Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-09-13
British Smash the Wotan Line
and French and Yankees
Drive Huns North.
GERMANS QUIT VESLE RIVER
Continue Their Retreat From lys Sec.
tor, Where Americans Fight on
Belgian Soil-Bolsheviki Are
Defeated In Siberia and
Northern Russia.
BY EDWARD W. PICkARD.


The whole western front, from Ypres
to Reims. was abnze all the week, and
throughout all the long stretch the Ger.
mans continued their retreat. The ar.
mics Of the allies followed closely on
their heels, hammering at them dry
and night and giving them not Il mo.
ment's pause for reorganization Of
their wearled forces. 1t was another
week OF uninterrupted allied success.
ana the withdrawal Of the Huns was
extended to Include the vesle river
sector between scissors and Relms.
Until Wednesday there had been little
activity there, except continuous artl.
lery work and some sharp fighting be-
tween the Americans and the Germans
In the region Of Fismes and Flsmette.
But In the first days of the week air.
plane observers reported evidences OF
coming retreat by the enemy, and
this developed on Wednesday. The
American and French patrols pursued
the Huns promptly and by Thursday
had reached the crest dominating the
Aisne, across which river the Germans
seemed likely to take the main bodies
OF their troops.
This retrograde movement was made
necessary by the successful advance Of
General Mangln's army north and
northwest OF Scissors between the All.
cite and the Alsne, threatening the
Chemin des Danes and thanking the
enemy line toward Fismes. With the
aid OF Americans, Mangin was moving
steadily down the Aisne plateau and
In the direction of LaOn, and II 40.
pcared doubtful that the Huns would
he able to remain long south of the
lllndenburg line through Anlzy and
Craonne. They were driven out of
Clemency, Bray, Missy.sur- Aisne and
many other towns In this region, and
the French AS early rs Wednesday
night were In the outskirts of COucy,
one Of the important German bases on
the edge Of the st. GObaln forest. Be-
tween there and Chauny the enemy
was forced from series of domlnat-
ing heights that lac has relied on to
protect La Fere. To the northwest
OF Chauny equally important victories
gave General Humbert possession OF
Guiscard and Mauc0urt after he had
forced the retirement Of the enemy
from Mont st. Simeon and the Canal
du Nord. This latter action was a
desperate fight. for the German posi-.
tons We're protected by wilderness OF
wire entanglements aud by innumer-
fble machne-gun nests. Captured Off
GERS said they had orders to retreat to
the region OF BethancOurt. northwest
oI Chauny. There were indications
that the Huns planned to make stand
on line through Ham. but the French
advance was so swift that their abil-
lty to do this was doubtful. The
French First army was moving ire
sistibly on Ham from vesle ard the
Canal du Nord.
Al FreSnes the French and Amer-
can advance reached the old Hinden.
burg line, had Ham practically flanked
and was rapidly approaching Laor.
The last named city has been one of
the most important OF the German
bases In Picardy and the heart of the
present Hun operations. II Is q great
center Of railways and highways and
Its capture by the allies, II was said
must mean the further retirement Of
the enemy.
The British in Picardy opened the
week by occupying Peronne after an
Australian force had captured Mont
ST. Quentin In brilliant operation.
A little to the north Haig's men then
took COmbles, Morval. COurcelette and