Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-24
GEN. F0CH'S P|NCERS
CLOSE LIKE A VICE.
ON ENEMY'S LINES
3 900 PRISONERS AND SEVEN
TOWNS CAPTURED AS ALLIED
ARMIES EXECUTE CLOSING m
MOVEMENT-POiLUS RETAkE
THREE MORE TOWNS.

Paris, July -i.-Tbe French anl
Americans BY making mpor'au, new
progress against rne apex aud nest
cru side o, the great Nomo-Aisue IT.
angle today made .upo. siJle iur.
Their retention By the Cronl Princes
army OF the area below the Yeslu
river.
South os Soissons tire Americans
captured the town OF BuzucE ANA
farther south in the center OF The
German flank. the French took on
chy-le Chateau.
on the north bank Of the Marut
Americans occupied laulgcnne at thy
bend Of the stream with 800 prison
ers.
Oulchy-leChateaU WAS one Of the
German pivotal positions on The
Aisne Marine front, Il lies about elel-
en- miles south Of scissors ON the
sirategically important SCISSORS Cha
teau Thierry road
Al the same time the French slrl:l
the enemy in new sector this morn
Ing. on the Pieardy front. northwest
of Montdidier. At this filing il is no.
known whether Americans co-operat-
ed in the action
The poilus stormod forward on
front of four miles and penetrated
the German positions to a maximum
depth OF two miles. taking three yil
lagos Auhvillers, Sauylllers and
Mailly-Rainoval
The French attack at last ad1lces
had progressed to The western edge
of the wood north Of SauyllerS Mon
giyal. about IQo0 yards east ot
Maillu-Raineyal, giving the French
control of he heights domnatins
the valley OF the Ayre Twelve hun.
dred Germans were made prisoner
Allied artillery is reported shell
ing both sides of the German salient
between the Aisne and Marine. over
a width of from six to seven miles
leaving only a seyen.mlGe strip
through which the, German Grown
Princes troops can effect their Tt
.tirement northWard
The air forces are extremely &C
tive putting down almost q complete
curtain of steel. which would hinder
any attempt a. widespread retreat
and at the same time causing the
heaviest losses.
At the same time the British, aid
ed by French and Italian units. tignt
ened their grip on the eastern side
OF the pocket taking the town OF
Marfour according to unofficial nd
vices received as this is cabed and
the Petit Champ WOOD. Two hun
dred prisoners fell into their hands.
The French stormed the heights
north Of Conrceiies yesterday after.
noon, They are also holding the
bend in the neighborhood Of ChasJns
as tar as Trepoup
tThese towns are Just north of the
Marine and etst Of jaalgonue taken
by the Americans,)
Treloup, at the latest adyices. was
SIN in the hands Of the enemy
The French crossed the Marine at
Pont-a Bnson. east of ReuiI
The enemy counter attacked hea5
lily fro mDhe direction Of Wanderers.
but these onslaugnts we're beaten of
Immediately south OF the River
Ourcq on the Aisne Marine battle
front the advancing French forces
are reported to have had very heavy
lighting today
They have succeeded in reaching
several places on the railroad be
tween Armentieres and Coincy This
par Of the railroad is mere than six
miles east Of Neuilly-St Front,
The situation along the Marue was
unchanged today except that the
Germans apparently overwhelmed
some of the French troops across The
river south Of Niucclos and north
OF Dormans.
-.