The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-12
Is MAKING
STRONG EFFORTS
TO HOLD A Line
ON RIVER SELLE.
Germans Hastily Digging
Themselves in East Of
LIE Cateau
(By Associated Press. }

began an attempt to slow up tn,
Anglo American advance on tn,
main battle front. All the bridge,
across the river SeIle from LIE Ca,
teau jsouthward were blown up anC
the Germans seem to have been dig,
ging in furiously along the line .o
| the high ground some 1000 to 4,00t
yards east of the river, which al.
ready has been crossed by the Brit.
| ish and Americans at several places
Apparently the Germans intend tt
make stand here. In this locality
all of today's operations have beer
devoted to gaining the river cross
1ngs and establishing firm foot
ing on the east bank. There has
been sharp machine gun fighting
and the Germans from the high
ground of LIE Cateaul have poured
heavy fire upon the west bank OF
the river.
AS soon as the Americans and the
cavalry entered ST. Souplet south OF
lie Cateau they came under heavy
fire from the German gun concen-
tration. It is reported that the en-
emy gunners fired their weapons
here over open sights. Luckily their
aim was not as good as it might
have been.
On The oise Canal,
South of here the British and
French have driven deeply into the
enemy territory. and the French now
control a, long strip of the west bank
of the Oise canal. British advanced
patrols also had reached the canal
bank at Longchamps but they had
made too rapid progress and conse-
,quently returned.
The British by their drive launch
ed this morning on the northern
fringe OF the battle area now are OPP
Grating well on the ether side OF the
Searpe river and have reached po-
sttions less than 31s miles from the
important center of Douai. The
troops are, driving northeasterly to-
ward this city and at the same time
are widening, the already wide sal
lent which has been made in the
German former. positions. There are
strong Indications that the Germans
realize they must get out of the eTl-
tire Douai salient
1t is not Improbable that one of
the enemy S principal ideas in trying
to slow up the advance in the area
south Of LIE Cateau is for the pur-
pose of protecting his forces in the
Douai salient for every. foot gained
in this battle area increases the
menace to the Germans in the Douai
pocket. The British encountered
hard opposition in the Scarpe oper-
ations but Notwithstanding they
have made rapid progress. They
have further relieved the pressure
east OF Arras and now are well to
the east of Vitry en- Artois and .Noy :
elles Sous BeIIon.
Sail TsaaR9RafXyaa nna nTNy
The German machine gunners
have been fighting hard in the en-
Virons of LIE Cateau and the better
part of today was required to clear
them out. Little posts or the enemy
well supplied with ammunition, ap-
parently had been left behind by
their commanders with instructions
to sell themselves as dearly, as pos
sfble. They obeyed orders and fire.
quently held out manfuIly.
By the end Of the day, however.
1t appeared that most of them had
been driven out or killed and the
British were then reported to be
moving eastward on the road be-
tween LIE Cateau and Bazuel, some
3 miles to the southeast from which
they seemed to be about 5000 yards
distant
Northeast OF LIE Cateau the Cana
dams were in the outskirts of the
town of Forest, fighting their way
forward against other stubborn en-
emy machine gunners.
1t was during last night that the
first reports that the Germans were
digging in were received and these
were confirmed today BY midday
the enemy seemed to have a con
t5nuous line all the way from point
southeast Of LIE Cateau southwark
in front of Menneyrat and east Of
Grougis while in Ais and the
area near it fires were burning
briskly.
The enemy is by no means sure
of holding onto his quickly arrang
ed line for any length of time as 1t
offers little protection, being simply
a scratch on the surface probably
protected by few strands of wire.
Moreover, the road to the east are
still cluttered up with enemy troops
and transports.
Retreat In Progress.
The afrplanes report that the re-
treat is in progress far back of the
present location OF the enemy The
British aviators have become IA
dgued with the labor of killing Ger
mans. During the last twenty four
hours they have fired hundreds of
thousands OF rounds from their ma
chine guns and dropped hundreds Of
tons OF bombs on targets it was inn
possible to miss.
The road between LIE Cateau and
Bazuel offered some, remarkable op-
portunities for the aviators. Again
and again great numbers OF British
planes swooped low over this road
and emptied their guns into masses
Of men and of transport which were
so thick that the bullets could not
help but take effect. The road was
more than once blocked with dead
men and horses, upset wagons and
masses OF equipment. All this was
cleared away and the retreat con-
.inued only to be upset quickly again
by the air attack.
Bombs also were dropped on
nassed German troops and masses
Sc men and transport in the neigh
borhood OF Wassigny and other
towns back OF the German positions. |
Wide flights also have been made |
over the German rear and there are
still no signs that any real lines
81 defense have been constructed. |
AS a matter OF fact, the enemy |
hardly has had time TO construct
such defenses, SO fast has he been
Kept on the run There are no in-
Iications that the Germans will be
able actually to halt their dhght |
here,