The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-09-07
WAR BULLETINS CONDENSED.
THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS TAX
EN- BY ENGLISH AND CA
MADAM TROOPS.
Huns Troubles Augmented by British
and Americans Making Steady Pro-
gress Toward Blotting Out Salient
in Ypres Region-French Forces
Well on Read to Ham.

Over front of 80 miles from the
region of Arras to Peronne, Field
Marshal Haig's forces have literally
smashed the German front.
The Southern portion Of the fa-
nous Drocourt- -Queant switch line
which had been heralded as the I'M
pregnable bulwark of the German
defense in the north has given way.
Under the violence Of the British on
slaught over its entire front from
the Scarpe River to Queant, dis
tance of virtually ten miles, gave way
and Monday night saw the Canadian
and English troops who carried out
the maneuver hard after the defeat
ed eremy some three miles to the
eastward.
Thousands of prisoners have been
taken from the strongly resisting en-
enay who at last accounts was fight
ing violently as he gave ground to-
ward the Canal du Nord.
By this victory seemingly is ended
the raenace of the Hindenburg line to
the south which the British are grad
ually approaching over its entire
front. Already thoroughly outfanked
on the north and with the French
well upon it's southern base, military
necessity apparently will require that
the Germans relinquisk the Hinden-
burg Notifications and realign their
front from Flanders to Rheims in Or
der to avert disaster at the hands of
their swiftly moving antagonists.
Already the roads to Douai, Gam
brai and st Quentin are thoroughly
infested by the British and French
armies while north Of scissors the
French and Americans are in posi-
tons of vantage from which to car
ry out turning movements which Will
outaank Laon and the Chemin-des-
Danes and the Aisne lines. The Sit
uation Of the enemy, viewed from
the war maps, is the most perilous he
has yet been in.
Added to the troubles of the Ger
man high command is the situation
that is fast developing in Flanders,
in the region around Ypres, where
the Germans daily are being forced
out of their positions by the British
and American troops, All over this
sector steady progress is being made
eastward in the blotting out of the
salient that has long existed there.
The Americans, who took Vooreme-
zeele Sunday, now are well into the
region east Of the town, having over
come the strong resistance Of the
Germans who endeavored to bar
their way.
A few more strides by Haig's men
in this region and Armentieres will
be within striking distance. After
Armeptieres it is but a step to Lille
Hard fighting has been in progress
between the British and Germans
around Peronne. where the Austral-
ians successfully withstood violent at
tacks and have taken several thou
sand prisoners. Between Peronne
and Bapaume the Germans also have
imposed strong opposition to the
British, but the st. Pierre-Vaast
wood, LIE Transloy and Allaines, and
Haut-Allaines all have been success
fully carried.
On the southern end Of the front
70 SOlSSCQS the FTGQCn nave maze dii-
other important crossing of the Canal
du NorG, this time east of Nesle,
which places them we'll on the road
to Ham, the last remaining important
junction point in the Somme-Oise Sec
tor, With lines leading from it to ST
Quentin and La Fere.
North Of Scissors equally import
ant progress has been made. Here,
where the Americans are in line with
the French, gains have been made
on the plateau east of Crecy-au-
Mont and Juvigny and the villages OF
Neuvilly and Terny-Sorny have been
taie1, notwithstanding stubborn re-
sistance.
These gains. if they are continued
seemingly can not but result in enc
my's withdrawal northward from the
Vesle river positions he holds and
reconstituting his entire front to
Rheims.