St. John's Daily Star, 1918-09-05

              The St. John's Daily Star Newfoundland VOLUME IV. ($3.00 per Annum) * THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1918. (PRICE: One Cent.) No. 19^ GERMANS IN FULL RETREAT ALONG FRONT OF 150 MILES GERMAN ARMY IS IN FULL ELIGHT IN THE REGION OF CANAL DU NORD With the British army in France, Sept. 4.—British troops were reported this morning to have taken the town of Moeuvres, three and a half miles southeast of Queant. The capture of this place was not confirmed. The Germans are in full flight in the region of the Canal Dv Nord and appear to be more than ever disorganized. A thousand more prisoners were captured last night by Field Marshal Haig's forces. WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN FRANCE, Sept. 3 (By the A. P.)— The British victory in the battle of the Drocourt-Queant lines eeems complete. Without having delivered a single counter-attack and staggering frem the blows administered to them, the Germans during the night and early this morning were in full flight on the eastern side of the Canal Dv Nord. The enemy is trying to save what men and material he can from ihe wreck and is behind one of the most powerful system ever devised. The much-boasted Drocourt-Queant line, or as the Germans call it the Wotan line, is totally shattered. The British' are driving far through it and the Germans are hurrying eastward, leaving behind only pockets of machinegunners, and even resistance from these is gradually melting away. Strong forces are now. fighting their way down the Hindenburg line itself, and are cleaning it up as they go. Meanwhile, a little south from here, another force is driving on the Hindenburg line frontally. The Hun has tasted disaster in the Drocourt-Queant line battle, and now his disorganized and badly depleted forces are working fast to prevent an eeven greater catastrophe overtaking them. The British are rapidly approaching and are close to the Canal Dv Nord, the territory behind which is even now under "heavy fire from many British guns. The foe knows well that this movement contains a grave menace to some of his force's, and orders apparently have been given to get them out with all haste. ! '<*£iE??#?-ll?® ENEMY DAM THE SCARPE But, Although the Water Spread Over Considerable Areas It Has Not Interfered With Advance. GALLANT EXPLOIT OF A CANADIAN IQNDON, Sept. 3.—(Canadian press despatch from Reuters Ltd.)—Reuler's correspondent at the British headquarters describes the clever exploits of a Canadian offcer at the Wotan line battle. In the dark hours of Monday morning he crept out to try and find a crossing ever the river. He discovered a bridge, but thought he would investigate before returning to report this valuable find. The result was the detection of a heavy mine, fitted with contact wires, all ready to be laid. With wire cut ters the officer nipped through all the leads, and not long after the Can adian infantry streamed across the bridge in an endless flow. So rapidly did our guns get across tne entrenched zone that six-inch high veloc ity shells since morning have been maintaining a continuous and harassing fire on the Marquoin crossing on the Cambrai road, whence all the heavy German transport had to escape.By eleven the old royal division had advanced nearly eight miles since yesterday morning, and are still going strong. Northward to the Scarpe our troops have done little more than steadily throw forward a covering fiank. Our infantry outran the support of their guns despite the fact that the batteries galloped forward in a way reminiscent of the long valeyl manoeuvres. The enemy gunfire Was desultory and nowhere formidable, the enemy being evidently desperately short of artillery ammunition on this part of the front. The surprise occasioned by the rapidity of our advance seems to have been complete. Many fires are springing up in places far back of their lines. The Germans have dammed the Scarpe and the water has spread over considerable areas, but has not interfered with our progress. We struck the enemy in a place northwards where our troops stormed and  Richebourg St. Vaast. The weather continues ideal for field warfare. The airmen are having a great time, flying little more than two hundred feet high. Whenever the enemy is met with he seems to be in a state of semi-panic. The number of machine guns we have already collected is said to run into thousands. We captured the crews of some heavy howitzers who had just blown up their guns. They complained that they had scarcely been able to fire at all owing to the lack of shells. FOE DEBACLE IS COMPLETE Climax to Foe Retreat Culminated When the French Swept Away Salient At Noyon— Germans Burning Villages and Material In Their Retreat FAMOUS COAL CITY OF LENS IS NOW ENTIRELY EVACUATED I ONDON, Sept. 4.