Retreat Continues

Levin Daily Chronicle, 30 July 1918, Page 3

Retreat Continues

To Rheims-Soissons Line. GERMANS GETTING WELL AWAY. *> Received this day 12.35 p.m. London July 29. The enemy retreat continues all along the line of the Ourcq. The French are now on the north bank and further to the east. They have secured practically the whole road between Rheims and Dor mans. The"enemy rearguards are re sisting very strongly, especially in the very wooded country between the Ardre and the Samoigne, a tributary of the Marne. So far they have succeeded in checking but not stopping the French ad vance. The Americans between Fere en Tardenoise and rue. source of the Ourcq are pressing on closely and vigorously. Generally spedking the advance between noon on Sunday and Sun day night on a twenty mile front is two or three miles in depth. The enemy lias now abandoned the line "along the Ourcq where it was thought he might make a stand. There is little doubt lie will now take up the line behind the Vesle, occupying a straight line frota Siossons to Rheims, which is probably well entrenched and very strong with rearguard communications.

All the villages between Sois sons and Bazoclies are afire, |he enemy burning them as a prelim inary to further retreat. The en emy's nt?w line will threaten llheims from the northern out skirts. There has been heavy fighting in the neighbourhood of Buzancy. That the enemy retirement is being made in good order is em phasised by our only prisonering 100 and capturing four guns.* Renter's correspondent at the American headquarters writing on the afternoon of the 28th says: Thanks to the woods the enemy is able to delay the advan cing armies and hold up thousands with nests of mnchineguns. Hence the enemy's losses are infinites! mal compared with the time gain ed. He has saved most of his guns, although obliged to destroy ammunition. The abandonment of the Mame, however, which the enemy held as long as possible in order to keep the important rail way from Epernay to Chateau Thierry under observation, will considerably accentuate our pro gress. Indeed the pace has already quickened. It is already certain the enemy will not' stand on the Ourcq. Doubtless when we reach his prepared positions we shall find him in great strength. What the Germans have chiefly suffered from is the immense set. back to their plans and they will possibly be unable to recover before the end of the campaigning season. Gener;il Pershing reports : iNorth of the Maine-the pursuit of the j Germans continues. The enemy is now across the Ourcq. The Franco Americans captured the villages of Nesles, Scrgy and Eon cheres. Received this day, 12.50 p.m. Washington, July 29.

The Germans are resisting vio lently north of the Ourcq and seek to recross the river.