The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-08-29
VANTAGE GROUND
HELD by ALLIES
ARTILLERY SWEEPING GERMAN
FORCES ON LOW LANDS
1,1OO ADDITIONAL PRISONERS
PIucky French Wade in Mud and
Water Waist Deep and Win I'M
portant Positions. Gradual.
Iy Closing in on Roye

BY John De Gandt, Paris, Aug. q,
D. m. The last German defense south
of Roye was broken up by the French
this morning and they are now within
fifteen hundred yards, less than one
mile from the town itself. The town is
also threatened from the north by the
British.
Resumption of the activities were
renewed in the Noyon region. The
French are also attacking along the
Aisne line and pushing south toward
Councy lie Chateau.
Advantage All With Allies.
Paris, Aug. 81, 10 A. M.--General
Mangin's forces have won possession
of the high ground south of +Crecy-
Au.Mont, from where German posi-
tions north and east of scissors are
being heavily shelled.
These positions are now subjected
to double fire, as they are also being
shelled from the French lines along
the Aisne to the east of scissors.
Along the whole active front the
French continue to secure jumping
off" places for future operations.
Advancing On Roye Today.
Paris, Aug. 27.-"French troops
were advancing towards Roye this
morning, after repulsing several
counter attacks in this region the
! French war office statement an
nOunced
The French forces took three
quarters of a mile east of Bagneux
five miles north and west of scissors
/ yesterday and repulsed counter at
tacks to the west of Chavigny midway
between Bagneux and scissors.
100 More Prisoners.
Artillery fighting continued last
night and early today between the
Aisne and the Aislette. The French
| forces took eleven hundred addition
al prisoners.
| South of the AvTe the French
forces this morning accentuated pro-
gress in the region of ST. Mard, one
and one-half miles west of NOyon,
! were repulsed," the communique
said.
Thrty-Six Officers included.
In yesterdays fighting the French
/ forces took eleven hundred prisoners
/ including thirty-six officers. Be
tween the Disc and the Aisne late
yesterday a German counter attack
to the west of Chevigny was repulsed
and thirty prisoners taken. East Of
BagneuX the French carried their line
! farther in advance. Between the
Aisne and the Aislette artillery fight
! ing was active during the night"
In Water Waist Deep.
I With the French Army in France,
! Aug. 27-Fighting in water up to
! their waists in the marshes along the
Avre, and charging the crews of ma
chine guns who served their weapons
until killed, the troops of the Third
! French army took two of the strong
est defenses of Roye. They also cap
! tured LOO prisoners and took import
ant booty, including large number
of machine guns.
The first attack was upon the vii
miles north of Roye, where the Ger
mans had restored the old fortifica-
lions OF 1914-17. reinforced them with
wire and installed many machine gun
nests. After a short artillery prepare
ton the French infantry stormed the
position, rushing the concrete block
| houses and killing the gunners al
| their pieces.
| Fresnoy important Point.
Fresnoy was one of the centers of
had held out against previous assaults
and from it the Germans had launched
counter attacks in an effort to check
! the French offensive. Prisoners say
the garrison had orders to hold out
at any cost. The French attacked from
the north and south simultaneously
and with such dash that the enemy al
, though aware of the impending attack,
was overwhelmed. Four hundred pris-
oners. including sixteen officers, were
captured in the town.
The village OF St. Mard. in the low
marshlands of the Avre south of Roye.
and also strong outpost of that
town, fell into the hands of General
Debeney's men after a violent strug-
gle this afternoon. The Germans had
reinforced their old defenses by flood
ing the ground around their concrete
blockhouses with water turned out
from the Avre.
First Fight For Foot Bridge.
The battle opened with hard strug.
gle for foot bridge but the Germans
were driven of by the French. who
fought in water up to their waists. At
st. Mard. as at Fresnoy, the German
machine gun fire was silenced only
when the gunners were killed at their
pieces.
Roye is now invested from the
west. north and south and the Ger
mans have but a feeble hold on II.