Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-09-19
undated War Lead, by the Associated
Press

undated War Lead, by the Associated
Press)
British and French veterans have
made another vicious and successful
smash at the Hindenburg line Sweep
ing forward on front of twenty-five
miles, they went ahead from one and
third to three miles, taking many
prisoners, The most important aspect
of the advance Is that it makes more
certain the capture of st. Quentin,
which the Germans have been ordered
10 hold az all costs. This important
city is virtually surrounded on three
sides and its fall seems only a matter
of days.
Field Marshal Haig's third and
fourth armies charged over the trench
system occupied by the British before
they were pushed back by the Teu-
tonic flood last March. They cap
tured, in wide sectors, the outer de-
fenses of the Hindenburg lines
The British assault was over a
front of sixteen miles from Holnon
west of St. Quentin to GouZeaucourt,
north of Epehy. In their advance
which reached a depth of more than
three miles at some points, they took
more than 5000 prisoners.
Not only did the blow bring nearer
the capture of st. Quentin, which the
Germans are struggling desperately to
hold. but il went far towards wiping
out the only bulge i'm the British line
which resembles a salient. Epehy, at
the apex of the bend, has been taken
and the same fate has befallen Gou-
zeacourt and Hargicourt, which stood
at the ends of wings.
The Importance which the Germans
attached to the territory wrested
from them is indicated by the am
ifouneencnt that they launched deter
mined counter attacks as soon as they
could be organized, from Hargicourt
TO the Omignon rivulet.
The success of their efforts remains
somewhat obscure but it is not be-
lieved they can recover the ground
they have lost.
French Gain Objectives.
While the French advance was less
spectacular than that of the British
with whom they co-operated. they
were equally successful in gaining
their objectives. They moved forward
on q front of six miles to an average
depth of one and one-third miles, ad-
ding several hundred prisoners to the
British bag. They now hold the
southern outskirts of Contescourt, less
than three miles from the suburbs of
st. Quentin.
This city, where the troops of Won
Goeben scored a great victory in 1871
is one of the buttresses of the Douai-
Cambrai-St. Quentin-I4a Fere- Laon
line behind which it has been an
nounced the Germans would not fall
hack. With the French in the out
skirts of IaFere, with st. Quentin m
fha oh
doggedly for Cambria, the. great Hin
denburg defense system is in danger
of being preached at three of its
strongest points. Once ousted from it
the Teutons will have back of them
no strong Notifications until they
reach the Maubeuge defenses.
Taking of St Quentin remains diff
ficult task, however, for the Germans
are in strong defensive positions and
a captured order from General Won
Morgan to the fourteenth reserve
corps emphasized the importance of
the terrain they hold. He orders them
not to yield another foot of ground
in "the imminent decisive battles"
Serbs Forging Ahead.
While the British, and French were
forging ahead relentlessly in the west
the Serbs and the French in Macedon-
ia were making more emphatic their
defeat of the Bulgars who have been
reinforced by German troops, There
is every indication that the offensive
in the Near East is of major pro-
portions and that II will develop to
the limit. 1t has widened to the west
of Sokol and the east of Vetrenik until
the front extends over sixteen miles
The resistance of King Ferdinands
troops is weakening as they are forced
back
While Marshal Foch was following
his policy of striking at widely sep
arated points along the battle line,
the day was one of comparative quiet
for General Pershing's field army
There was no activity of consequence
on their front beyond the usual ar
tillery and patrol activity.