The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-16
Military Men Believe Fall of
City Inevitable.
Huns Cling Desperately to Hills
East of RibecOurt.
DEFEND LASSIGNY- -OISE CANAL
Canals Loss Would Mean the
Evacuation of NoyOn.
German Artillery Tunes Up on
Whole British Front.
(BE the Associated PressJ


With the French Army in France,
Aug. I6.-Allied forces occupied VII
Iers-Les- Roye and St Aurin. and
reached their old line of trenches east
OF Armancourt Yesterday Further
north they pressed forward toward
the Chaulnes- -Eoye line taking Dam
cry wood in the evening.
PARIS. Aus. Is Il p. m.) ).-Roye is
held in a vice-like grip by the French.
stubborn resistance by the Germans is
being crushed. The French are slowly
encIrcIing the town
The French advance at Nillers-Les-
Boye makes the fall of Roye in
evitable, it is believed by military men.
Possession of the town by French
troops would make necessary recti-
fication of the German lines an6 re-
treat to the Nesle-Noyon would be
probable.
The Germans are clinging desper-
ately TO a range of hills east of Ribe-
court. They are also stubbornly de-
ferdinE the Lassigny- Disc canal, the
loss of which would entail the evacua-
tion of Nuyon.
Hun Artillery Active.
CBy the Associated Press.)
With the British Army in France,
Aug. l6 t10:30 a. m. ).-The enemy
arullery was active last night from
one end of the British front to the
other. The activity was especially
marked along the new Somme battle
front, in the Essarts sector and in
the region of La Bassee, on the north
ern front, where there was a heavy
gas bOmbardment. There was no de-
veiupment of activity by the enemy in
fIntry anywhere. however. All along
the Summe front the British are con-
tinuiug various slight. forward move
meuts to gain advantages of position.
N1,s. H.
Damcry and ParVillerS came yesterday
into British hands, F-- -----
The situation north of the Ancre has
not yet been clarified. the enemy's in
tcntioEs being obscure. There are no
further reports of widespread with
drlwals in this region, altho the enemy
seems to have abandoned several of
his small forward positions. On the
other hand, British patrols that
crossed the Ancre last night were fired
upon and forced to retreat.
thy the Associated PressD
Allied pressure has been effectively
renewed against the German line in
he region of Roye on the Picardy
battle front. The enemy is clingins
detorm'nedly to this town as a bull
wark of the positions he took up after
being driven back from the Annie ms
region. Both the French and the Brit
ish are pushing closer, however, and
making his prolonged tenancy of the
place doubtful.
London last night reported the Brit
ish lines advanced northwest of Roye
in the neighborhood of Damery and
PIrVillerS, while today Paris reports
q forward movement on the part oi
the French. west and southwest OF
Iioye on a front of about . Il miles.
Roye is fast becoming the virtual
apex of a salient which will soon in
vite a crushing allied stroke if the
H. lF
fectivelv maintained as it has beer
recently.
Fighting activity in Picardy is con-
fined to local actions. There are nc
signs that the heavier combats of ear
lier in the week are about to be re
sumed, altho the artillery on hotf
sides continues active. On the line
between Chaulnes and Roye, where
the Germans are said to have a large
number of men, Canadian troops have
pushed farther eastward by complet.
ing the occupation of the villages o
ParviIlers and Dammery. Thest
points are about two miles west of tht
highway and railroad running nortf
and south thru Chaulnes and Roye.
Situation Above Albert Obscure.
Apparently the enemy has com
pleted his withdrawal movement il
the Hebuterne sector. north of Albert
Berlin announces officially that Ger
man troops were withdrawn from
small salient. However, it is not We
clear how far the Germans have re
tired. The enemy still holds Albert
but the British are in the western out
skirts.
French Advance on Disc Sector
Betweel the Oise and the Matz, tn
French continue their steady pressur
and have gained additional higl
ground west of the Disc and north
west of Ribecourt. The German
fought hard to hold the MonoIithe an,
Attiche farms, but were finally driver
tCourtnnsd "age TwoI