The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-08-17

British hands, Field Marshal Haig an
nounces in his night report. Damery |
lies northwest of Royce
Substantial progress was made by |
the British in the direction of Fres- |
noy-Ies-R oye (between Chaulnes and
Nesle), and F>ransart Con the |
Chaulnes- Roye railway, the state |
ment says.
Fresh progress made by the French
during the last twelve hours toward
Roye foreshadows the early fall of
that railway town, which was the CEN
ter of the German communications
for Won Hutier's Montdidier pocket.
The Germans are still defending the
surrounding ground foot for foot, but
are believed to be about to abandon
the town since it has lost its import
ance, at one time equal to that of
Fere-en-T ardenois in the Aisne-Marne
battle. From Roye the German left
must swing back, with Noyon as a
pivot, six miles and half to Nesle.
1t is with an eye to such an enforc-
ed withdrawal that the Germais are
now fighting desperately to ward off
the French between Lassigny and
Ribecourt, for once the hills north of
Ribecourt are in French hands Noyon
will become untenable for Won Boehm,
ard that would deprive him of an ir-
dispensable hinge of retreat.
In the official reports of the last
three days few changes have been re
corded that would look imposing if
traced on the map. And yet, these
-1n
ahead by the French and British, with
a half mile gain here and few hun
bred yards there, constituted the criti-
cal phase of the battle.
1t was the Germans only chance to
strike back in force. They failed to
do it, and that in itself is a confession
that the battle has been lost and that
they are getting ready to take the con-
SEQUENCES. These consequences are
bound to show themselves presently.
Hans Won Boehn is setting the stage
for a large-scale retreat at minimum
cost to the retreaters, and the only
ounestion is whether Foch is going to
let him get away without paying an
appropriate price.
Between Albert and Arras the Brit
ish, according to Haig's day report
have sent patrols across the Ancre
near Thiepval Wood, which is close u
the village of that name, three and
half miles northeast of Albert. Further
north, British patrols advanced on the
three mile front between Beaucourt
and Puisieux. Only a little further
progress is required in this sector be-
fore the whole German center be-
tween Albert and Arras must go. back
toward Bapaume, with the tanks re-
firing automatically.
Albert seems destined to fall to the
British before many more days are
passed, and Arras would promptly be
disentangled. Once they have gone
back across the Ancre the Germans
cannot stop before the read the fore
field of the Bapaume -Sombles-P
line.
Onlx entirely unexpected develop
ments can prevent a German retreat
on the 50-mile front between Arras
and Noyon.
The question which confronts Won
Boehm seems to be not, snail re-
treat?" but "how far?"
The alternative lines to which he
can fall back are:
THE line which the Germans
held before the first battle of the
Somme, in 1915.
2-The Hindenburg line, to which
the Germans fell back in February,
1917, after converting Picardy into
| desert.
| The first line, called the old Somme
front ran from the south of Arras to
the east of Albert, thence southwark
| through Maricourt and Curlu, crossed
the Somme at Frise, and ran by way
! of ine-les-Chappy, Damery and
Dancourt to Noyon.
| This line has been reached by the
| Allies at four points, and has been
: actually crossed at some others. At
! Beaumont Hamel, Damery, Parvillers
| and Armancourt the British stand on
this old German line, and at PuisieuX-
au-Mont they have passed beyond it.
The Hindenburg line of 1917 ran
from the east of Arras, where it rest
ed on the south bank of the Scarpe,
through Cambria and st. uentQin to
La Fere. 1t was this line from which
the Germans debouched on their drive
| March 81 last.
One million five hundred and twenty
thousand Germans have been killed
during the entire war, Marcel Muffin,
military writer of the Echo de Paris,
declared yesterday.
The enemy's total losses in killed,
| wounded and missing, he estimated,
amounted to 100000. of which big
percentage were wounded and have
been sent back into the lines.
From March to June, 10000 Ger
mans were killed, Hutin said, while
the number of killed in the past eight
weeks has exceeded this figure.
With the American Army in France,
Aug. 1.-THE Germans launched a
combined gas, artillery and air bomb
! ing attack upon the French and
1 Americans along the Vesle early Fri
day morning. This was in retaliation
for a bombing raid by American air
men upon bridges over the Aisne late
Thursday.
The German artillery continued
Smelling the crossroads south of the
Vesle for hours, on the assumption
that the French and Americans were
bringing up troops. German avia-
tors bombed the woods and villages
south of the Vesle, apparently work
ing in relays.
A group of twelve American avia-
tors participated in the raid on the
Aisne bridges. Early Friday other
American fliers went up and took
photographs for the purpose of as
certaining the effects of the bombs
dropped. A great deal of traffic had
: been reported passing over the Aisne
bridges, and the French and Amerf-
cans increased the fire of their heavy
orns In On attenpt to destroy q 8