St. John's Daily Star, 1918-08-12

              The St. John's Daily Star  Jvewtounciiand VOLUME IV. ($3.00 per Annum) *&&*] MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1918. (PROBS: S. to W. Winds, Mostly Fair.) No. 175 DISORDERLY HUN RETREAT BEFORE ALLIES' OFFENSIVE AVIATORS DESTROY ALL SOMME BRIDGES Enemy Continue Their Retreat Before Continued Strong Attacks of the Allies ALLIES' AVIATORS BRING DOWN THIRTY NINE GERMAN MACHINES I ONDON, Aug. 1 I.—The Germans have materially stiffened their defence against the British, American end French troops on the Picardy bittlefront but they have been unr ble to stem the tide of advance atainst them. Although the forward push of the allies has been slowed QOWn somewhat they have made further important progress from the north of the Somme where the Americans and British are fighting together and on the northern bank ot 'he Oise river where the French are engaging the enemy. The Americans and their British bro fhers in arms at last accounts were pressing closely upon Bray sur Somme aided by tanks and armored cars. Which inflicted heavy casualties on the f nemy as he endeavored to retard their progress across the river. The Germans heavily engaged the British at Lihons and its vicinity and at one point pierced the British line snd gained the outskirts of Lihons. A counter-attack, however, entirely restored the British line and the enemy retired to positions east and north of the village. Unofficial reports from London h*we credited the British with entering Chaulnes and British cavalry with a penetration of the enemy's territory almost to ftedes.. These reports,, however, have received no official verification.By 'far the greatest progress has been made by the French from the region immediately southwest and south of Roye/to the Oise river. There they have driven their line well across the road and at Cambronne have reached the road leading from Compeigne to Noyon. Since the capture of Mont Didier. the French have penetrated eastward to Tifloloy a distance of about seven miles and to Canny Sur Matz, more than eight and a half miles, and through the hiily region southward to the Oise have averaged gains exceeding six miles over a front of twelve miles. The stiffening of the German defence does not, in the minds of observers on the battlefront, indicate that the retreat of the enemy has ended, rather it is assumed that these manoeuvres are similar to those carried out over the Marne front when strong rear guards covered the retirement of the Crown Prince's armies northward. The smoke of large fires continue to be seen far behind the enemy's Hun Forces Retreating In Disorder Withdrawal of Yon Hutier's Forces Being Conducted With Utmost Haste, Abandoning Much War Material. DARIS. Au-. 10.—The retreat of Yon Hutier's army is showing the utmost haste. Much war material js being left behind. The German rearguards are fighting desperately. Firmly held by the British, all the morning reports show extreme confusion among the enemy forces in their precipitate retreat. Among ths prisoners taken are generals, colonels and officers of all other grades. Eleven divisions of Generals Yon Hutier and Yon Mauwitz have been identified by prisoners taken. Bridges Are Cut. Paris, Aug. ll.—All the bridges across the Somme between Peronne and Ham, a stretch of about 15 miles, have been destroyed by allied aviators. The Germans have been attempting to throw temporary bridges across the stream, and the allied airmen are now systematically bombing' these improvised structures. Foe Defence Stiffening Germans Make Strong Efforts to Save Supplies and Munitions. WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN " FRANCE. Aug. ll.—The German defence was stiffening this morning in the region southhwest ojf Noyon, but the French, nevertheless gained a stronger foothold on the heights of Thiescourt. There are indication? that Yon Hutier is organizing a line of resistance on the general front of Roye, Lassigny and Noyon to protect the withdrawal of the great masses of munitions and supplies gathered to the rear and to case up a retreat which is becoming more difficult to keep in hand. Situation Stabilised. London, Aug. I I.—Today the situation south of the Somme was becoming more stabilised. There was been no important allied advance in the last 12 hours, and at some places a slight retirement has been necessary. The fighting has been desperate and of a character, and for the moment any big advance on this front is not' expected. The enemy, apparently, is calling up his reserves to help him save ail material possible. ENEMY RETREATS IN GREAT HASTE One Hundred Additional Guns Captured by the Allies London, Aug. 10.