Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-09-09

within TWO and One-h2lI mics - ~.
Hindenburg line opposite LecrafsasiSst
and their patrols are reported to hasr
passed through the village. =
French troops now hold the Prozar
canal practically along its whole
length. They are only four miles
from st. Quentin and their cavalry
patrols are close to la Fere.
French Now in Old Positions.
By Associated Press.
WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN
FRANCE, Sunday, Sept. Sine
troops of Gen. Mangin between the
Aisne and the oise rivers are now
virtually behind their old wild en-
tanglements in their old trenches OF
1917. All along the edge of the for
( est of Coucy and through the western
horn of the st. Gobain forest the Ger
mans are only 200 yards away and
in some places they are in positions
in the old Hindenburg line that are
plainly visible from the heights west
of Chateau coucy.
The Oise-Aisne canal and the river
Ailette that runs between the heights
and the chateau and which forms a
sort of advanced post of their main
line six miles further back at F'resnes,
was not abandoned voluntarily, but
wrested from the enemy after a strug-
ferent German divisions tried TO hold
of a single French division.
'sThe divisions that tried to prevent
the crossing of the canal and river"
the Associated Press corresponding
was informed by French officer, who
has participated in most of the CAM
paigns Of the war, accomplished the
greatest concentration of machine
gun fire that has been witnessed In
this war"
The French troops were Obliged to
face that fire at q range of twenty
yards in order TO cross the Oise-Aisn0
canal and the river Ailette. Pioneers,
throwing bridges over the canal sew
enteen yards wide. suffered not only
from the quick firers, but were in
good range of German grenades. 1t
required two days to advance to tho
Ailette from the village Pont st. Mard
and four days to gain SOC yards OF
ground. The machines were massed
all along the canal in front Of Quincy
and I'm the woods, thiekets and
marshes.
The French engineers finally suc-f
eeeded in bridging the canal and over
the first bridge an enraged sergeant
charged the Germans around a ma
chine gun position and single-handed
made twelve OF them prisoners. Such
was the work that went on both
along the river and the canal during
the FIVE days, each day exhausting
Germany's best divisions.
During several hours French pro-
iectiles sent splinters flying through
the timber and when the
infantry charged they had to go on to
ICoucy-la-Ville to catch the enemy who
had fed, leaving his guns and an
enormous amount Of material and
supplies behind.
Coucy-le-Chateau and the heights
on which Il stands was Just turned
from the north and fianked at the
same time from the south while
thousands OF shells filled the ruins OF
the surrounding positions. Chateau
Nogent to the southeast was taken
about the same time and with II the
Germans lost positions on which they
he'd spent a tremendous mort. They
retired behind their three lines OF
barbed wire on the line TO Fres
mes. The booty they left behind in two
Immense engineering jumps included
locomotives. railroad material OF all
sorts and the great number OF twin
firers and implacement guns and one
nfteen inch gun with which they
(Continues on page b