The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-08-29
BRITISH ARMIES
SWEEP FORWARD
GAIN ON LINE THIRTY MILES (
LONG AND CAPTURE THOU.
SANDS OF GERMANS.
MANY VILLAGES TAKEN
FRENCH GAIN NORTH OF sois-
SONS IN EFFORT TO DRIVE FOE
FROM RHEIMS SALIENT.
w..,.rn Newspaper Union New. service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service
Washington, Aug. 24.-Almost un-
varying success described in Fridays
dispatches telling of the great allied
offensive ON the fifty-mile front
stretching from Soissone northwsrd
to the environs of Arras raised hopes
In military circles here for the most
severe defeat yet administered to the
Germans. Observers were Of the opin-
ion that Gen. Foch's whiting tactics
of the past six weeks have been 10
effective that opportunity has come
for q glorious harvest.
Over the fifty-mile battle front from
the region of Arras to the north OF
Scissors the German armies are meet
ing with defeats which apparently
spell disaster. Everywhere the Brit
ish and French forces have continuel
on their attack the enemy has been
sanguinarfly worsted.
To the British over the thirty miles
Of the fighting zone from the Cojeul
river, southeast of Arras, to Lihons.
south of the Somme, numerous towns
have fallen. Enemy territory has
been penetrated to a depth Of several
miles
The French are fighting between
the Matz river and the territory north
of Scissors. Goodly gains have been
made in the development OF Noyon
and In the general maneuver which
seeks to crush or drive out the Ger
mans from the salient between the
Somne and the Ailette and TO put into
jeopardy the entire German line run
ming to Rheims.
The Germans brought up large rs-
Inducements TO stay Has's armies.
but without avail. Where they were
able momentarily 10 hold back their
encoming foes, the Germans finally
were forced to cede ground.
For their temerity they paid q Ger
rible price in killed. wounded and men
made prisoner. The eAtire Arras-Al-
bert road has been creased BY the
British. The strongly held positions
where the Germans saw disaster fac
ing them II they fell. were stormed
and captured and the British passed
them going eastward Notable amonk
these places were Achiet 10 Grand.
where bitter fighting has been in pro-
gress for several days; BOyelles anil
0omiscourt. northeast Of Albert.
The taking Of Achiet, and farther
east Of the town OF Bihucourt. givss
Aaig dominating poeition over Ba-
paums. from which the railway and
highway runs eastward TO Cambria.
Further south the old fortress OF
Thiepval 10 surrounded on three stdes
and its capitulation must follow.
Friday night saw the British stand
ing well to the east of Albert and
ing Chuignollea and Chuisnes. and
had thrown out forces eastward to out
flank Bray OH the south and Chaulnes
on the north.
With the continuation Of the French
drive from the Matx river around the
bend in the line to the north OF Sois-
sons. particularly north of Scissors.
the Germans still within the lower
portion OF the old salient apparently
are on dangerous ground
The French are engaged in their
uTlVe III WIS TeklOn. Ihey nave
crossed the Divette river near Evri-
court and at several other points have
forded the Ailette and the Oise, and
north OF Scissors are standing east
Of Bagneux and to the west Of Crecy
Au Mont. A swift turning movement
across the Oise from the latter region
would be likely to work havoc.
Paris, Aug. 22.-Lassigny has been
captured by the French forces. whose
lines have now reached the outskirts
OF Chiry-Ourscamps, southwest OF No.
yon. The official statement making
this announcement also says that
twenty villages have been liberated
Thousands Of prisoners, numerous
guns and machine guns and large
stores OF war supplies have been added
to the stocks already in allied hands.
To the British alone in the last two
days Of fighting nave come more than
5000 prisoners.
Noyon is now all but enveloped. The
Divette river has been reached and
both the Disc and the Ailette rivers
have been crossed and the onward
thrust OF the French on the eastern
end of the line from Scissors north
ward seems likely to bring about
shortly the outflanking Of the import
ant town OF Laon.
In new offensive begun by Haig
from the north Of the Somme to Al
bert an advance OF two miles eastward
already has been made over the six
mile front. In this fighting the town
of Albert on the Ancre. the keystone
OF the German defense protecting ths
Germans north OF the 5Umme, mas
been taken Here the British made
400 Germans prisoner. The Ancre
river n Tho aanfh OF Alhnrf xaS