The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1918-08-07
GERMANS RETREAT
ACROSS THE VES[E
HUNS RACING FOR NORTHERN
BANK OF THE AlSNE RIVER
WITH ALLIES IN PURSUIT.
Week Of Fighting Results In Great
Gains for Allied Forces, Who Drive
Enemy Back and Take Toll OF
. Men and Munitions.

Paris. - The German retreat con-
tinues undated, with the allies every
where in hot pursuit.
Apparently the situation now mas re-
solved itself into race for the north
ern bank of the Aisne river by the
Germans who have been evicted from
strategic positions along the Vesle
river, in the center of the line and di-
rectly east of Rheims, which seemingly
renders necessary that they put the
Aisne between themselves and their
pursuers to escape further large losses
of men made prisoners.
Just how large this bag of captives Is
at present cannot be reckOned, but I'M
official advices received here assert
that when the figures are made public
they will thrill the allied world. Gen
eral Pershing in his communication
says the Americans alone have taken
$500 prisoners and, in addition, 1873
guns.
The past week has been most sue
cessful one for the allied forces, great
progress having been made in driving
the Germans back toward Berlin, vast
quantities of stores and large number
of guns having been captured, while
the Huns have paid dearly in killed
and wounded. While the losses by the
allies has, of course, been heavier than
during the regular trench warfare, the
loss of life has not been near so great
as one would imagine.
Since General Foch began his great
counter-offensive, he has been assailing
the enemy without cessation, so that
the Huns have had very little rest. He
had brought up British and Scotch
troops to aid in these attacks. On the
Rheims side the British had made sub
stantial gains, but were driven back.
On the western, or scissors side Of the
salient, the Scotch and French were
held up at Buzancy for several days.
To the southwark the first break was
made in the enemy's line at Grand
Rozoy and Cugny.
On Thursday the American opera
tions began to tell. The enemy began
a retreat at the center, near Sergy and
Cierges and eastward thereof. The
French had taken ROmigny, still far
Their to the eastward. but had lost it.
They recaptured it and closely invest
ed Ville-en-Tardenois.
Friday evening scissors was cap
tured. The capture of scissors earl
jer probably would have resulted in
complete disaster to the enemy, but
General FOch did not make direct
assault until he had brought up an ade
quate force Of men, guns, tanks ant
ammunition. Then he launched an at
tack on a wide front from poin
northeast of scissors to Grand Rozoy
Beugneux and Cramaille. And at tn,
same time there were attacks all alOn,
the line as far as Rheims.
The result was that the German lin,
broke like a dam suddenly struck b,
great flood The French entere,
scissors, taking hundreds Of prisoners
and to the southwark the French an,
British crossed the Crise river in
turning movement
The hitherto impregnable position a
Buzancy gave way and the entire Ger
man line was in flight. Then it wa
that the crown prince and Ludendort
realized that it would be impossible t
hOld the lines of the Ardre or Vesl
rivers, and a general retreat was O,
dered, presumably to the line of tn
Aisne. Even the Aisne line is threa
ened by the advance of the allies d,
yOnd scissors, for the river run
through that town. Being north of TIL
river on the line of Fontenoy- Pommer
the French may delve into the &c
man right flank still deeper. In tn,
event the Aisne line may become III
tenable and the Germans may decid
that discretion dictates further r.
treat, probably to the old line alon
the observation-disclosures.
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