The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-09-04
HAICS TROOPS
NEAR CAMbRAI;
LENS OCCUPIED
German Line for Distance OF 80
Miles Crushed Back
Four Miles.
MANY PRISONERS ARE TAKEN
Enemy's Rear Guards Which Attempt
Cd to Stop British Advance Arc
Either Killed or Captured
More Towns are
Taken.

Taken.
London. Sept. 4.-The sagging Ger
man line from the vicinity Of Peronne
northward to Lens, distance Of near
ly thirty miles, has been crushed back
from one to four miles by the British
advance In the last "a hours.
This Is indicated by Field Marshal
Haig's report, which names string OF
new villages much to the east of the
fighting yesterday. The report says
the British are at Baralle, only SIX
miles west Of Cambria, and within easy
artillery range.
Meet New Switch Line.
A new switch line, approximately
six miles to the east of the Drocourt-
Queant position of the Hindenburg
defenses, to which the Germans have
been retiring, may have been pierced at
several points, most likely at Baralle.
The new switch line runs from Bre-
bieres, five miles southeast Of DrO-
court, southwards to Moeuvres, and
Joins the Hindenburg line In the vicin-
ity Of Graincourt. three and half
miles northwest Of Marcoing.
Where British Front Stands.
Field Marshal Haig's communica-
ton gives the general line Of the Brit
ish as Ypres, south Of Bertincourt.
Beaumetxlez- -Cambrai. Barelle. Roman
court. and Lecluse, which, IL not across
the new defensive position at points, Is
in contact with II
Fleeing Foe sheIled.
In describing the advance Field
Marshal Haig says:
e"Hostile rear guards, which resisted
the advance Of our infantry, have been
captured or driven back with loss. and
heavy casualties were inflicted on the
retreating columns by our artillery.
Large numbers Of the enemy retiring
In close formation were successfully
engaged by our batteries over the open
heights.
TN his hurried -retreat quantities Of
stores and materials of all kinds were
abandoned by the enemy"
The British have captured lie Mes
nil. which He's to the southeast of LIE
Transloy, a further two-mile advance
on q six-mile front, battle front dis
patches say.
British at Neuve ChapeIie.
In the Lye salient where the Ger
mans are retreating the British ad-
vanced and now hold the western out
skirts Of Neuve Chapelle. The Brit
lsh have captured Richebourg St.
Vaast.
Carrying their attack to the north
east Of Arras, the British captured the
village ct Hamblain-Les-Pres just to
the south OF the Scarpe In the direc-
ton of Douai.
South Of the Sensee river the enemy
Canal du Nord.
Huns In Full Flight.
With the British Army In France.
Sept 4.-The British victory In the
battle Of the Drocourt- -Queant line
seems complete. Without having de-
livered a single counter-attack and
staggering from the blows admins
tered to them, the Germans during the
night and early morning were in full
fight for the eastern side of the Canal
du Nord.
(The Canal du Nord runs almost
straight north. after leaving Peronne,
to Douai)
Enemy Trying to Save Men.
men and material he can from the
wreck In and behind one of the most
powerful defense systems ever de
vised. The much boasted Droeourt-
Queant line, or, as the Germans call
It, the Wotan line, is totally shattered
The British are driving far through
1t and the Germans are hurrying east.
ward, leaving behind only pockets OF
machine gunners.
Strong British forces are now fight
ing their way down the Hindenburg
line itself and are cleaning 1t up as
they go. Meanwhile, a little south
from here, another force is driving On
the Hindenburg line frontally.
The Hun has tasted disaster in the
: Drocourt line Of battle, and now his
disorganized and badly depleted forces
are working fast to prevent an even
greater catastrophe overtaking them.
The British are rapidly approaching
and are close to the Canal du Nord
the territory behind which is even now
under heavy FIRE from many British
cannon.
Capture City Of Lens.
London, Sept. 4.-The British have
captured the city Of Lens. The towI
Of Queant also has been taken. Lens
WAS evacuated by the Germans. the
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