—The Germans are now giving ground over the entire 150 mile battlefront from Ypres to Rheims. Seemingly the question is whether the Germans will be able to hold even relatively their present line from Flanders to Champagne, which is being answered apparently in the negative. The strategy of General Foch, vhich imposed upon the Germans the necessity of falling back in Flanders. Artois and Picardy, now. likewise, is compelling the enemy to withdraw from the Vesle river between Soissons and Rheiras northward toward 'he Aisne, in order to avoid disaster. Outflanked on all defensive works along the western part of the battle line, and in great danger from a turn ing movement east from the regions of Noyon and Soissons, the German .high command at last has been forced to begin the retrograde movement in the Soissons-Rheims sector, which the military experts had predicted would be necessary through the successes of the British, French and Americans. Swept Away Salient The climax to the German manoeuvres along the Vesle culminated when the French virtually swept c;way the last remaining portion of the old salient in the region of Noyon, and the French and Americans north of Soissons and along the Vesle reached positions dominating the Aisne and the Chemin dcs Dames and crossed the north side of the Vesle on a front of nearly twenty miles. All behind the front towards the Aisne huge fires are to be seen where the enemy is making his way as fast a? possible north, in all probability pressed by outposts of French and American troops and by artillery fire and the machine guns and bombs ot the allied aviators. While the debacle in the south seems complete, in the north the Germans also are facing a crisis. Everywhere from Peronne to Ypres Field Marshal Haig's men are keeping hard after the enemy, whose line already is being bent further east, giving the British better points of vantage from which to work*in their task of retaining as their first objectives St. Quentin, Cambrai, Lille and Armentieres.Towns Recaptured From. Ypres to Lens, additional towns have been recaptured and the eld salient more nearly reclaimed. Lens, the famous coal city, is said to have been entirely evacuated by the Germans, and the British are only awaiting dissipation of the noxious gasses and the rendering of the city safe from the possibility of the detonation of mines in the subterranean coal chambers to enter it. From Arras southward to Peronne, English, Welsh, Scotch, Canadian and Australian troops everywhere are harrassing the enemy, meeting his violent machine gun fire with such irrestible pressure that the enemy has been virtually non-plussed and has retired, at some points almost precipitated, eastward of the eld Drocourt-Queant line. The enemy has been pushed across to the east bank of the Canal Dv Nord, where at last accounts he was endeavoring to prevent by the use or innumerable machine guns a British advance over the ditch to the north of Peronne, over an eight mile front, between Merselains and Demicourt. The British at several points have battered their way across the Canal, and Wednesday night were pressing the enemy to the eastward. BRITISH TROOPS MAKE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS Force Passage of Tortille River On Wide Front— Capture Much Booty. LONDON, Sept. 4 (British official) —North of Peronne, English and Welsh troops forced a passage of the Tortille river and the Canal Dv Nord on a wide front, north of Moislains, during the early part of the day. The enemy held the east banks of Torlille and the Canal, and with artillery and machine gun fire endeavored to arrest our advance at this line. Despite the natural strength of the enemy's positions, our troops advanced with great dash and courage and carried the villages of Manancourt and Etricourt, overcoming the obstacles presented by the canal and river. They made substantial progress on the rising ground to the east. Further north English and New Zealand divisions have taken Ruyaulcourt and reached the northern outskirts of Havrincourt wood east of the Canal line. Other English divisions gained the west bank of the Canal opposite Demicourt and Boursies, beating off a counter-attack. In the course of our advance further prisoners and material have fallen into our hands, including two or three German lanks used by the enemy in an unsuccessful counter-at-, tack on August 31st. On the Lys front also we made progress at different points. BRITISH DEMAND REPARATION Bolshevik Must Punish Leaders of • Attack On Embassy. London, Sept. 4.