Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-08-02
ALLIES DRIVE AHEAD:
ENC|RCLE FERE CITY
Advance Lines Three Miles Five Mile Front important Position Held by
Germans Almost Surrounded Two Pockets Created Within Rheims
Soisson Salient From Which Huns Are Not Likely to Escape
Allies Increase Number Of captNes Taken Since July IS
to $4,000 Retirement at One Point Resulting in
Almost Rout- Americans Drive Forward

[By the Associated Press1 IS,
battemg their path thru strong German defenses allied
troops have made substantial gains either side
denos and encrce that important German stronghold
Fierce fighting continues both sectors enemy being
forced back steadily.
Taking advantage of the sants driven into the German
es General launched heavy attacks and their results have
proved the value of the positions
West of the Arde the salient has been wdened while
sergy are in a fair way to be cut off completey.n
Combats Of the greatest intensity marked the allied forward
every natural advantage tohe full protected their positions
with plenty Of barbed wire and hundreds of machine guns
Several hundred prisoners captured by the British and
the Americans bringing the the Ma1ne battle to
over Between July Is and 80 900 Germans
Surgng forward between Ourcd and Plessier Hueu west
OF Fere British and French troops captured Cramoisee and
headwaers of the Crse new positions the Franco
British forces outank the German line . Sossons
lied offensive They strong enemy positions
At CramaiAe the allies are within seven miles Of zoche,
one Of the two German bases along the Vesle being
mes It is reported unocialy that the Germans begun
retreat from Launoy two miles north of Grand Rozoy
East and southeast American and French troops car
ed the burden of the successfully their comrades to the
west the salient driven earlier in the week by the Ame
utilized as the starting point for further offensive
This with the French blow the flank which resulted in
the fall Of Romgny places the Germans the vshapeed pocket
southwest OF in most difficult position
which they will have trouble escaping.
The Americans desperate hand fighting in which
enemy position when he overwhelmed
sheer force advanced from segy almost
by and eastward from sergy to the Meuee wood
part of which they occupied French troops gained Ceges
of Meunere wood and passed capturing the entire wood
line drawn eastward from Cramaie held by the French
leaves st Geme the of the Vhapeed salient
en- Tardenois, six miles to the south.
Thus the Germans would have to retire maximum six
miles place their line east Of Fere horizontal t
the west
Apparently the German crown prince has resolved
present line at all costs and norward the line tn,
Vesle only before allied The reports from the battle
the Germans fighting the bitter seldom
retire. l.$
The prince also seems every effort to
ganize his defenses well time allied attacks permitted
Notwithstanding this resistance and the evident intention
fight rather than withdraw the allies continue progress the
center Of the pocket General Foc be to ham,
hard at vulnerable points and force gains adjacent
to the wedges.
Only the artillery has been active elsewhere the western
front the Germans seemingly paying all their attention to the
Malne battle field The aerial fighting the British front has
been heavy for the few days. generally approaching
infantry movements Wednesday British accounted for IS