Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-25
ENEMY DIVISION
CUT TO REGIMENT
Only Skeletons Remain of
Units Opposing British
Advance
RESIST DESPERATELY
Germans. Anticipating Attack.
Are Putting Up Very
Strong Defense
BY C.. H. PERRIS
Special Cable to Erening Public Ledger

With the French Armies. July %.
A violent bombardment was main.
tanned on the whole British line south.
west of Rheims, from Nrigny to the
Narne, throughout Tuesday night.
Nevertheless, a further advance was
made in the morning in the British
sector. which now reaches from south
Of GneuX and Janvry by Merry hamlet
70 west of st. Euphraise.
The British position Wednesday
evening was that they held the boChe
within a crescent of fire, extending
from st. Euphraise, which is ours, on
the north, passing to the west Of
Bouilly and Courmas across the wood
of Rheims by the east edge of Mar
faux. which has repeatedly changed
hands, to the south of Espilly and
Nappes, two hamlets on the north.
western border of the Courton wood
From the wooded hills on the north
and south of the Ardre. therefore the
enemy has been squeezed as by the
, pincers, while he endeavors to retain
| the ruined farms and cottages in the
| Counter-attaCks at the wings
! When the struggle began on Satur-
day, the British had before them four
| German divisions, the seth on the
! north, the l23d across the Ardre and
the 1oSd and 22d on the south.
divisions Badly Cut Up
The first named. however. was no
more than regiment and the second
earlier engagements. For instance, one
OF its regiments had only 324 men left
Ihe British, who We're formerly here
and after them the Italians, had, in
fact, reduced these units to skeletons
The British came to relieve the Italians
and actually attacked through ranks
Highlanders on the north and County
troops on the south.
The Germans were expecting attack
but 1t was a great surprise TO them to
have Britishers on them again. 1t must
be said that they put up a very strong
defense. At no point have the British
found 1t easy going. The left has
done we'll in reaching the west end of
the large wooded plateau of Courton
In the American sector of the south
east the enemy made a strong. thrust
against his tireless pursuers and. COM
ing down the road from Beuvardy to
u
Thierry, he seized this village and the
neighboring hamlet of Trugny An
American COunter-attaCk was promptly
delivered and the fighting continues at
Trugny. slight advance was made
north of Mont st. Petere and Char
teves, where we are now two miles
beyond the Marne. Fortified farms
We're carried by assault and our bridge
heads were enlarged. (The Americans
have since reCaptured Epieds and Trug-
nyEpieds)
Attack in Ardre Continues
The British attack in the Ardre Valley
continues, supported now by French
colonial troops on the right The small
woods west Of Vrigny were occupied
during one day and further progress
made beyond Douilly and St. Euphraise
Three hundred prisoners and five guns
were brought into the British lines
yesterday afternoon.
This is mere skeleton diary which
probably was as full as any other of
bold feats and patiently horne suffer-
ing. but If the sensational phase of
Foch's commensurate is over, we are
| believe, far from seeing all of it's
results The enemy is holding out dog
| gedly, but at a great disadvantage. The
/ crowded and tortuous line of his re
treat, for il must be regarded as a re-
treat until he reaches Pons. which Of
fers a perman nently defensible front are
plagued by swooping bombers and ma
/ Chine-gunners, while all his chief centers
SOM. of the Aisne are now under our
7 artillery fire. II is one of the most
frightful warnings in military history Of
the peril of an insufficiently guarded
flank.