The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-10-08
BRITISH.U. s.
FORCES SMASH
DEFENSES OF
GERMAN Line
New Thrust Nets Gain Over
Twenty-Mile Front From
North Sea to Meuse Ger
mans Evacuate Coast.
FRENCH MAKE ADVANCE
(By Associated Press)

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tBy Associated Press)
American troops going into
battle in conjunction with the
fourth British army on the St.
Quentin Cambria front today,
attacked near the point where
the last line of the Hindenburg
system already had been smash
ed. The early reports indicated
that progress was being made
despite stiff machine gun oppo-
sition.
simultaneously the third Brit
ish army attacked on the front
from Cambria south along the
continuation Of the Masnieres-
Beaurezoir line. There was a
firm attack on this line and at
the same time an effort to turn
it at its northern end.
(By Associated Press)
tions on the center of the line from
the Meuse to the North Sea, British
and American troops today are smash
ing into the rear defenses of the Hin
denburg line between ST. Quentin and
Cambrai. While Field Marshal Haig
is attacking on the 20-mile front north
Of st. Quentin, the French along the
Suippe continue their progress north
ward toward the German conmunica-
ton line despite strong enemy resist
ance. The French have reached the
juncture of the Suippe and the Aisne
rivers and have forced their way into
large towns on the middle Suippe.
The Anglo-American thrust against
the vital sectors between Cambria and
st. Quentin followed successful local
operations Monday in the regions Of
Beaurevoir and Montdrehraim, in
which 200 German prisoners were
taken. On the front of the attack the
British and the Americans are push
ing eastward from the hills west of
the canal between the two towns to-
ward the railway junction Bohain and
the railway lines running north and
south which are SO important to the
German supply system in this region.
Laon Massif Menaced.
Successful continuation Of the
French advance north OF Rheims is
menacing the security of the Laon
massif. After capturing Berry-au-Bac,
the French are fighting their way into
Conde sur-Suippe, at the junction of
the Aisne and Suippe Progress
northward from these towns will out
flank both the Champagne and Laon
positions now occupied by the Ger
mans and make untentable the lines
of both the Aisne and the Retourne
In the center by entering Isles-sur-
Suippe and capturing Bazancourt, the
French apparently have broken the
German hold on the Suippe and made
necessary retirement to the Re-
tourne or Aisne, farther north.
On the north the Belgian and Brit
ish pressure is maintained and under
the threat of further major attacks
the Germans continue to withdraw
from the Belgian coastal region The
telephone wires between the frontier
and the coast were being taken down
today. Stores of materials at Knoppe.
miles from the Dutch border have
been set on fire and factories under
mined In preparation for quick des-
truction
From the Suippe to the Mouse on
the southern end of the line the
French and Americans continue to
press the enemy hard Large fires
are reported behind the German line
on the American sector east Of the
Argonne and the important town OF
Prieulles, on the western bank of the
Meuse, is burning.
Enemy in New Peril.
Crossing the Aisne at Berry-au-Bac.
the French have brought new peril
to the whole German line in the Lano-
nais and Champagne sectors in
France. This advance by Gen. Ber-
thelot's men seems to be a stroke
which may be considered in future rs
the first step in the final operation
designed to hurl the Germans out of
the positions they have held for so
long. from the Ailette river to the
Meuse
II the French are able to debouche
from Berryau-Bac and obtain . bridge
head on the north side Of the Aisne,
the German forces still clinging to the
Chemin-des-Dames. along the ridge
north OF the Aisne, further west viii
be compelled to fall back rapidly. At
the same time the Germans retreating
before Gen. Gouraud's army, further
to the east, Will find that the Aisne.
their apparent objective in the present
is not a refuge. It may,
on the other hand, be but q trap for
the shattered forces now streaming
back from the Ply. Arnes ana upper
Aisne rivers.
Americans Strike Again.
Gen. Berthelot's wedge has pene-
trated faster than was expected By
the lay world. 1t wrested the hills
northwest of Rheims from the enemy
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