The Monmouth inquirer., 1918-09-05
ALLIED vICTORS
CAPTURE R0YE
It Is Key to NesIe, Capture of
Which viii Compel Germans
to Retreat Beyond Somme.
BRITISH MAKE BIG ADVANCE.
Foe Feverishly Constructs New Hin
denbura Line-Even Third De-
fense System Being Prepared
for Retreating Germans.

Paris. s.-Foch's drive in Picardy de-
veloped new impetus when the French
First Army, on the right of the British
offensive, launched heavy attack on
a II mile front, from Chaulnes to Lau-
court, south of Roye, and in terrific
fighting threw the Germans back more
than two and half miles at some
points and captured the city of Roye
and neighboring villages.
To the north the British Third and
Fourth armies continued their ham
mering assaults on the foes weakened
idefenses and pushed forward for new
gains at nearly all points along the 80
mile front from the Scarpe river to
Chaulnes.
The new British advance carried
them we'll up the heights overlooking
Peronne, which important base is now
directly menaced by Haig's onrush.
In smashing attacks on both sides of
the Scarpe Canadian, Scottish and
English troops drove forward for pro-
nounced gains. capturing several vii
lagos and reaping a new harvest of
prisoners by thousands. The German
resistance gave way at points under
the allied pressure, and the Canadians
forced the enemy back in disorder.
North of the Scarpe Haig's men are
mile and a half beyond the old Hin
denburg line.
On the battlefield on both sides of
the Somme the Germans made repeat
ed heavy counter attacks, throwing in
fresh divisions in attempting to halt
the British. After bitter all night fight
ing the British succeeded in holding
their gains and pushing the Germans
farther back toward their old line of
defense.
Villages captured by the French
around Roye include Hallu, Frausart
Cremery, Gruny, Carrepu, Roye, Lau-
court, Crapeau Mesnil and st. Giles
In the Scarpe fighting the Canadians
took Cherisy, Vis-en-Artois. and reach
ed the outskirts ofePleves and Plou-
vain. In the center of the battle line
the British took Maricourt. Trones.
Moulin de Fargy, vauIx-vrancourt,
Bernafaye, Flers and Bengnatre.
IN the Noyon pocket General Man
gins Tenth Army struck again at the
German flank north of Soissons and
by an advance of two-thirds of mile
on a front of half mile got new
grip on the Juvigny plateau, overlook
ing the enemy's defenses to the east.
The Americans on the Vesle attack
ed sharply west of Bazoches and held
the upper hand in the infantry strug-
gle which followed. A German attack
launched simultaneously toward the
American positions at F'ismette, across
the river north of the railroad center
of Fismes, was crushed.
The mostfimportant huge Bertha"
which has been bombarding Paris, has
been moved from the threatened re-
gion. Also extremely important is the
knowledge that the Germans are work
ing feverishly on q second line of de-
fense some distance to the rear of the
notorious Hindenburg line.
While the British are developing
their wonderful successes to the north
west, attention should not be entirely
diverted from the less spectacular
work of the Franco-Americans to the
southeast-north of scissors and
along the Vesle The Franco-Ameri-
can operation nov III progress is
"hold and shove" strategy, with the
French doing the showing and the
Americans the holding. 1t is one of
the best Illustrations of Fochs re-
markable squeezing" strategy which
has for its object the taking of much
ground, including strongly fortified
natural positions, at minimum cost
in infantrymen's lives.