The Robesonian., 1918-08-12

ALLIES CONTINUE
VICTORIOUS ADVANCE

Huns Stiffen Up Defense But
Cant Stem Tide Against Them.
Important Railway Town of
Chaulnes Taken and French
Have Taken Montdidier-sum-
mary of War News.
A London dispatch yesterday states
that Chaulnes, the important rail-
way town in the heart of the Somne
battle front and the key to the south
ern line of the German salient, has
been captured by the Allies. The
capture was effected by Australian
and Canadian troops.
A Paris dispatch states that the
number of prisoners taken so far lr
the allied offensive in Picardy is now
estimated at $4,000, including more
than 1000 officers. More than 500
guns have been captured: according to
the latest adYices. ;, --.
The pivot Of the German resista nee
at this stage of the battle, it now
appears, is the town Of Noyon, about
midway between Montdidier and Sois-
sons. The enemy is throwing in re-
serves from this base in an effort to
prevent, regardless Of cost, the Allies
from gaining control of the Noyon-
Ham road, which is choked with ma
terial, guns and troops.
The Germans are expected to make
desperate stna don the Roye-Noyon
line to permit columns which are re-
firing in the direction of Nesie and
Ham to reach safety.
All the bridges across the Somme
between Peronne and Ham. a stretcr
of about 15 miles, have been DESTROY.
ed by allied aviators. The Germans
| have been attempting to throw tenn,
porary bridges across the stream ano
the allied airmer are systematically
bombing these improvised structure
Among the prisoners taken are gen.
erals, colonels. and officers of all 9th.
er grades. Eleven divisions of Gen.
erals Won Hutier and Won Marwitz have
been identified by prisoners taken.
Montdidier, at the tip Of the Ger.
man salient in Picardy, has been taker
by the Allies, who cut off large num-,
bers of the enemy when they sought
to beat retreat from the city. Thou.
sands of prisoners were taken there
by the. Allies, it is reporter. =
! The Germans have MATERIAL stiff
ened their defense against the Brit
ish, American and French troops or
the Picardy battlefront, but they have
seen unable to stem the tide of ad
vance, against them.
Although the forward push Of the
Allies has been slowed down soma
what, nevertheless they have made
further important progress from the
north of the Somme where the Amer
| leans and British are fighting togeth
er, to the northern bank Of the. Oist
river, where the French troops art
engaging the enemy.
| The Americans and their British
brothers in arms at last accounts wer,
pressing closely upon Brey-Sur-Som
me. aided by tanks and armored car!
which inflicted heavy casualties OF
I the enemy as he endeavered to re
tard their progress.
Across the river the Germans heavi
ly engaged the British at Lihons ant
It's vicinity and at one point piercet
the British line and gained the out
skirts of Lihons. A counter-attack
however, entirely restored the British
line and the enemy retired to position
east and north of the village.
BY far the greater progress has bee1
made by the French from the regio1
southwest and south Of Roye to tn
Disc river Here they have driver
their line well across the Roye-Com
piegne road and at Cambronne hav
reached the road leading from Com
piegne to Noyon. Since the captur
of Montdidier the French have pene
trated eastward to Tilloloy, distanc
of about seven miles, and the Canny
). Sur -Matz, more than 8 IL miles, an
through the hilly region souhtward t
; the Disc have averaged gains exceed
!; ing six miles, over front OF IL miles
/ The stiffening of the German de
fense does not, in the minds of OF
servers on the battlefront, indicat
that the retreat of the enemy has end
i ed. Rather it is assumed that thes
{ maneuvers are similar to those cal
ried out over the Marne front, whe
, strong rear guards covered the retire
1 ment of the crown princes arnlle
northward.
The smoke of large fires continue
to be seen behind the enemy's line
and the movement of long transpo1
: columns eastward is considered. ey
! dence that it is the intention OF tn
. enemy ultimately to retreat to re-
{ lines of defense. Aviators have d.
+ stroyed all the bridges across tn
81 Somme from the region of Peronn
t southwark and the enemy's commun
n eating lines either in the hands OF tn II
$ Allies or dominated by their guns tn
f retrograde movement necessarily mus
s be slow. Therefore, strong real
r guard actions are required to say
: large numbers of men and enorm12 12
quantities Of stores from capture. Tf
allied troops gradually are enclrclln
Roye an dts capture, which seen
imminent, will greatly heighten tt
: difficulties of the Germans in fallln
/. hack.
t Intensive air fighting is procee'
t ing over the battle line. In Friday
battle 80 German machines were d
n stroyed and % driven down out
n cor+ro1 Tho british war Office a