Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1918-08-17
HUNS ON THE RUN
ON P|CAROY FRONT
MoNTDIDlER FALLS TO ALLIES
AND GERMANS ARE RETREAT
ING TO THE SOMME.
Americans Aid in Rolling Back Teuton
Line, Enemy Being Unable to Stop
the Victorious Allies IN Latest
Drive Toward Berlin.

| Paris.-The French have driven the
! Germans before them for an important
! gain east of Montdidier in licardy.
! That city, which was the apex of IA
! German salient that now has been
wiped out fell to the French fourth
army ut midday Saturday. Before
nghtfall the victorious French forces
had carried the battle line onward to.
an average depth of six miles on
front of approximately twenty miles.
In the three days of engagements
that eliminated in the taking of Mont
didier, the French took 5000 prisoners.
Their capture also included 200 guns
and an enormous amount of material.
Crushed by the impact of the Brit
ish French and American offensive on
the battle line from Albert northeast
Of Amiens, to Disc river north OF Com
piegne, German forces are streaming
back toward the Somme river and the
Nesle Noyon canal. So far as can be
determined, the enemy is in full re-
treat all along the front against which
the allies flung themselves the latter
part OF the week.
The drive of the past week in Pic
ardy was a complete success. The real
offensive was launched from the direc-
ton of Amiens within three days after
the French and Americans had been
definitely halted at the Nesle river.
Before the crown prince could send
back any divisions to Picardy the
British and French swept forward ir-
reslstibly with tanks, big and little, as
the piece de resistance of their drive.
With Villers Bretonneux as IA center.
the British struck to the north and
south. Their northern flank Of attack
reached almost TO Albert, their south
ern to Hangard. South Of that the
French were ready for attack near
Morisel and Moreuil. where heavy re-
sistance was to be expected. The Brit
ish attacked without artillery prepa-
ration. The French bombarded the
enemy for about 45 minutes before
moving forward to the assault Then
they took Morisel and Morueil in Sc
we're fighting. Meanwhile the British
Australians and Canadians had been
pushing forward south of the Somme
with the apex of their wedge directed
toward RoZieres. The first day they
did not take that town, which Is about
seven or eight miles east OF Villers. but
they gained positions beyond II 10 the
north. On their left flank the British
did not make much progress north of
the Somme, and on the second day OF
the fighting they lost Chipilly. On that
day, however, the German resistance
to the south was broken by the British
and French, who began to get Montd-
der into a pocket
To the north, in the center, the Brit
lsh, with Canadians and Australians
continued TO gain toward Chaulnes
after occupying RoZleres AT Chipilly
Americans were thrown into the fight
Friday afternoon, and, with tire aid of
the British, recaptured 1t. On Satur-
day they pushed some distance beyond
Chipilly and Morlancourt, in the same
region.
BY this time the enemy's lines had
been so seriously shattered that gen
eral retirement to a wholly new line
was imperative. Indeed, the high com
mand probably had given the order for
this retirement on the first or second
day of the fight, but even this timely
provision failed to prevent the allies
from capturing hundreds of cannon
and thousands of prisoners
The American drive in the Marine
| a.. Of
war; but 1t is doubtful whether II OBJ
tanned the fruits that would seem To
be the inevitable sequence Of the
Franco-British victory, In which the
Americans are successfully participat-
ing. Both battles have been entente
successes In special sense.
On the Scissors Rheims front the
French and Americans have been nib
bling at the enemy, but In the process
they have established some strong
bridgeheads across the Vesle river
from which to continue their opera
lions. II the Germans retrent to the
Hindenburg line, there will be no
chance Of holding the line OF the Vesle,
and the crown prince will withdraw
without attempting to try conclusions
with the French and Americans south
Of the Aisne.
BY means of their air supremacy the
allies can watch every movement Of
the retreating enemy as If the entire
battle were being thrown upon NOV.
ing picture screen. The enemy, mean.
time, Is almost blind. HIS machines
have been downed In such numbers
That he cannot tell what the opposing
forces are doing or planning.
Commander who Sank lusitania Dead.