Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-08-17
FRENCH ALMOST
THROUGH WOODS
SOUTH OF CITY.
Movement May Effect Cap
ture of Roye and Las
signy at Same Time.
BERLIN DECLARES
ALLIES HAVE FAILED
Gas Used on Americans in
Attack Along Vesle
River.
lRy rhe Aa.oc,ated Press>


Roye. the central bastion Of the
German defense line from Peronne to
Noyon, which has withstood Allied
thrusts for nearly week. II nenaced
seriously by advancing French, Brit
ish and Canadian troops and tts fall
the next few hours.
With the town in Allied hands the
southern end Of the German limo at |
least undoubtedly would have to re-
tire, although the northern end
through Chaulnes and Peronue also
would be affected. The Allies are
now but a scant one and one-quarter
miles west Of the town, while they
are pressing eastward In the north 4
and in the south.
Along front Of nearly nine miles
north and south Of the Avre. which
flows through Roye. the Allies have
pushed back the enemy in stubborn
fighting. The most notable advance
was made on al front Of three miles
in the center by French and Can
adian troops whe- now are ftEhtings
Mard-les-Tri and Laucourt st
Mard is west Of Roye and there are
no villages in the intervening mile
and q quarter.
French troops on the south have
forced their way almost through the
Loges wood, which borders the Roye-
Lassigny road on the west. The wood
is five miles directly south Of Royo
and it would appear that a further
advance might enable the French to
outflank both Roye and Lassigny and
force the Germans to read1ust their
lines eastward toward Noyon and
probably beyond. North Of Goyen-
court British forces. after having re-
pulsed an enemy attack on Damery
in {oI, ~rio
tured, are pushing eastward with
French units toward Fransart and
Fresnoy- les Roye.
Artillery activity continues on the
remaining sectors Of the main battle
front between the Aucre and the
Oise. The British on the northern
end and the French on the southern
and the enemy has shown no 'dispo-
siton to attack.
Berlin reports ofncially that. Allied
attacks on both sides Of tho Avre on
Friday failed. The German war Of.
flee has nothing further to say Of the
Withdrawals in the Lys salient and
along the Ancre. Admission Of the
loss of Attiche farm. southwest of|
Noyon, to the French is made. butt
it is said that six French attacks
against Lassigny on Thursday were
repulsed.
American and French troops along
the Vesle have undergone ,an attack,
in which the Germans used gas ar
tillery and bombing aviators This
attack followed an incursion by
American aviators who heavily
bombed German bridges over the
Aisne and discovered enemy artillery
and machine gun nests. Three Ger-i
man airplanes were brought down.
by American airmen Thursday. Brit
ish and French airmen on the same
day put 50 enemy machines out Of
action, while Berlin reports the de-
struction, of "a Allied airplanes.
Italian troops in the Tonale region.
northwest Of Garda and along the
southern Piave have withstood Aus.
trian attacks against their new posi-
tions on these sectors.
/ Spain is reported to have notified
Berlin that hereafter the Spanish
government will make up losses sus-
tanned through U-boats by seixin6
German shipping In Spanish harbors.
Ninety German vessels have found
refuge In Spanish territorial waters.1
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