The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-08-17
Report Received In London Says
Lassigny Has Fallen Into
Hands of Allies.
BRITISH HELD BY ENEMY
Desperate Teutons Fight Halg's Men
70 etandstill from chauines North
to somme River-EngIlsh
Consolidating Ground.

london, Aug. 15.a-The town Of
LassIony, on the southern part Of
the Plcardy battle front, for which
the French have been struggling
owe the hills to the west and
south, has been captured by them,
the Pail Mall Gazette says II UNI
derstands.
With the American Army In
France, Aug. 15.-The Germans
now are In Piemont, about a mile
southeast Of Lassigny, to which
they retired following a new ad-
by the French. General
Humbert's army moved forward
two miles and took the st. Claude
farm, which makes the hold Of
the French on the southern part
Of the Thiescourt plateau secure.
At Piemont the Germans found
positions all ready to receive them
and were able to offer strong re-
distance. The enemy took PIE
mont during the fighting early In
June and their old trenches there
ars stliI organized with wire en-
tanplements.
London, Aug. 15.-While there have
been no definite reports of q resump.
t8n OF the drive against the German
positions on the southern end OF the
Picardy battle line, dispatches from
Paris would seem to indicate that
fresh progress has been made there by
General Humbert's army.
IL Ii said that the French are ad-
vancing steadily on Noyon. and, while
the stubborn defense of the Chaulnes.
Roye road has delayed operations, the
storming or the Noyon positions is
impending.
Rawiinson Strikes Barrier.
Further north. the British army,
commanded by General Rawlinson, is
known to be encountering desperate
resistance along Its whole front. 1t Is
at = virtual standstill. and advfces
show that the Germans holding the
Chaulnes heights seem determined to
cling to their positions at all costs.
The French army on the southern
end OF the battle line was at least five
and = half miles from Noyon. accord.
fng to latest detailed reports.
Big Guns Again Roar.
On the northern end of the front
the British and Germans are occupied
mainly with reciprocal artillery BON
bardments, while on the south the
French have advanced further toward
I1assigny In heavy fighting.
From MOrlancourt south to Lihons
the British apparently are consolidat.
ing the captured ground while the
artillery is being brought up to bonn.
bard the Germans, who maintain
themselves In the old positions OF
1851. west OF the upper course OF
the Somme. Infantry activity here
Was comparatively quiet, Field Mar.
shall Haig reports, but there seems
to be little doubt that the British are
only awaiting . favorable opportunity
again to hit the German line.
Aerial Activity Intense.
Aerial activity continues intense,
German airmen are engaging the AL.
He'd fiers In combat to prevent re.
connaisance and bombing work. For.
ty-eight German machines were ac.
counted for and IA tons Of bombs
dropped ON military targets behind the
enemy lines. Berlin reports the shoot,
Ing down Of 20 Allied airplanes.
Franco-Amerlcan Lines Bombed.
Berlin reports all Allied efforts Mon.
day were repulsed. especially attacks
by strong French forces between the
Mats and the Oise.
Along the Vesle the Germans have
not repeated their ineffectual attacks,
but are bombarding the Franco-Ameri.
can lines with high explosives and
gas shells.