. More than a dozen
villages were captured and there wns
m average penetration of about two
miles. Monchy-lePreux, Guemappe
and Wancourt were among the vii
lagos taken.
While this new attack was being
launched British troops continued ac-
tive on the old fighting ground across
/ the Cojeul River. In their advance
here the villages of Mory and ST.
Leeer were taken. while further
south the town of Favreuil fell into
allied hands. The latter town is
mile and half northeast Of Bapaume
which Haig's troops have now sur
rounded on three sides. Further
south the British are reported in the
western edge Of Thllloy.
Haigs guns are now within direct
range Of Bapaume and II seems likely
that town will fall within a DAY or
two unless something happens to
check the British advance
French Also Advance.
The British continued to gain IN
the region east Of Albert and further
south. around the curve OF the salient
the French pushed forward slightly at
several places. At no place along the
line was there letup in the pressure
7 which Marshal Foch IS exerting
against the enemy, apparently with
! the view OF driving him out OF the
Picardy salient altogether
| French troops continued 10 hammer
az Rove to-day This point. due to
! numerous German reenforcements.
mas become one Of the strong points
| IN the line, Hindenburg being deter
| mined 10 save the town, apparently
/ regardless of cost. II is costing him
heavily, however, as French guns are
/ trained on the place and never cease
their hammering. The German com
manders realize that the giving up Of
! this one of their strongholds would
endarger their lease on the whole
salient from the Somme 10 Scissors
The French have captured Fresnoy-
les-Roye and 81. Mard. villages north
and south OF Rove respectively. desrite
the hardest kind OF resistance nv the
Germans Gen. Debeney's men are daily
getting closer 10 Rove and Its fail Is
felt BY the allied commanders 10 be only
a matter of DAYS
Germans Concentrate Reserxea
In the region north of scissors the
Germans have made heavy concentra-
tons OF reserve troops and these are
Offering desperate resistance to Gen.
Mangin's men, The German Generals
apparently are attempting to thwart the
French plan Of fanking the Chemin-des-
/ Danes positions which protect the Ger
| pan forces 10 the East, now opposed bv
Americans. Gen. Mangln has shown
ability 10 cope successfully with these
counter attacks. and even to advance in
spite OF them Among other reserves the
famous PrussIan Guard has been thrown
against Mangin's divisions here, but they
are finding themselves up against the
same impossible task that confronted
them when they tried 10 stop the Amer
leans in the Marne salient,
Due TO their numerous advances in
the north the British are already in the
old Hindenburg defence zone and are
daily getting nearer to the line itself.
Old Line May Not Hold,
Some of the military critics in the nj.
lied capitals IN their efforts 10 analyze
Marshal FOCh's battle plan see an at
tempt on his part to keep up a pressure
! on the Germans that will prevent them
rom sending men back TO strengthen
and fortIty N. old Hirdenburg line. In
which apparently the German command
ers now intend 10 spend the winter. II
Foch can keep the Germans distracted n.
will not only prevent additions to the
! strength Of this line but he will so
weaken the forces opposed 10 them tha,
he will be able n 30 through them even
when they reach their old defensive
zone.
Australian troops operating with The
British report that the enemy forces op-
posed to them are IN retreat and thai
fires were observed in ammunition
dun0s behind the German lln,S The
Australians, II Is reported Officially, have
captured more than 1000 prisoners
since August s, this number being
greater than all their casualties The
allied prisoner bag grows daily, both the
British and French reporting additional
captures. The Paris War Once an
nounces the taking OF more than 500
prisoners to-day, including numerous Of.
ncers.
II was officially announced IN London