The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-09-04

With the British Armies In France.
| Sept. 4.-(Noon.) ).-British troops were
reported this morning to have taken
| the town of Moervres. three and half
miles southeast of Queant. but the
capture of the place was not confirmed.
The Germans are in full flight In
the region of the Canal Du Nord and
| appear to be more than ever disorgan-
lied. A thousand more prisoners were
captured last night by Field Marshal
Haig's forces.
Exploiting their successes of yester-
day, the British today are establish
ing posts on the western banks of the
Canal Du Nord. Attempts to cross the
canal have in every case been met with
heavy machine gun fire and II is evil
dent the enemy intends to stand here
as long as possible.
Reports from the north and south
indicate that virtually the whole of the
British front Is being moved up. To-
cal attacks In the north are helping
the Germans to decide to move faster.
In the Drocourt battle zone the
British have occupied ground east OF
Inchy- en- Artois and are holding the
canal crossings northwest and south
cast of the town.
Civilians overJoyed.
In Rumacourt, which has been cap
tured and left behind by the advance
ing British, forty French civilians were
found. They were overJoyed at their
liberation.
Further south the British hold
Hermies, Demicourt, Menancourt and
the ridge to the east and also Lechelle.
Field Marshal Haig's forces have en-
tered Ytres, southeast of Bapaume, and
northeast of Peronne the enemy still Is
retreating.
The British have reached Moislains
and there has been fghting in the
streets of the village. Other British
forces have started In a southeasterly
direction down the canal to meet an
other force coming up from A1laines
and are cleaning up the Germans in
that locality.
South of the Arras- Cambria road.
Canadian troops are on the canal bank
on a front of 1000 yards. The British
artillery is pounding the area in the
rear of the canal. while troops from the
west bank everywhere are delivering a
rain of machine gun bullets on the en-
emy.
The Germans have destroyed their
canal bridges at several places, includ-
Ing that to the east of Bousies. fear
ing that they might be rushed and
crossed.
Boche Playing for Time.
Inere are lnOlCatlOnS tnat tne IeT-
mans still are playing for time. East
OF Peronne the British have made
further slight advances.
In the north the Germans still are
retiring and in many villages in va
rious localities the torch has been ap-
piled.
Numerous explosions also have been
reported, the Germans apparently
blowing up their works and stores.
In the neighborhood OF Richebourg-
st. Vaast the British line has been ad-
vanced considerably by an attack.
More than $50 prisoners were taken
and six 77-millimetre guns and two
AZ howitzers were captured.
An advance was made in the La
motto sector and Nieppe and La
Roman were occupied. North of here
slight advances were reported by the |
British. The destruction of the Canal |
Du Nord crossings clearly shows that |
the Germans arc. entirely on the de- |
fensive and have definitely decided at
least for the present to take the de-
feat administered without counter at
Confusion General.
The Germans in their full flight be-
fore the British are undoubtedly even
more dsorganiZed than heretofore. |
Their general confusion is being con-
stantly increased by the fire from the
British cannon. Several thousand more
prisoners were captured by the Brit
ish late yesterday and last night.