Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-16
FOCH DRAWS
NET TIGHTER
AROUNDROYE
French Advance in South
and West Follows Brit
ish Gain in North.

Paris, Aug. 16, p. m.-ROye
is held in Vise-like grip by
the French. Stubborn resist
ance by the Germans il being
crushed. The French are slow
ly encircling the town.
The French advance at VII
Iers-les- ROye makes the fall OF
ROye inevitable, ii is believed
by military men. Possession of
the town by French troops
would make necessary n recti-
ficatiOn OF the German lines
and retreat to the Nesle-ROy-
on would be probable.
The Germans are clinging
desperately 10 a range OF hills
east OF RibecOurt- They are
also StubbOrnly defending the
Lassigny- -Oisne canal. the loss
of which would entail the "
evacuation of NoyOn.
Paris, Aug. 16.-The French
troops have made an important
advance on a front of two and
One-half miles west of ROye, ac-
cOrding to the war Office state
ment today.
The French progress was in
the region OF Yillers-les-R ROye,
about two and One-half miles
west of ROye, St Aurin and
ArmancOurt-
In Champagne the French took
prisoners and also checked a Ger
man raid.
The statement reads:
"On the Avre front, French
troops have made progress in the
region of Villers-Ies-Roye and st.
Aurin. East OF Armancourt our
troops have occupied the old first
! lines.
"In Champagne we took prison
ers in the sector OF Perthes-les-
Hurlus and. repulsed an enemy
raid east Of Maisons-Champague.
| Elsewhere on the front there was
no activity"
With the French Army in
France, Aug. 16.-( (By The Associ-
ated Press Allied forces occu-
pied Villers-Ies-Roye and st. Au-
rim, and reached their old line of
trenches east of Armancourt yes
terday. Further north they press
ed forward toward the Chaulnes-
Roye line, taking Dammery wood
in the evening.
British Score Advance.
' London, Aug. l6.-South OF Al
/ bert the British have advanced their
! line slightly in the region north
east of Morlancourt, says the Off
cial statement today from Field
Marshal Haig.
On the eastern bank OF the Ancre.
local fighting took place last night
on the outskirts Of Thiepval wooG,
west of Thiepyal.
Further to the north, further
| progress has been made by the
I british, who have pushed their pa
/ trolls eastward on the threemile
| front between Beaucourt-S -Sur-Ancre
and Puisieux-Au-M Mont
(By the Associated PressD.
Allied pressure has been effec-
! lively renewed against the German
line in the region of Roye, on the
/ Picardy battle front
The enemy is clinging determiu-
/ edly to this town as a bulwark =
| the positions he took up after being
/ driven back from the Amiens re-
gion. Both French and British are
pushing closer, however, and max
ing his prolonged tenancy of the
place doubtful
London last night reported the
British lines advanced northwest OF
R0ye. in the neighborhood Of Dam
merry and Paryillers, while today
Paris reports a forward movement
on the part Of the French, west and
southwest of Roye, on a front OF
about two and one-half milea.
At Apex of Salient.
| Roye is fast becoming the virtual
apex of a salient which will soon in
4 yite crushing allied stroke II the
Franco-British pressure can be as
effectively maintained as it has been
recently,
With the Canadian Forces in
/ France, Thursday. Aug. l5.-CBy
/ the Canadian Press.) The Cauad-
| iaus captured the village OF Par
/ yillers today in smart operation
which enabled them 10 straighten
/ out their line in that sector of the
front. A number Of machine guns
and prisoners were taken The lat
! est report was that our troops
were holding the village Rein
/ forcemeuts went there IN support
against the strong post the enemy
! had in the vicinity.
Enemy artillery activity iudI-
Gates a stincning OF resistance.
Hostile aircraft have been cousid-
erably strengthened on the whole
OF this Amiens Montdidief front
Some thirty enemy divts-
/ ions have been engaged, including
eleven fresh divisions and Two
tired divisions from the enemy re-
serve. The enemy has used up
every battalion OF two OF the four
/ divisions holding his line i'm front
OF the Canadians. These are the
| Seventy-ninth and the One Hun