—The Picardy battle is spreading to the south of Arras, The Pall Mall Gazette says this afternoon. Heavy fighting occurred this morning in the battle area, with the allies making satisfactory progress One hundred additional guns have been taken by the allies. Canadian cavalry, which is operating close to Chaulnes, report that the enemy is fighting strong rearguard actions in order to enable the stores of ammunition and guns to be removed from that town. The retreat of yon Hutier's army is showing the utmost haste. Much war material is being left behind. ■ __ «—.  NINE VESSELS SUNK. German Submarine Does Considerable Damage to Fishing Craft. Nantucket, Mass., Aug. 11.—Nine fishing vessels were sunk off St. George's Bank today by a German submarine, a naval scout boat which put in here tonight reported. The scout boat picked up word of the raid from the auxiliary fishing schooner Helen Murley, which had rescued four survivors and was taking them to port. George's Banks i axe 60 miles off this island. Alibi Bill  GERMAN FORCES IN RETREAT ALONG WHOLE SOMME FRONT British Capture Number of Towns and Villages And Get German Divisional Headquarters And its Full Staff—Stiffest German Resistance is Smashed by Haig's Men AMERICAN TROOPS ALSO SHARE IN VICTORIOUS SOMME ADVANCE WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN F3AMCE, Aug. n (By the A. P.)— The enemy seems to be retreating today all along the brittle line, especially in the centre, where he is i:eing heavily attacked by the British. In the advance the British have captured Waivillcrs, Vrely, Felies, Rozieres and Vauvillers. In the course of the fighting a German divisional headquarters and its staff were captured.American troops have been thrown into the fighting in. the great battle. They succeeded in overcoming a stiff resistance and helped the British to capi.ure important positions in an attack lauixheti yesterday between the Ancre and the Sornme. LOXDOX. Aug. ii.—The allies continued to make splendir, progress this morning along the whole front between the region to the south of Arras and the River Oisc. According to reports reaching London this afternoon there have been large captures of guns :-md materials an! the number of prisoners is increasing.The fall of Chaulnes is said to have followed a desperate struggle with strong forces rushed up to cover the retreat. The British encountered fierec opposition north of the Sotmne, b\it they are now advancing down the longslopes toward B»"ay if they have not already succeeded in reaching that town, between Arras and" Albert the PROGRESS IS CONTINUED British Overcome Enemy Resistance South of Lihons and Make Substantial Advance. MONT DIDIER HAS BEEN CAPTURED I ONDON, Aug. 10.—Mont Didier fell to the French first army, which had been operating south of that place, according to the British war announcement tonight. Many prisoners and great quantities of material were taken by the French. The statement follows: The attack launched .yesterday evening in accordance with the allied plans of operation, on our right, by the French first array south of Mont Didier, was developed by out atiies this morning with complete success. Enveloped from the north and from the southeast, Mont Didier fell into the hands of the French before midday, together with many prisoners and great quantities of materia!. During the remainder of the day the advance of the Fiench first army continued with the co-operation of the French army on its right, and the right wing of the British fourth army pressing hard on the retreating German troops. South of Lihons the British troops have overcome the enemy resistance and made substantial progress. The general line reached by the allied troops now runs virtually north and SWEEPING GAINS MADE BY ANGLO-FRENCH FORCES IN NEW DRIVE; BAG OF PRISONERS NOW 36,000 Continued Success for Entente Forces in Off en sive in Albert-Mont Didier Region—Addition al Hundred Guns and Huge Stores of Munitions and Supplies Taken by Anglo-French Troops—Foe Abandons Much Territory. FRENCH FORCES HAVE ADVANCED 10 MILES BEYOND MONT DIDIER PARIS, .Aug. ii.—The number of prisoners taken so far in the allied offensive in Picardy is now estimated at 36,000, including more tl 1.000 officers. More than 500 guns have en,,.'lured, according to the latest advices. French advancing eastward after their ca of Montdidier at mid-day have advanced . .