The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-20
Americans Went Forward
Over Ground Covered
With German Dead t.k
BATTLE ZONE.
rs EXTENDED
Fighting Spreads Toward
Chateau Thierry-French
Capture 1900

Paris, July 20,-French and Amerls
| can troops are coprInuing their ad@
vance between the Aisne and ths
Marine, according to an official state
ment issued by the war office today.
South Of the Marine, the French
have thrown back the enemy between
Fossoy and Ceutlly and have retaken
ground towards the Marne.
The allied advance has reached the
line Vierzy,' beyond the wood of Maui
10y, east Of Villers Helon and NeuiIIy-
st. Front.
The weather was clear this morn
/ ing and this gave some satisfaction
to the thousands Of men engaged on
the allied side. The indications,
ever, were that ths day would be one
of exceptional heat,
The statement follows:
Yesterday and last night French
and American troops continued their
advance over the greater part of the
front between the Aisne and the
Marine. .a.
"Vierzy has been reached and the
troops have gone beyond MauIcy
wood, east Of Villers HeIon and con-
quered Neuilly-St. Front and Licy
Clignon. - ts~
South of the Marne our troops
have driven back the Germans be-
tween Fossoy and OeuiIly and have
gained ground toward the Marnes'.
Ground Covered With Dead.
The hillsides east OF DommierH,
over which the Americans advanced,
was dotted with dead. The entir8
region was well within the German
| lines until after the Franco-AmerI~
can offensive Of Thursday One
quickly dug trench had been Allied
with German bodies. They were
machine gunners who had been
allied artillery. In many places tha
German dead were IN piles. while q
trench on the crest of a hill contain
ed more than 100 bodies.
After intense barrage fire alopg
! the entire front from scissors to-
Chateau Thierry the allied advance
this evening opened exactly at $3.50
o'clock. AS far as the eye could
reach could be seen observation ball
looms, while the sky was specksa
with allied airplanes darting in var
ious directions, many returning from
over the German lines to make Gil
quick report on observations ana the
result of the fire Of the big gilrh.
From the hillside the smoke and
dust thrown up by the allied shells
could be seen away beyond the ad
vancing Americans. Behind the ad~
vancing troops came American
trucks loaded with chocolate, Gobac-
do and various foodstuffs. These
went back and forth steadily. Other
trucks went from place to place.
providing foodstufRs and water for
the Americans who are to follow
their advancing comrades.
Twenty-Five minutes after the
Franco American advance began,
the rattle Of German machine guns
could he heard in the distance but
it did not affect the Americans, who
only appeared more eager to pro-
ceed The officers had to caution
them not to proceed beyond the bar-
rage in accordance with the sclIed
ule. The German machine gun fire
continued but a short time and as
the Americans could be seen stead
lily, pressing forward eastward the
rattle dwindled and finally stoppeds
Village Deserted.
Missy aux -Bois was deserted by
the French peasants before the Ger
mans came, the village having been
torn from end to end by shell 9irs
in previous fighting. Not one well
Of the stone buildings. is standing.
The only living things in the village,
which is now within the allied lines
were three pigeons which roasted on
the fragments OF the steeple Of the
village church during the roar OF the
battle. They flew around in circles
in bewiIderment, returned to their
rOosting place and then flew around
again.
no the north and south OF Gissy-
aux Bois are two other deserted VII
lagos, in one OF which every build
ing is in ruins. The fields in this
section are covered with grain reaiy
for tho harvest. Many rusty aeals
and implements are standing Just
where they were left when bp
alarm came.
When darkness settled over tbs
battlefield tho Americans still main
tanned their advance. The guns it
the rear were pounding away guards
ing them through the night.
Battle Zone Extended
with the American Army on tba
Aisne- AaTae 'front.' July go, $3.50
rn.The battle zone along tho fnt
of the allied counter attack batYeaa
the Aisne and the Marine i bena
extended further south towards Ga-
teau Ilierry than the region nF
v