The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-09-21
TAKE MANY PRISONERS.
SIX THOUSAND CAPTURED IN
SHARP DRIVE.
Three Mile Advance-British and
Australians Wrest Towns From
Cermans After Hard Fighting.

London, Sept. 1S.-The British
have penetrated the enemies de-
fenses northwest of st. Quentin to a
depth Of three miles and captured
more than 5000 prisoners. Field
Marshal Haig reports tonight. The
British have captured Fresnoy-ie-
Petit, Berthaucourt and Petru, and
the Australians have occupied La
Verguier, Villerot and Hargicourt.
The high ground south of Gouze-
aucourt has been carried by the Brit
ish who reached l'ae outskirts OF
Villers-.Suis,ain and occupied Gauche
wood.
Templeax, lie Gue.eaurd, Ronssoy,
.Epehy and Peiziere have also been
taken, the troops penetrating to q
great depth along the lines -
The German infantry surrendered
cutie freely in places. In fact in the
cepter os the attack where the Aus
tralians were working, considera-
bic nucber of gray coats deliberately
charged through the British barrage
to give themselves up.
Today's operation cannot be con-
! Edered as major operation as
compared with recent battles Ihe
objectives sought, however, were a
rortant both from the defensive ana
offensive standpoints
The assault began at dawn. Unfor-
tunately rain began to fall about
o,clecS and when the British went
over the top the ground was al
ready Shiny and hard to negotiate
especially when the ridges We're
reached and the men had to charge
up them. Tanks accompanied the
troops and rendered invaluable SER
vice in the early stages Of the con
hict. which waxed warm from the
start.
The British preliminary lombard
ment was brief and was followed by
the customary barrage for the pro-
lection of the advancing Infantry
The Germans Immediately replied
with vicious fire from large num-
bers of guns concentrated behind the
St. Quentin canal
Airplane observation was virtually
impossible. during the first hours OF
lighting from either side, so that the
gunners were shooting by map and
were greatly handicapped.
On the north Peiziere and a
strongly fortified sugar factory 70 the
northwest were taken by storm after
very hard lighting. Epehy proved a
sxoGgh nut to crack. Here the famous
-Alpine corps had been brought up
and the German army boasts no bet
ter troops than these It was futile
to attempt a frontal attack against
this place, which was fairly bristling
with machine guns. The British ac-
cordingly worked about it to the
north and south and squeezed it out
Rcnssoy was carried by storm and
hundred prisoners were cleaned
from the surviving garrison.
'In the center the Australians had
to fight for every inch of ground they
took, but they pushed steadily for
ward until they reached the crest OF
the ridge. BY $50 o'clock the Aus
tralians had taken a total Of 500
prisoners. Most of these We're Bava-
rians and men of the first German
reserve division and they appeared
to be of poor class Of men as they
came struggling back disconsolately
through the drilling rain.
One of the hottest engagements
took place just south of La Veguier
where the Germans have fortified
themselves in a mill. This strong
hold was surrounded and $50 Of the
garrison forced to surrender.
On the right flank there was equal
" hard fighting Holnon Had been
taken yesterday as preliminary t.
today's attack and from this point
the British went forward.
Last night German airplanes were
busy bombing the st. Quentin sector
and the enemy utilized a number Of
new type planes of huge size. Three
of these were shot down east o.
Peronne. They were capable OF
seating eight men. The most astound-
ing thing about them, however, was
that they carried bombs 13 feet
long which contained 1000 pounds Of
explosives. This is by far the biggest
bomb the Germans have yet produc-
ed.