The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-09-02

/, OF weakening at any pOlHI dloHS 'nS
battle line extending from Ypres to
| Soissons. At several points the Ger
man defenses are seriously menaced,
especially near Lille and in the vicin-
| ity of St. Quentin on the British 'front.',
while the Franco-American forces TO
! the south continue to advance IN the
face of bitter resistance.
| Few defenses remain to the Ger
mans between Peronne, which was
captured yesterday by the Australians,
and the stronholds along the famous
| Hindenburg line around st. Quentin.
The Australians now hold Flamicourt
and ST.. Denis, in addition to Peronne
and are reported to be making pro-
gress east and northeast OF Mont ST
Quentin, to the Combles. In these
! operations, the Germans have lost
more than 1000 men and many guns.
/ Several hundred prisoners also were
taken in the different operations that
resulted in the capture Of Bullecourt.
Hendicourt and LIE Transley.
| Americans In Action.
On the Lys front, where Americans
! for the first time have taken place in
the battle line, the allied troops have
advanced to Steenwerck and are en-
gaging the enemy rear guards in the
vicinity of Neuve Eglise. In their
| first operation in Belgium the Ameri-
cans captured Voormezeele and sever
al strong positions between that town
and Ypres. The allied line has been
extended and it is evident that the
| Germans are preparing to retreat to
/ line frim Wytschaete to Messines.
On the French front where Ameri-
can forces also are engaged under
| the command of General Mangin, the
enemy is showing strong resistance.
Here the Americans have taken up
new positions near Terny-Sorny fol-
/ lowing their capture of Juvigny and
the further retirement of the Germans
making progress in the vicinity Of
I Bucy-le-Long.
In answer to the claims made by
the allies of important advances the
! Germans reply that their retirements
and the REIMBURSEMENT OF territory
were for the purpose of shortening
! the line.
Since the beginning of the allies Of
| fensive on July IS, 75,500 Germans
have been taken prisoner and 700
guns captured on the French front
Met With Hurricanes Of Fire.
| Iii most places the Germans did not
! even get footbold for the advancing
! formations were met with hurricanes
of fire under which they melted away.
! There has been especially heavy fight
| ing in the whirlpool of the battle
! around Bullocourt and Hendecourt,
where the British are holding positions
| almost resting against the Drocourt-
! Queant, or Wotan line.
| 1t is believed that Bullecourt itself
| has thrice been lost and won in the
past two days. First the British were
! in the town and then the Germans.
| While one side had the control the
| machine gunners and bombers from
| the other would filter in and get the
| position and then the place would be-
| come most active From ruin to
ruin, through cellars and through old
and new trenches the fighting has con-
| tinued and all of the time almost the
same tactics were being followed in
the country surrounding. In the Ian
guage Of the British soldiers, it las
been "a dogfght" here for two days.
The British have retired only when
| hordes of Germans appeared but their
! retirement usually has been to the
| ppSitiohS NhSAt tilts COuiu pour ma
! chine gun bullets into the enemy.
| Heavy losses were inflicted upon the
| Germans. Just now it appears that
| Bullecourt and Hendicourt again are
| in British hands and that the cellars,
| dugouts and hiding places are being
| mopped up, Similar fighting has been
| going on in the villages of Ecoust, ST
Mein and Longatte, and these places
also are in the possession of the Brit
| ish.
Piled With German Dead.
The ground in front of the British
lines throughout this region is piled
! with dead Germans for the British
have not hesitated to temporarily re-
tire slightly in the face of strong en-
emy attacks when it appeared that
their own strength could thereby be