Evening journal., 1918-08-09

LONDON, Aug. 9-Marshal Foch has
struck The Germans another staggering
blow, this time with his mighty left
list.
The allied chief, realizing that the en-
emy forces under the German Grown
Prince were stlll groggy from the punch
which knocked them out OF the Marne
pocket and that the divisions borrowed
from Crown Prince Rupprecht prob
ably had not been returned. seized The
opportunity 10 smash into the Germans
in the Albert-Montdldier salient.
In tho new offensive, launched al
dawn yesterday on a front OF more than
twenty miles, British and French
troops penetrated enemy territory 70
a maximum OF seven and One-hali
miles. All along the more than twenty
mile front the Allies swept forward
for an average OF lve miles, carrying
all their objective, and taking 50 many
prisoners that counting them was char
acterzed in dispatch from the front
a difficult task"
In the House OF Commons Bonar Law
the spokesman for the government, said
that the British had taken more than
1000 prisoners and 100 guns.
The new allied line extends eastward
from lllers-BretonneuX TO Framer-
VILE. where the biggest gain was made
and along the front from northwest OF
Monldidier to the region around Mar
lancourt the Allies pushed forward
everywhere, the gain at no place being
less than two miles.
e hnNHa | u
this sector the British are now stride
the railroad from Nillers-Bretonncl n
Chaulnes, from which point line radl-
ate toward Peronne, on the nor least
and toward Noyon and Compc on
the southwest.
The new drive by the British and
French constitutes the gravest menace
10 the German armies from the sea o.
Rheims, and particularly TO those enemy
forces in the angie marked roughly by
Montdldier as the apex.
The German front in France resem-
bles a right angled triangle. with the
point at MOntdldier East Of this ans.e
between Scissors and Rheims. Marshal
Foch Is now putting on the finishing
touches OF an offensive that Is believed
70 have left the Germans under the
Crown Prince all put PROSTATE.
TIE new blow, aimed at the Germans
under Crown Prince Rupprecht TO the
north Of Montdidler. tends TO isolate the
enemy forces around MOntdidler, and
II Marshal Foch c3n drive eastward a
few miles further he Will have the
Germans IN exactly the position they
were IN when they pushed through to
the Marne, with a chance 10 drive In on
the TANKS.
A study OF thep map indicates that
Marshal Foch secs an opportunity 10
create another pocket out Of which he
can again force a wholesale retreat
Tanks Lead the Way.
The new attack was started after p
brief artillery preparation and with an
immense number OF tanks leading the
way for the infantrymen. Preparations
for the attack were made under cover
Of darkness, and so successful were the
allied concentrations that it Is believed
the Germans were unaware that a drive
in great force had been launched
against them until the whole front was
abla7e with artillery and swarmine
with British and French tanks. machine
guns snd infantrymen.
All the allied objectives were married
IN the first rush. the enemy fleeing pell
nell when the tanks stuck their brist-
ling muzzles into the German posi-
iions. At a few points along the front
the Germans attempted 10 organize for
counter attacks. but these efforts were
quickly crushed by the imDetuous Al
lies.
Practically all the ground over which
tho British advanced Is OF an open ma
ture. which greatly facilitated the use
Of tanks. These started out early In
the morning under weather conditions
that were extremely favorable. Rains
had fallen recently, and when dawn
broke today there was a heavy mist
which screened the tank concentrations
and enable them TO gather headway be-
fore the Germans were aware that an
aita,k was under way.