The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-07-19
Franco-U. S. Troops Within Mile
of German Rail Base at
scissors.
THOUSANDS OF HUNS TAKEN
Scores Of Guns and Vast Quantities
Of War Material Captured During
Drive on Twenty-Fiye-Miie
Front-Ertire Front From -ys
Fontenoy to Belieau
I .el@ Advanced Six ggEIH
Miles.

/. q e
Z On tho French Front, July 49,
Thousands of prisoners, scores Of can
non, hundreds of machine guns, and
much other material fell into the napds
Of the allied troops as a result of the
thrust begun at dawn Thursday. Be-
sides gaining possession Of the
heights dominating SCISSORS from the
south, a couple Of dozen villages were
.reconquered by the allies, who are, en- !
gagged b In severe fighting along the
whole line from Chateau iThlesry to,
Soissona sa. 9o ElE
Paris, July 19.-More than twenty
Villages have been recaptured by the
French and American forces In the Of
fensive begun this morning. 1t was an
bounced by the war Office, which also
reports the occupation of the plateau
dominating Soissons. sb
Allies Dominate Rail Basa ono
Latest reports from the battle are
that the entire front from Fontenoy,
northwest of scissors, to Belleau has
been advanced from three to six miles.
The allied cavalry has gone far beyond
the new battle positions at many
points.
In the first rush the German posi-
tions. before Ambleny. Langpont.
Trousnas and Bouresches were over
run and the advance carried the allied
troops to Mont de. Paris, the plateau
dominating &issons and the railroad
along the Crise, river. ...,.g--s-.. .....
AS the French advanced on the right
flank they. drove the Germans from
position after, position until they were
well beyond Buzancy and the main
road between scissors and Chateau
rhierry. -. ~ .a..a,ss ~ e....
! Threatens Key to Main Base. 5zF.s.
/ 9Astride the iOurcq river the Germans
put up desperate resistance in an eff
fort to perry the thrust at Oulchy, the
key for the main German rail supply
line aforb the Chateau o Thierry front.
Prisoners taken in this fierce fighting
said they had orders to hold their posi-
tiOns at all costs. 1927 58fff.s.ll,s 4
Terrific conflicts developed to the
north OF Ourcq. between Villers-H Helon
and Noroy. many positions being taken
at the point of the bayonet. $50 s1
7e Reach Outsklrts of chouy. al
South of the OurcQ river the vii
lages oof Marizy7St. Genevieye and
'Hautevesnes were taken by storm.
while a the Americans carried IBelleau
and Givry in quick succession and are
standing tonight before Etrepelly,
ICourchamps and Mouthiefs. To the
north the French Sare fighting in the
Ioutskirts of Chouy and Neuily st.
f1on' Cut German Ralf Line. lse
The advance Of the French to Mont
de Paris and the heights dominating the
Crfse river south. of Soissons has cut
the railroad to Chateau Thierry as far
as Oulchy, destroying direct rail com-
munication with the great German
base at Laon. .....- ~.
The drive was launched at daybreak
along 25-mile line between the Aisne
and the Marne by French and Ameri-
can troops.
- q
menacing the most important German
railway centers which feed the entire
front west of Reims. The line from
Soissons to Chateau Thierry has been
cut by the French advance around
Soissons. French artillery is now
within easy shelling distance of other
railways and should be able to make
life miserable for a large section Of
the German army.
North Of the Marne the French have
regained the whole Of the Rois wood
and the village of Venteuil.
The French also have recaptured
Montvoisin, south OF the Marne, at the
point where the Germans had ad-
vanced fartheat toward Epernay and
Chene-La-Reine to the west. and took
as well the heights west Of those VII
lagos, overlooking the Marne.
On the extreme ease of the recent
German offensive the French have re
occupied their old lines for distance
Of three or four miles.
In fighting north of the Marne the
Italians have retaken the village of
Clairizet, two miles northeast Of Big
ny, the advices add. 8
Military men attach. great impor-
tance to, the. lateral railway lines
around Soissons and say thst II Gen
eral Foch can get his artillery into po-
sition to keep these lines ont Of ac-
ton he will make the movement Of the
German supplies In the whole sector
between Reims and Chateau Theirry
impossible.