—The British government has sent a telegram to the Bolsheviki government at Moscow, demanding reparation . and prompt punishment of those culpable in the attack on the British embassy at Petrograd on Saturday, when the embassy was sacked and Captain Cromi, the British attache, was killed. The British government threatens, in the event of the failure of the Bolsheviki government to give satisfaction, or if there should be a repetition of acts 'of violence, to make the members of the soviet government individually responsible and have them treated as outlaws by the civilized nations. ; ■ «  The Fogota arrived at Placentia at 10.45 Pm- yesterday. PRESENT OFFENSIVE MAINTAINED WITHOUT BREAK FOR FORTY-SIX DAYS Bitter Resistance of Enemy Against British Advance on Drocourt-Queant Line Suddenly Breaks And Enemy is in General Retreat. At British Army Headquarters, Tuesday Evening, Sept. 3 (Reuters Agency)—The long and bitter battle which was expected to develop out of yesterday's attack against the famous switch line, broke suddenly during the afternoon into a general enemy flight. From the time we carried the switch system at 7.30 until well after midday, the resistance stiffened, then died down so suddenly that it was evident the enemy was withdrawing as hastily as he could. At 10.30 this morning our airmen reported that there were no Germans to be seen west of the Canal Dv Nord to Dcs La Sensee, which runs nearly due south from Douai, except for a few outposts at places along the bank. t> ARIS, Sept. 4.—Between Ypres and Rheims with. ■*• General Mangin menacing- the St. Gobian forest and the Chemin dcs Dames, with Generals Humbart and Debeney advancing on St. Quentin, and the Franco- Americans on the Yesle, with General Byng before Lens >amd- General Plnmcr before Armenticres, the --enemy: feels the soil of France slipping from under his feet. Commentators point out that in the present offensive continuity has been maintained forty-six days without a break and that, not since the beginning of the war has such an extended series of hammering blows been directed, throwing the adversary into complete dismay. The enemy is unable to reorganize his forces to make a arresting- the onward march of the allies. Cross the Canal Dv Nord. London, Sept. 4.—The British have secured a hold on the west bank of the Canal Dv Nord by taking Rumaucourt to the north of Sains les Marquon, according to advices from the battlefront today. Further south along the canal they are reported to have captured Inchy, En Artoise, Demicourt to the east of Doignies and Hermies, three miles northeast of Bertincourt. Near the Somme the British, the advices states have crossed the canal 01 Hautallaines, slightly more than two miles north of Peronne. From Hermies southward the British line is indicated as running to the west of Ruyaulcourt, a mile and a half east of Bertincourt. Midway between Nieppe and Sailly in the Lys saliem, the British have captured the village of Croix'du Bac. QgEix. rocn/ VESLE RIVER IS CROSSED French Troops, BetWeen Canal Dv Nord and the Oise Advance Beyond Libermont. « MANY PRISONERS TAKEN BY FRENCH DARIS, Sept. 4 (official)— Our troops, after having broken on the preceding • days the stubborn resistance of the enemy, forced him today to retreat to the north of the Oise and on the Vesle front. Between the Canal Dv Nord and the Oise our advanced elements on the heels of the enemy rearguards have gone beyond Libermont and reached the outskirts cf Esmery Hallon, and occupied the Bois De Le Hobital. Further south our line extends beyound Freiches, Guiscard, Beaugies, Grand Drumondescourt and Appilly. More to the east we crossed the Ailette and reached Marizelle, northeast of Manicamp. The enemy left in our hands numerous prisoners, guns and material and considerable supplies. Between the Ailette and the Aisne the battle continued on the plateau north of Soissons. Menaced on his left flank the enemy has retired north of the Vesle. We took Bucy Le Long and Moncele, north of the Aisne. Further to the right our troops having crossed the Vesle on a front of 30 kilometres advanced beyond Chassemy, Brenelle, Vauberlin, Vaux, Coc and Bianzy, and gained a footing on the northern crest of Baslieux. ARABS ASSIST ALLIES. Continue Their Harassing Raids On the Hedjez Railway. London, Sept. 4.