The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-29
NOYON TAKEN

CContinued from Page One.i
one road runs TO Roye, to the north
west; one to Ham to the northeastf
one goes up the Disc valley and an
other leads down into Carlepont for
Another goes down the Disc to Conn
piegne.
Noyon is a very ancient town, being
known to the Romans Charlemashe
was crowned king of the Franks at
Noyon in 76S and Hugh Capet was
elected king there in 9S7. 1t was the
birthplace of John Calvin, who was
born July 10, 1909.
Germans Leave Traps.
Paris, Aug. 29.-The number OIL
German prisoners captured by the
French in their advance west OF the
ChauInes-Noyon line has been com
parativeIy small as the French nave
been obliged to move cautiously. me
Germans left mines at various places,
and had scattered Internal nqachlnes
and traps of various kinds. The war
material taken, however, has peeh
considerable In forty-eight hours
the allied advance has liberated haoie
than fifty villages.
Allied Forces Press Eastward.
(By the Associated PressD
Having forced the Germans TO re-
treat between the Somme ana the
Disc the allied forces are pressing the
advantage gained and continue thelf
advance eastward. Further enemy re-
tirements behind Roye and Arras are
not unexpected in allied capitals
French troops after an advance OF
nearly seven miles on front OF nine
teen miles. are fighting for the cross
inzs of the Canal Du Nord in the re-
gion north of Noyon. which gradually
is being encircled. Immediately
south of the Somme, British forces
have moved east to within three miles
of the Somme, south of where 1t oenos
at Peronne and Brie-
From the Sornme to north of
Bapaume the British pressure con-
tinues vigorously and had resulted in
an advance of more than mile on q
front of more than five miles In the
region OF Curlu and northward. Ba-
paume still holds out, but the British
are pushing well east of that point on
the north.
Threaten Queant- Drocourt Line.
South of Arras, where the British
have crossed the Hindenburg line,
they are now east of Boiry-Notre
Dame, about three miles east of
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and threatening
seriously the QueaRt-Drocourt sup
port line. North of the Scarpe Ger
man counter attacks seemingly have
held up the advance astride the Arras-
Douai high road
While the enforced retirement of the
enemy from the Roye-Chaulnes lines
adds to the difficulties of the German
troops north of the Somme, French
and American troops under General
Mangin have struck at the vital sa-
lient north Of scissors. An advance
of nearly one mile has been made in
the Chavigny region. The allies here
are driving toward the heights at the
western end of the Chemin-Des-
Danes, imperilling the German lines
both to the east and to the west. To
the east along the Vesle the Germans
have reacted violently against the
Americans at Fismette and had re-
gained that village Wednesday night
in heavy fighting. Berlin says that
$50 Americans were made prisoner
here and at Bazoches. several miles to
the west, where the Americans gained
a strong foothold.
German Positions Insecure.
Viewed from the maps, the German
withdrawal before French pressure in
the Nesle region, coupled with allied
activities elsewhere on the great bat
tie front, which has become the great
est of the war hardly places them in a
more secure position than the one
previously occupied. The fact that
south of Peronne the Germans went
back to the canal Du Nord and the
Somme, may indicate that they will
retire to the same canal north OF
Peronne where it runs toward Cam
brai.
British pressure on the north and
the French position along the Disc dc
not make the canal Du Nord very
strong line, because it can be out
thanked from the north and from the
south. The French, at the juncture
of the Disc and the Ailette, could cut
in behind it. and at least, are sc
placed so as to impede and seriously
harass any hurried withdrawal from
the region about Ham and Noyon.