Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-31
ENEMY RETREAT
is HURRIED BY
BRITISH GAINS
Foe Forced Out of Positions For Which
They Paid Terrible Price in April;
Advances of Two Miles Is Made
at Vital Battle Sectors


in France, Aug. 31.-Brit-
ish successes on the Lys
salient sector of the battle
front have caused the Ger
mans to start retreat from
the neighborhood of Kem-
mel to opposite Bethune.
The withdrawal is progress
ing rapidly.
Field Marshal Haig's men
to-day are attacking near
Marrienes wood, between
Bapaume and the river
Somne, which position is
strongly held by the enemy.
Mt. KENNEL, the height domi-
mating virtually all the northern
side of the Lys salient i'll Flan-
ders, again is in the hands of the
British. Dispatches to London
state that this famous hill, for
which the Germans paid ter
rible price in April and which
was defended to the death by the
allies, has been captured.
There have been no reports,
however, of an attack being made
on this hill, and it seems prob
able that the Germans retired
from it and that the British
quickly moved in. There are
evidences. that the enemy's re-
treat from the Lys salient is be-
ing accelerated, the British hav-
ing taken the station of Baillcul,
as we'll as Mt. Lille, to the east,
and being in possession of the
bank of the Lave river from
Vielle Chapelle to Lestrem, on
the southern side of the salient.
Haig's Advance Rapid
In certain vital sectors of this
battle area, the British have
gained from one to two miles
during the past day.
While there is every evidence that
allied pressure against the German
lines from scissors to Arras con-
tinues, the desperate attempts of the
enemy to cover his retreat seems to
have brought about a virtual pause
for the moment. At only two points
southeast of Afras and northwest
and north of Peronne-have the al
lied forces move ahead.
Capture vital Point
In the former sector, north of the
Arras-Cambraf road, the British
have occupied the st. Servins farm
close to the highway. and have
moved into the village of Eterpigny
to the northeast. This village is on
the east bank of the Sensee river
and its capture marks the passage
of that small but important water
way at vital point
The British official statement says
the town of Clery, which is located
on the Somme to the northwest OF
Peronne, has been taken from the
Germans. Advices reaching London
to-day, however, state that Mont ST
Quentin. a mile and a half north OF
Peronne, has been captured by the
British, This report would seem to
indicate that Peronne is being sur
rounded by the British, Field Mar
shall Haig's men having forced their
way across the Somme to the south
of Peronne yesterday.
Hard Work ats sSoissons
There hard fighting going on
north of Scissors, American and
French troops striving to capture the
high plateau that dominates the
Aisne and Ailette valleys and also
endeavoring to force their way far
ther toward Coucy-le-Chateau. an
important concentration point be-
tween the Oise and the Ailette. The
Germans are fighting hard in this
sector, however, and appear to have
checked the allies for the time being,
Driven From Villages
London, Aug. 31.-German troops
have been driven from their positions
east of Clery, on the Somme north
west of Peronne. and the British ad-
vance in this locality is continuing.
says to-day's war office statement.
British forces have entered the
village of Dranoutre. south of Locre,
on the north side of the Lys salient.
On the south side of the Lys
salient, the British have occupied the