The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-10-02
FRENCH CAPTURE
ST.QUENT|N CITY,;
ALLIES DRIVE ON
Enemy Fires Cambria as Entente
Troops Near the Big
Base.
BATTLE FOR FLANDERS Line
British and BeIgians Break Desperate
Resistance-French and English
Troops Eat Through Hinden-
burg Line to Open Bat
tlefield.

French Headquarters in France,
Oct. 2.-French troops entered St
Quentin Tuesday afternoon.
Violent explosions were observed In
st. Quentin beginning about six o'clock
In the morning General Debeney's
forces, operating with the British to
the north of the town, advanced be-
yond the st. Quentin Cambrai road.
North Of ST. Quentin the British
wedge has been thrust still farther
into German-held territory and the
town of Levergies has been captured.
The enemy was continually bringing
up re-enforcements, leading to the be-
lief 1t is his intention to endeavor to
hold his present line, at least tempOr-
arily.
Enemy Fires cambrai.
Under the threat of it's speedy cap
ture by the British, the Germans have
set the city of Cambria on fire.
North of Cambrai the British are
again progressing, but bodies of the
enemy continue to hold out in the city
itself.
Farther south, between Cambria.
and st. Quentin, Vendhuile was taken
by the British.
Counter-Attacks Fail.
Heavy counter-attacks WSfe deliv-
cred by the Germans on the Cana
dians, Australians and Americans out
side of Cambrai. The allies, however,
more than maintained their ground.
Elsewhere along the front strong
battle patrols were pushed out to
probe the enemy's defenses and great
accommodating activity is proceeding
which should largely clear the situa-
ton.
In general the British armies are
eating their way through the linden
burg defenses, beyond which lie the
possibilities Of completely open war
fare.
Some particularly valuable territory
was won by the British First and
Thirty-second divisions on the front
between st. Quentin and LIE Catelet.
This included the whole of LIE Tron-
quoy and its formidable tunnel system,
with more than 500 prisoners.
Germans Fight Desperately.
With the British Army in Flanders,
Oct. 2.-The Germans continued to
fight as desperately as before, but
every hour sees the menace to their
Belgian coast position around Ostend
increased. At the same time the
British and Belgians are drawing
closer to Bruges.
The continued success Of the Flan-
ders operation, it is anticipated, will
have most important effects. The Ger
mans will try to hold on as they never
have held any place before, and it is
not improbable the fighting may de-
velOp into very fierce battle.
FIanklng La Bassee Salient.
The Germans are holding on to the
Armentieres-La Baassee salient with
great tenacity, but the salient rapidly
Is being outf1anked by the British ad-
vances north and south of it, particu-
larly on the north, where the British
have made important gains.
Strong British patrols have fought
their way through Warneton. on the
Lys river between Armentieres and
Menin, and also have gone through La
Basseville and Peters.
Belgian cavalry has come into ac-
tion in the neighbOrhOOd of Roulers
and has succeeded in clearing up strips
of the country.
The Belgians have passed through
Staden, Oostnieuwkerke (two and one
half miles west of Roulers) and Slesk-
hake and are In WervicQ.
British Capture Many Huns.
London, Oct. 2-Extremely heavy
fighting has been in progress along the
Cambrai-St. Quentin sector, according
to Field Marshal Haig's report.
Notwithstanding increased German
resistance, the British have gained
important territory along the greater
part of the line.
British captured on the western front
66,3OO prisoners and 700 guns. Dur
ing the months of August and Septem.
ber the British captured 123.618 pris
Oners and / 400 guns.
Americans Advance Lines.
Washington, Oct. 2.-The war de-
partment tonight made public the fol.
lowing communique covering Tues
days operations:
"No. 40: Section A. During the
day We advanced our lines in the for.
est of Argonne. Farther to the east
GM patrols have passed beyond