Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-03
GERMANS RETREAT
ON 5O-MILE FRONT,
HA|G CRUSHING FOE
British Break Through Defenses
Of Dousi and Cambria, Big
Railroad Centres: Hinden
burg Line Doomed.
THOUSANDS KILLED,
WOUNDED, CAPTURED
HUNS FACING DISASTER
~ Associated Press 10 Every FveninR
London. Sept. 3 go D. /

LONDON. sept. 3 b.hV y. IN.
ON a front of virtually ffty rniies,
from Just below Yprcs 70 4 point near
Perounc on Inc Sommc, INC German
armies are in retreat.
This retrograde movement is not
voluntary one on the part Of the enemy.
hut has been forced by the series of
unremilting hammer blows inflicted by
Marshal Fooh in the past six or seven
weeks.
Hindenhurg Line Threatened.
Il has now been accelerated by the
notable victory won by Field MarsGli
Haig Yesterday in breaking through ths
strong defensive lines protecting the
railway centcrs Of Douai and Cambria.
and threatening to outfiank even the
main Hindenburg line south of 81.
Quentin.
Already the taking Of ten thousand
prisoners by the British in their advance
is reported and the German casualties in
killed and wounded are declared to have
been notably heavy. as their thickIy
massed forces felt the force Of the BIRTHS h
blow.
Germans Face Disaster.
so pronounced and 80 speedy is the
German retirement movement that il
seems as though the enemy. If he has
not met With a disaster, is peril0uSly on
the verge of one.
In what appears like an effort TO escape
in time. the scope Of the German retire
ment. which had been proceeding some
what leisurcly both north and south Of
SOmmc. has been markedly acce ntuated
north of the river
In this movement the important French
coal mining city Of Lens. at the gates Of
which the British pounded vainly virtually
all last year. has been evacuated. the
British moving in.
70 the north. in Flanders. the retreat s
continuing. and the British have further
closed up the Lys salient by taking pos
session Of the village of Nulverghcm, two
miles south Of KENNEL
South OF Lens, the Germans apparently
arc acknowledging themselves beaten on
the Queant-Drocour line where Hang
break through was effected, and are re-
treating in this vitallv important sector
without attempting "A counter drive on the
victorious British
Still farther south the retirement has
resulted in the evacuation Of areas three
to four miles deep on both sides Of the
Bapaume-C Cambria road, the British TAX
ing town after town In this area IN their
steady advance
HAIG QUICKNEss DAzES BOCHE.
Though the German command must
have been anticipating m attack on the
Hiudcnburg switch line, which the British
had closely approached in their earlier
advance it apparently was not expected
at the moment The Germans seem TO
have been surprised at the quIckness with
which Haig Canadians and other British
forces, after fighting their way up the
line, organized crushing attack against
the line itself This morning alone, on the
twenty-rnile front where the British are
mainly engaged, they are repGxted to have
advanced no less than maximum of four
miles This seems 10 emphasize the clean
ness Of the break and, with the large cap
lures Of prisoners, points 70 the de-
morall1atIon Of the German forces ia this
area.
MAY CLEAR FRANCE or FoE
1t Is too early to es; mae with any
degree Of accuracy what the present big
drive Of the Allies may ultimately pro-
duce The fall Of Cambria, which now
Continued on page