«.. Tines tp an average depth of six miles of the ont extending from Andechy, which is se\ en miles northeast of Montdidier, to Elincourt, lying ten miles southeast of the captured city, pccordinig to the war office statement issued tonight. T UXDOX. Aujr. U.—The attack by the French has ■■-' extended the tattle line some sixteen miles further to the southeast :n the Montdidier area. In the movement the French scored an advance of four miles in six hours. To the hot ih the important junction of Chaulnes is now quite untenable for the Germans, as it is well within the lire of the British field guns. The 100 guns welded to the 200 previously captured by the allies were taken by the French in this morning's lighting. The opinion in London• today was that the enemy could not now possibly hold any part of a line until he reached the Son*me and the canal from Xesle to Noyon rhat would make a maximum, retreat of twenty miles. Roughly speaking, the allied advance in two days on a Iront of twenty miles has been twelve miles. On the Br'tisli front splendid progress is being made. The average twelve mile progress forward was an iniantry advance, with the cavalry, tanks and armored cars weU ahead of the infantry and pressing the retreating enemy. French Progress Around Mont Didier. London, Aug". 11.—French troops attacked at four o'clock this morning on the line between Montdidier and the Rive Oise on a front of approximately 16 miles, and at 10 a. m. had scored an advance of four miles, according to news leceived shortly after noon today. The French line at that hour ran through Faverolles, Piennes, Rollot, Civilly, Reassons, Sur Matz and Yigemont. This line puts Montdidier behind the French lines. Yon Hutier's retreat ?rom Montdidier was cut off when the Fncnch captured Faverolles: The German position along the Momdidier-Roye road is precarious. Information received in London before two o'clock this afternoon was to the effect that the Freeh line was THE WAR SITUATION (By J. T. M.) THE progress of the Somme battle at the time of writing on Saturday showed that the German hold on Montdidier was precarious, and its evacuation appeared to be inevitable.As foreshadowed in these notes then it the Germans were iorced out of Montdidier they would have to retreat beyond the line of the Matz river. This they have had to do, and they apparently lost considerable supplies, and a goodly number of prisoners were taken by the allies in that sectoi. The overnight cables show that the allies' lines run roughly from the north bank of the Ancre. just south of Albert, to Chaulnes, thence south via Roye, and Roye-sur-Mate lo Ressons on the Matz river, 10 miles southeast of Montdidier. From that point it swings easterly to the Oise along the north bank of the Matz, reaching the Oise between Thourotte and RibecouTt, about five miles north of Compiegne. Control Main Railway. Between Chaulnes and Roye, a distance of ten miles, the allies completely control the main line of railway, and the roads which parallel it ou both sides between these two. towns. From the point where they cross the Oise, Noyon is six miles , northeast, situated on the west side of the/j-iver, and on the trunk railway line eastward via Chauny to La Fere. Noyon is a base for German supplies, and the retention of it as long as it is possible for them to do' so is. vital to the safety of their retreating forces, and absolutely essential for the removal of supplies. From Noyon to Ham on the north of the Somme is 14 miles. From Noyon two branch railways run north connecting with the trunk line from Chaulnes to Le Fere at Nesles and Ham. The movement of the retreating Germans along these lines of communication is threatened by ■the allies' advance from Roye, which is only five miles from one branch and ten miles from the other. Junction oint. Nesles*, reported under allied fire, is the junction point of one of these branches, and is only two and a haif miles west of the Somme river. From the position of the allied lines, according to the latest cables, it would appear that a determined attempt will be made to advance along the west and east banks of the (Continued on Page 2) (Continued on Page a) - , ■ (Continued on Page 2) (Conbu. " c" Page 2) . (Continued on Page 2) Illlllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllil B CENT'S FURNISHINGS. | I English QUIDTQ I & American 0111111 0 | I Soft Bosom Single and Double Cuff, | Prices 1.18, 1.30, 1.45, 1.50, 1.70 §j 2.00, 2.50 Each. Al Value. g A Special Line Cream and White jl Mercerised, Worth 1.50 for 1.30. 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