The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-13
HURL BACK HUN

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enemy. holding all the gains which
they have made.
After violent fighting, the enemy
has obtained a foothold in Couvres
and St. Pierre-Haigle.
Yankee Raid ON German Trenches.
Washington. June IA continu-
alton of General Pershings COM
| munique of yesterday, received today,
reports a raid on German trenches
which three Germans were killed. The
Americans returned without casual
| ties.
Evacuation of Compiegne.
Paris, June 13.-The civilian evac-
| uation of Compiegne has been conf
pleted, it was officially announced to-
day. Thousands of refugees are ar
| irving on special trains.
British Advance Lines.
London, June 13.-British troops
| last night advanced their lines a short
distance on the Flanders front in the
district southeast of Merris, the war
office announced today. The French
| on this front likewise improved their
! positions near the ridge wood. Pris-
| oners were taken in both operations.
| Southeast Of Arras we made a sue
| cessful daylight raid inflicting heavy
| casualties Field Marshal Haig re-
| ported today. IAN enemy trench
mortar was brought back and two
| others were destroyed"
Battle Rages on 5O-NIile Front.
London, June 13.-The battle was
| from Montdidier to the Villers-Cot-
tterets forest, comprising all the new
| Disc line and the northwestern por-
ton of the Marine front.
South of Villers-Cotterets forest,
| there was intermittent fighting clear
| ~
adding a 25-mile fighting area to the
| main battle zone.
On the Disc front the French con-
tinued to progress slightly on the
west and hold the Germans in the
center, while the enemy made further
| progress on the east, it was indicated
by laSt~night's official statements.
| The French war office reported fur
ther progress in the region of Belloy
wood and ST. Maur, with the capture
of 400 additional prisoners and a
| quantity of material There was NO
change on the front from st. Maur to
iAntheuil. s-r.-.-- ~
Voluntary Withdrawal.
! Official admission of retirement
from the sharp Noyon salient was
made in the Paris communicate. The
| French line was voluntarily with
drawn on Monday to the line of Bailly
and Tracy-le-Val, joining the Marine
|
represents 4 retirement to maximum
| depth of about four miles.
North OF the Marine allied troops
occupied Montcourt, two miles south
\ west of Chateau Thierry and the
southern portion Of Bussaires. seven
miles northwest of Chateau Thierry. Z
Ut is in this region that the American
marines and the Ninth and Twenty -thifd
United States infantry are fightingo
Berlin Claims Losses.
| The German war office described
| French evacuation of the Noyon sa-
of the heights southwest of Noyon.
| Thirteen thousand additional pris-
| oners were claimed.
Referring to the fighting north of
| the Marine, Berlin said:
| "Obstinately and regardless of sac
rifices, the enemy kept up his vain
| attacks northwest of Chateau Thierry.
| Several assaults here broke down with
sanguinary losses"
| Field Marshal Haig reported a Sue
| cessful raid near Locre, on the Flan-
| ders front, by French troops last night.
| The Italian war office reported sue
cessful patrol operations and the re-
pulse of Austrian raids.
No Fighting Along New Line.
No engagements yet have developed
| along the new French line east of the
Disc. The French retirement was
made necessary because the German
guns dominated the forests south and
The French line now lies in front
| of the for, st of Laigue, which is i'm
mediately north of the forest of Com
piegne. South of the Aisne the Ger
Lmans have made some progress on the
plateau west of Dommiers and Cutry.
The French troops in hand-to-hand
fighting repulsed the enemy efforts
north of Cutry and Immediately south
of Dommiers. -
| Montcourt Taken by French.
Southeast of villers-Cotterets the
French along the Clignon river have
part of Bussaires. This sector is the
western end of the front on which the
Americans have been fighting but
| there was no American activity We'd
nesday.
On the Flanders battlefield the
French have. carried out raids in the
| region of Locre. The American Sec
tors have been quiet. In Picardy Ger
man prisoners have been taken by
American patrols while northwest of
Toul the artillery fire continues-strong.
Down Valley at Great Cost.
London, June 13.-The Germans at
| severe cost continue to push down the
| MatZ valley where an abundance Of
small woods afforded maximum pro-
| lection for French machine guns and
artillery, says Reuters correspondent
at French headquarters, telegraphing
| Wednesday. Further west the French
have pursued their progress on the
Merry plateau and have pushed the
enemy off the eastern slope into the
valley.
"On the right the French counter
attacks hurled the Germans back
north of the Matz, the French occu-
| pying the height of Croix-Ricard and
| Melicocq A hundred prisoners and a
\ number of machine guns were taken.
| THE most violent fighting is going
| on between the Afsne and Villers-Cot-
terets forest, where the Germans pro-
| crossed to the hollow east of La YER
| sine and succeeded. in the heaviest
fighting, in obtaining a footing in
Coeuyre and st. Pierre-Aigle.'