Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-30

Iols have passed through Morval to
~ southeast.
~ Transloy. on the Bapaume-Pe-
>une high road, was reported to have
zen captured this morning.
a The British have made further ad'
f4unces to the north of Lens. AT one
place they pushed forward for dis
{tance of thousand yards.
Foe Driven Behind Somme
The Germans have been driven be.
hind the River Somme everywhere
along the British front. The whole
western bank now is in the possession
Of Field Marshal Haig's troops, and
lat one place Just south of La Chapel
lette n British force has crossed to
the east bank.
In the operations concluded this
morning 300 prisoners fell into the
hands of the British on this side OF
the river, being unable to get away
I quickly enough.
& The Germans have destroyed all the
bridges across the Somme. including
the railroad bridge and the regular
bridge at Peronne.
Northwest of Peronne, however,
after the river changes its course from
the north to the west, the British
swept in so quickly that the cause.
way over the Somme at Clery on the
north bank was secured intact.
Peronne and the country to the rear
of that city are well under the IRE
Of British guns.
North of Peronne the Germans now
are holding the road to Bapaume as
far as point opposite Combles. North
of here the advance of the British
made the enemy retire again. British
patrols are astride the road.
y Bapaume seems to have been cap
tured without much resistance by
New Zealand troops, who were as
sisted by pressure from the English
on the south. The town was entered
from the north and east. There was
only brief street fighting and then
the Germans who had been left be.
hind surrendered.
Retreat in Flanders Indicated
& Fires indicating the withdrawal of
the Germans on the northern end or
the British front and especially in
the Lys salient. are burning. Many
explosions have been observed DeAlnu
the enemy lines.
This morning tho British pushed
Forward rapidly from Bapaume and
now are fighting to the east of Frcmi
court on the road to Cambrai and at
Bancourt.
The Germans are fighting rear
guard actions. The enemy force
seems to be in full retreat in this
locality.
North of Bapaume the most i'm
portant captures have been made
The strong defenses which had beer
erected by the Germans at BulleCourt
Hendecourt-lez-Cagn and Rien
court.lez-Cagnicourt have been storm
ed and captured.
At Riencourt, especially, were tn,
defenses strong and the town site
atop high ground, which in Itself
formed natural defensive position. |
had been thought that the Germans
would hold onto this place desperately
and they did for the first part of th'
attack.
Under the terrific British fire, how
ever the enemy broke as Haig's mel
stormed the place, and it now is tirml!
in British hands.
Reach Queant Switch
Here the British are within a few
hundred yards of the famous Dro
court.Queant line, which probably II
one of the strongest positions tht
enemy has ever erected on the western
front.
The Drocourt- -Queant defenses con
sist of five lines of trenches, many ma
chine guns and immense quantities OF
wire, and the ground is honeycombet
with deep dugouts to offer shelter from
bombardment.
1t is along this line perhaps that
one of the most bitter struggles of the
war may soon take place.
The British attacked the Germans
i at dawn today north of Ecoust-St. Mel,
and south of Bullecourt, and this re
Z gioh also seems to have been cleared
of the enemy. The Germans continue
to bring up new troops in this locality
Another new Prussian division ha:
been idettified in the fighting during
the night. This division was one
which the Americans had smashed Il
pieces at Chateau-Thierry and since
had been refitting and filling grea
gaps IN the ranks somewhere in TIL
rear.
4A Rx tho 4sSociofpd Press