The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-09
BRITISH PRESS ON
TAKING PRISONERS
MANY BIC GUNS
Are Close to Railroad That
Supplies Montdidier Sector.
Capture of Divisional General
Reported UnOfficiaIly.
TOTAL PRISONERS is $1,000
200 Guns Have Been Taken
Yesterday and Today.
Tanks and Cavalry Far in Ad-
vance of Infantry.
HUNS BLOW UP MUNITIONS
May Be Preparing for an Ex-
tenSiYe Retreat.
Enormous Quantities of Stores
Fall to Allies.
HUNS BLOW UP MUNITIONS
May Be Preparing for an Ex-
tenSiYe Retreat.
Enormous Quantities of Stores
Fall to Allies.

London. Aug. 9.-More than 1900
prisoners had been captured by the
allies in the Somme drive up to noon
today, according to advices this after
noon, more than 200 guns also have
been taken.
1t is reported that a German di
visionaI geenral has been captured in
the drive.
Blow Up Ammunition Dumps.
With the Briti.-h Army in France
Aug. 9.-The Germans are blowing III
their Ammunition dumps in the battle
area This is considered as an indica-
ton that they are preparing to re-
treat
The British casualties since the be-
ginning of the present drive are but
hree-fifths of the number of prisoners
counted up to o'cloc.- this afternoon
Cavalry and Tanks Far Ahead.
Cavalry patrols accompanied by
swift 'whippet' tanks are reported by
airmen far out ahead of the infantry
advance The infaltry at many places
was apparently checked only by sheer
physical inability to push any farther
This afternoon the enemy's trans
port 1orries have been rolling along
the few good roads left in the Somme
valley. They afforded excellent tar
get for airmen, who played havoc
lily Uttered the cads so that they were
impossible.
Patrols Near Chaulnes.
(By the Associated Press.)
With the British Army in France.
Aug. 9.-British cavalry and some in
fantry were signalled in the neighhor-
hood of Chaulnes this morning. When
last heard from directly. they, together
with armored cars. were operating
back of Framerville and have. now
progressed many knometers beyond,
continuing the cleaning up of the
country and capturing villages.
Canadians Take Prisoners.
Allied airmen have blown up many
of the bridges over the Somme river
and the enemy's retreat is seriously
emb2r IRA ssed. The British cavalry has
rounded up many prisoners. but the
larger part of the a. 600 so far taken
were captured by Australians and
Canadians.
An enormous quantity of stores and
ammunition has been abandoned by
the Germans in their hasty retreat.
Canadian Troopers Do Good Work.
London, Aug. 9.-Canadian horse
troopers, cooperating with French
cavalry. cur off a large force of the
enemy in today's operations on the
Semme front.
(l5y the Associated Press;
herman lineS on the Blcardy front
south of the Somme have been badly
broken by the savage thrust of the
British and French armies.
A wedge has been criven eleven
miles into enemy territory along the
Amiens-Ckdulnes-L Fere railway and
early today the British were only a
mile from the Chaulnes-Roye railway,
which runs southwark from ChauInes
and forms the chief artery of supplies
for the German troops fighting in the
MOntdidier sector of the front
Better Than Huns Ever Did
London pnounces that 17.0o pris-
oners and 200 guns have been taken
in the first twenty-four hours of the
drive. Ths results of this attack ap-
pear to have eclipsed those obtained
by the Ge- mans on the first da of any
of their ter -ific offensives # the past
spring and summer. So far as reports
snow. he progress of the fighting
z south of the Somme, the allies are 60
ing forward almost without serious
fronrInusd m FaOo TUo1