The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-06-12
Foch's Troops Capture Over
1,C0O Prisoners aid
Guns.
BEAT HUNS ON 7-mILE FRONT
Allies Advance Two Miles Between
Montdidier and Noyon-ViIIage of
BeIIoy, GenIis Wood and
Heights Won-Heavy Cas-
uaIties Inflicted on
Germans. .

Paris, June 1.-THE French troops
fighting southeast of Montdidier have
turned upon the Germans in violent
attack and administered a severe de.
feat to the enemy over front of
about IN niles between RubescOurt
and st. Maur
1t was over this front that the
French since Sundays offensive began
had held back the Germans from keep
ing pace with the advance they were
making from the center Of the line
south Of RessOnsSur-M Matz toward the
Disc river and where the Onslaughts
of the invaders We're met with de-
fense In man and gun power that
brought to the Germans enormous
casualties.
The village Of BellOy, Genlis wood
and the heights rising between Cour-
celles and MOrtemer were recaptured
by the French and in addition to the
infiiction Of heavy casualties on the
enemy General Foch's men took more
than a thousand prisoners and also
captured guns.
In the immediate center of the line
between MOntdidier and NOyon, where
the Germans had ben able to extend
the apex of their drive to Antheuil,
the enemy also was attacked and driv-
en- back.
The Germans have been forced back
along this front from half mile to
NJ ri OF
Foe Pushes Down Disc.
Southwest of NoyOn he succeeded in
reaching MarchemOnt and Bethan-
court, the last named place lying on
the west bank Of the Oise river. Hard
fighting Is still in progress in this re-
giOn with the French disputing the
attempts Of the Germans to press on
ward.
The Berlin official night report
makes no mention Of gains, but says
French counter-attacks were repulsed
with heavy losses.
Having reached the Disc in the re-
giOn Of RibecOurt the enemy, If he pur-
poses to try to fight his way along the
west bank Of the stream, soon must
emerge In force upon the lOwlands bOr-
dering the waterway, where the troops
of General FOch are said to be in
strong array-both in men and guns
waiting to dispute the road to Paris.
Foe Uses 100000 Troops.
Although nearly 100000 men are be
ing employed by the Germans in their
efforts to open way to the French
capital, their progress is slow when
compared to that on other days. NJ.
merOus divisions of the attacking
troops have been cut to pieces by the
French gunners and forced to with
draw from the battle in order to fill
the gaps with fresh men.
Not an inch of ground has been
given up without the exacting by the
French of terrible toll in men killed
or wounded. And nowhere has the de.
Tending line been pierced.
The German war Office claims the
capture Of 10000 additional prisoners
which with the number Of captives re-
ported Monday would bring the total
to $4,000 in the present fighting.
Since the new offensive began along
the SOissOns-Reims sector May q, ii
is asserted by the German official com.
municatiOn that the army group of the
German crown prince has taken about
$4,000 allied troops captive.
Comparative quiet still prevails on
the front between SOissons and Reims
although Berlin announces that north
west of Chateau Thierry, where the
American marines, fighting side by side
with the French, have several times de.
cisively defeated the enemy, the Ger
mans have repuIsed with heavy losses
attacks delivered against their front.
In one of the most ambitious opera.
tiOns carried out in many days, Field
Marshal Haig'S troops in the Amiens
sector have struck the Germans a hard
blow. 1t was the Australians who car
ried out the maneuver, and they sue
ceeded in advancing their line half 9
mile over d mile and n half front and
took nearly 800 prisoners. including
five officers. In addition u machine
guns and a trench mortar were cap
tured.
French Statement
Paris, June 12.-The text of the
night official statement follows:
The battle continued from Mont
didier to the Disc.
On the left our troops, supported
by tanks, cOunterattacked along 6
front of II kilOmeters, between Rubes
@nnrt and st. Maur, and, nOtwfth
standing desperate resistance on the
part of the enemy, reached the south
ern approaches of LIE Fretoy, cap
tured the heights between Courcelle.
and Mortemer and carried our line!
more than two kilometers to the cas-
of Merry.
We have also retaken Belloy ant
Genlis wood and reached the south
ern outskirts of st. Maur.
The enemy. who suffered heav.