—Arab forces under king of the Hedge, fighting on the side of the entente allies, are continuing their harrassing raids upon the Hedjez railway which runs northward from Medina and passes to the east of the Dead Sea on the Palestine and Arabian sectors. A Turkish attack on the Arabs near Abunaam was driven off with loss to the enemy. General Retreat With the French Army, Sept. 4— (By A. P.):—The Germans are in retreat on the French front east of the canal Dv Nord. French cavalry was in pursuit during the night, and this morning had pushed to within two miles of Guiscard on the Noyon-Ham road. * m * •— Canadian Force for Siberia. Ottawa, Sept. 3.—The organization of the force to be raised '_n Canada foT service in Siberia is making satisfactory progress, according to an official statement. THE WAR SITUATION (By J. T. M.) THE advances recorded for the British in this morning's despatches, which bring the news from the front up to yesterday afternoon, show that they have pierced the Hindenburg line from the Lys to Cagincourt, ten miles west of Cambrai, a vital battle line, following, the curviture of the front, of approximately fifty miles. This is the first time the allied troops have reached as far east in that sector since the establishment of the Hindenburg line, except during the spasmodic drive on Cambrai when they reached Marcoing and a few villages further north, from which they were later driven. Bailleul, which is the northern limit of operations so far, is about seven miles northwest of Armentieres, close to the Belgian border, and on the south slope of a plateau which inclines from the Lys, south of Messines, reaching nearly six hundred feet in height. Their advance eastward along this plateau brings the Ypres-Armentieres railway and main roads under their artillery fire, and advancing from Neuve Chapelle, seven miles south* of Armentieres, they menace the German communications in their rear from Armentieres to Laßassee and Don. The operations over this area of the front apparently aim at outflanking Armentieres, the fall of which is inevitable unless the enemy can hold up the British advance on the Steenwreck- Neuve Chappelle line. The loss of Lens very greatly weakens the defence of their line from the Lys to the Scarpe. It will probably result in the speedy withdrawal of their line from the Lys to Cambrai. From the Scarpe to the Somme the British have made a wide dent into the German front, which has brought their advanced positions, according to last reports, within seven miles of Cambrai. The capture of Demicourt and Hevrencourt bring the British advance posts within four miles of Marcoing, and seven miles from Cambrai and astride the Bapaume-Cambrai railway and national highway. Droucourt is well behind the British lines now, and their advance post in that sector, Beaumont, is just six miles west of the city of Douai, which is one of the strongest strategical positions in that zone of the drive. The situation of the whole German defence from Ypres to La Fere, approximately 100 miles of battle line, is now perilous, and a forced retreat over this area may develop into a rout, unless the enemy has we'll, prepared and strongly held trench positions on the Ypres-Lille-Douai-Cambrai line behind which his retreating forces may find a footing. The fact that the British have been able to force the enemy to surrender Lens after weeks of strenuous and ceaseless fighting is indicative of limitless reserve power at the disposal of the allied command. Should this surmise be well-founded, then the British drive will continue, and the German(Continued on Page 8) g I FAMOUS HIPRESS ( >s a dewnrigisi pleasure W& to own boote like these* fes They absolutely over- v c^^i %v^?c^t\sless  c style black  \v* w Goodrich I'HIPRESS" Rubber Footwear *£ $ ICfi >[]) fi?) new—d'"erent—made of the toughest, densest, most in"— tire rubber—actually the same stock that ** r j&v. r'ch Tires are made of—made by the same unit, Lthigh sV«^-v^^.'^',e:V CWl'* crack, peel or come apart—they j<\v w'" st*"d a terriEc amount of wear—comfortfPj||Huj'fLh £*•*" akk—built *° the shape of your foot when it's I PLACE YOUlf ORDER'""I 1 NOW J ITo Secure tbe Required Assortment j [ of Sizes. I I Bowring Bros., Ltd. 1 iiiiiiiiiiliiiilliiiW