The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-09-07
GREAT VICTORY Won.
GEN. HAIG'S ARMY SKATERS
HUN DEFENSE.
After Breaking Through Hindenburg
Line Fast Tanks and ArmOred Cars
Chase Fleeing Germans Far to The
Rear-Nfany Prisoners Taken.


Line Fast Tanks and Armored Cars
Chase Fleeing Germans Far to The
Rear-Many Prisoners Taken.
With the British Army in France,
Sept. 2 q p. No. (By the Associated
Press) The British have pierced the
Drocourt- -Queant line. In a fierce
battle, which has been raging since
dawn and which still probably proves
to be one of the most important OF
the war, Canadian and English troops
at last reports had at one point drlv-
en- in about five kilometers, or lit
tie more than three miles, and ,Tere
still going The fighting was as fu-
rious as any since the war began and
increased in intensity as the British
battered their way forward, meet
ing the ever growing resistance OF the
enemy, who had put in every avail
able man and was rushing up re-
serves at the rear.
Thousands of prisoners have been
captured; the roads to the British
rear are literally jammed with them.
= There has been fierce fighting in
Dury, which was taken by the Brit
ish, and Mount Dury, which the Ger
mans held in great strength, was
stormed. The British wen5 on after
killing enormous numbers Of the en-
emy. The Germans died fighting here
as elsewhere.
Cagnicourt wood and Cagnicourt
have been captured, and Bois de
Bouche, to the southeast, is reported
also to have been occupied.
There has been heavy fighting at
BUSY, northeast Of Queant, where
large numbers of prisoners have been
captured and similar progress has
been made against northern end OF
Queant-Drocgurt line for some dis
tance.
All during the night there was very
heavy fighting around the British po-
sitions, which were almost jammed
up against the great German de-
tense system. Piles Of dead Germans
was one of the results. During one
enemy attack a sergeant with ma
chine gun killed 60 Germans who
tried to rush him.
It was soon after o'clock in the
morning that the massed British can
non broke loose with roar that was
:hsard for miles in a crash barrage.
The whole sky semed ablaze as thou
sands of British shells poured into
the German wire and. lines.
When the barrage raised the Ca
nadians and English swarmed over
the top. Just behind them were nu-
merous tanks of all sizes. They had
been over only a minute when the
enemy opened with a counter bar
rage which is said to have been by
far the strongest he has put down
since the British offensive began.
The instant the British appeared
the Germans in many cases jumped
out OF. the trenches and held their
hands high above their heads. In
some cases. however, the advancing
British met with a hail of machine
44gnng bui ilets buf notHat Standing this
they pushed on. Quickly the first
line was overcome.
From all along the line came re-
ports that Germans in dugoUts we're
absolutely panic stricken and many
OF them were found covering in holes
and screaming with fright.
BY 73e o'clock the British had
passed the German front and support
lines. It was then that the motor ma
chine guns dashed out and on the
good roads at the Germans. They
managed to get through and they are
working far in advance of the infan-
try.
Some Of the fast motor machine
guns are reported by the ,airplaneS to
have m:de their way along the Ca
nah du Nord on the roads between
Douai and Marquion. while others
are reported to be holding the bridge
heads against large numbers of Ger
man reserves who certainly are COM
ing Up in the rear.
Along the Arras- Cambria road the
British have made good progress, and
Villers-lez-C -Cagnicourt, which was
strongly hid by special belt Of wire
and powerful trench system, was
the scene Of desperate fighting. Both
,villers-leE- -Cagnicourt and Cagn1-
court are in British hands, and the
British have carried the battle con-
siderably to the east Of this.
The British attack launched south
OF the Scarpe River early this morn
ing has as its jumping off place po-
sitions close to the German defenses
reached several days ago. A furious
battle involving extensive possibilities
is in progress.
Another attack was launched by
the British this morning in the re-
gicn north Of Peronne Australian
troops, having crossed the Somme,
capturing Peronne, are hopping up,
during the course of which there
has been brisk fighting in the streets.
They have captured other towns and
positions in the same neighborhood
and one force is pushing northward
astfide the Canal du Nord. At last
report it had reached Allaines on the
eastern side of the canal and the
high ground opposite on the west