The Little River news., 1918-07-31
FOES RETREAT IS PRE-
 ClPlTATE ALONG MARINE
Germans Fall Back Several Miles at Some Places-On Eastern Wing -TeutOns' Guns Cheek
 French Advance.

With the French Armies on the Marne-Aisne Front, July 2S-The re- treat of the German crown prince forces along the whole Marne front has.reached more precipitate phase. At some places. the Germans have tal- len back for a distance ot several miles. French and American troops are hammering at both Hanks.
 Entente allied patrols pushing ever forward have reached the southern bank of the river Ourcq This morn ing was, extremely quiet along the cen ter of the salient where the Germans are not offering great opposition.
 On both wings. however, the great est activity prevails. The enemy has massed many heavy guns to the North of Soissons on the heights around Juvigny Chavigny, whence they hom- bard with an enflading fire the Western wing as far South as Oulchy le-Chateau. Notwithstanding this bombardment the allies in the Oulchy- le-Chateau region are making some progress. although they are faced by the Germans best divisions and the concentrated fire Of numerous ma cine guns.
 Guns Hinder Allies. On the eastern wing the allies grad ually are obtaining command of the road leading from Dormans to Rheims On this side also the Germans have as sembled great amount of artillery in the neighborhood of St. Thierry northwest of Rheims. These guns cover the German let flank and con stantly make the progress slower for the allies
 Cavalry and tanks in considerable numbers have succeeded in getting in among the retiring Germans, while airplanes are bombarding their ooi- umns on the march.
 The incessant smashing blows night and day of the gigantic
 and day of the entente allies left the enemy nothing else to do but to retreat or die in his positions. Even their sudden retirement has not re- lieved the Germans from constant har~ rying.
 1n addition to the slashing of ca; airy and the pounding of the tanks the lives of the Germans rear guards are being made precarious by entente infantry patrols. Meanwhile allied aviators Garingly fly few hundred feet overhead, bombarding and ma chine gunning the German batteries and columns on the march.
 Tank Crews Heroes.
 The tank crews. have been heroes iE this chase. Alter breaking up the enemy. front line and preparing the way tor an advance of infantry the tanks have throughout continued to exploit the success gained.
 Some tanks have even attacked the enemy artillery batteries and killed all the gunners, thus permitting the infantry to capture many of these weapons. There is not tank in the section of tanks which has not ta ken part in the fighting that has not from 15 to 20 machine guns to its credit. Most of the prisoners declare that the losses caused by the tanks have been terrible.
 The line where the Germans with Grawal has attaired it's greateS. oepth is northeas. of Chateau Chierry The depth from that point graduall. becomes narrower until it is qui.e small on nca, ing the Eastern pivot on t. e front Southwest of Rheims. Both here and around Soissons, the other pivot, the g,ou1d Is admirably suited for defense. In the vicinity of these trated most of their artillery and large forces of infantry knowing that if breach be made at either place by the allies great majority of the Ger man troops occupying the remainder of the pocket must be sacrificed. The method of retirement adopted by the enemy consists of first retir- ing one companx from every two com, panies, then two sections from the res maining company. Then the last sec> tion withdraws leaving only few men with machine guns to cover the retreat. These men are sacrificed but sometimes they manage to rejoin their comrades, and the maneuver is re- peated