The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-31
BRITISH SWEEP
ISCOMPLETEIN
SOMME REGION
Final Stage of Germans
Flight Hurried; Lag
ards Are Taken.
HEAD FOR STRONG LINE
Drocourt-Queant Stronghold Is
Protected From English by
Only Slight Rise.
HEAD FOR STRONG LINE
By PERRY ROBINSON.
Special Cable Despotch TO TBE sus from the
London Times Serrice.

BY PERRY ROBINSON.
Special Cable Despatch TO TBE sus from the
London Times Service.
Copyright. 1918: all rights reserred.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY. Aug. 40
The German retreat across the Somme
is complete. Even the resistance which
might have been offered in the angle of
the river where it turns southwark from
reronne has vanished. Our patrols have
pushed across the river above La Cha
pellette and we are in possession OF the
river bank and all crossings as far as
Brie
All along the river the enemy's flight
at the last minute became hurried and
disorganized and everywhere we round
ed up punches OF laggards. All yester-
day and last night our guns and air
planes harassed the crossings at Brie.
st. Christ and Eterpigny and also
around Peronne. A large number of
transports were destroyed and the cas-
ualties among the Germans were ex-
tremely heavy.
The fact that the crossings were de-
stroyed is OF no importance, since the
stream is shallow and without current
Our engineers are already at work on
rev crossings, and these will be COM
pleted in a few hours.
No Trouble at COmbles.
The British sweep in all this region
is complete. North OF Peronne it is
yet to be seen whether the enemy will
OFFER formida Bile resistance at Mont St
Quentin. We took Combles without
much trouble, but all last night and this
morning hard fighting was going on at
Morval
The capture of Bapaume marks a
definite stage in our advance and in
the German defeat One wonders
whether it was the hurry Of the German
retreat from Albert and Bapaume which
prevented them from destroying the
macadam roads leading eastward. These
roads are in fine condition. although our
guns cut them up somewhat They are
in such good shape now that our motor
cars and trucks have no trouble getting
over them.
In the Bapuame area. where we made
an interesting approach to the Drocourt-
Queant line. our progress since yester-
day has been very satisfactory. North
of ulx-Nraucourt our troops ap-
parently hold Ecoust and Longate. both
scenes of hard fighting. We penetrated
Longate last evening but were driven
out in counter attack. This morning
we reattacked the place and now hold 1t
firmly.
strong Defences Overcome.
Reincourt is also in our hands. in
spite of its fire natural defences and
the wire with which the Germans had
us blocked off We are now headed for
the Drocourt-Queant line. with nothing
to stop US but slight rise in ground
This area is all hills and hollows On
the slope OF one hill rests Bullecourt and
across small valley is Riencourt.
Hendrecourt, and beyond another dip
rises Gagnicourt which is on the other
side of the main Queant-Drocourt line.
succession Of trenches which wind
north and south
1t is now certain that the Germans
have no deep outpost zone in front OF
this line, no region OF elastic defence"
Hence no great barrier will confront us
If we choose to attack. Doubtless those
who direct our battles are now weigh
ing the cost OF an assault against the
advantages to be gained from piercing
the enemys positions and turning all his
positions to the south.
The whole German front line seems
Continued on Second Page.