Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-04

last night delivered counter attacks
on Gouy and lie Catelet, midway
between Cambria and St Quentin.
Field Marshal Haig announced to-
day that the enemy assaults had
been beaten off
The point of the British wedge
in the region north Of s. Quentin
had been pushed at the end of yes
terGays fighting to the high ground
a mile northeast OF Sequehart The
British are holding this ground.
having repulsed a counter attack.
Germans Despera e.
London, Oct News from all
sectors OF the western front tell
Of giant efforts by the enemy to
stem the daily advancing tide Of
battle The Germans are put ing
in-thskr best troops. and according
to all correspondents, are fighting
/ with the energy Of desperation.
Still there is no sign Of any grear
retreat, except the withdrawal in
the FLANDERS sector. where the
British have occupied Armentieres
and Lens, and are closely pressing
the retiring enemy.
In the Sequehart-Bouy sector the
allied breach in the Hindenburg
system was extended today and the
fighting reached the outskirts of
MOntbreh3in, where Australian
units with tanks are operating.
The importance Germans attach TO
The retention of this portion Of the
line is indicated by the Frankfort
= in n-H o.
TO prevent a frontal break through
between Cambria and St. Quentin.
General Won Boehn's army has
been made so strong that it Is
equivalent TO complete army
group
Big Retreat Draws Near.
1t cannot be long before an i'm
portant enemy retreat from The
Hindenburg line is bound TO occur.
according to the universal military
opinion here. In the meantime The
Germans are counter attacking
heavily and the battle is swaytng
back and forth in a deadly grappie.
Pierce HiDdenburg Line.
With the British Army in the st.
Quentin Sector, Thursday, oct. >,
tBv the Associated Press .- Brit
ish forces broke through the entire
Hindenburg defense system in the
neighbOrhood OF Fresnoy today. As
soon as the break had been made.
cavalry forces swept through. be
ing followed closely by "Whippet"
tanks and armOred cars.
According TO reports which are
considered reliable. the village or
Fresnoy itself was taken soon aft
erward
Allied airplanes. which have been
flying low over the country in the
rear Of the Hindenburg line report
that there are only one or two
thinly-held and hurr!edly built
trench lines in front of the ad-
vancing British
This is q perfec. cavalry country.
and with this force free behind the
enemy's lines. the entire German
positions north and south or ST
Quentin are gravely menaced. Aft
er the cavalry and tanks had pass
Cd into the open country behind the
Hindenburg line. infantry and
masses of machine gun9ers poured
through IHsa UFtdk- tLt- iva 20 a.
taking positions and the Germans
who have held their lines in the de-
fansiva system are In danger o. be-
ing cut off
Enemy in Full Flight
The enemy appears to be In fall
fight north Of the break in the
line. Allied patrols have penetrat-
Cd further into Cambria from which
the Germans seem 10 be withdraw
ing
There was fighting OF the most
desperate character before the last
line OF the system was smashed
Fresh troops. which had not been in
the earlier fighting here, were pour
ID into the battle
Prospect hill, a strong enemy po-
;ition. was taken by storm
An Immense number or Germans
was killed during the fight. MANY :
trenches were turned into shamhles
Ia less time than II taxes 10 tell II