Franco-Americans’ Striking Success

Taihape Daily Times, 14 September 1918, Page 5

Franco -Americans’ Striking Success

St. Millie! Salient Captured. 12,000 Prisoners Taken (Press Association Extraordinary). Received 10.10 a.m. NEW YORK, Sept 13. The Franco-Americans have captured- St. Mihiel salient, taking twelve thousand prisoners. DETAILS |OF THE FIGHTING. GOOD AMERICAN ARTILLERY WORK. THE ENEMY BLOTTED OUT. Received 11 a.m. LONDON, Sepf IS. The “Daily Chronicle’s” correspondent on the American front says General Pershing launched a limited objective attack on a front of from 30 to 37 miles for the purpose of straight, ening out the St. Mihiel salient. We put up at night an artillery preparation on a grand scale. Guns unlimbered at one o’clock in the rear. The artillery recalled the (attack on Ver■dun. Details of the battle are unfolded slowly, but it can be said that the Americans swept towards the enemy secqnd positions ahead of schedule time. The resistance was not stiff, though it was not tame, before the before the second line was reached, but there the sharpest encounters developed, delaying the advance. The Americans undaunted, valorously pushed on. The operations augur well for the future. Nothing at the present moment is more outstanding thad the skill of the American artillery fire.. The Germans attempted to silence the Americans fifteen minutes after they started, but the Americans blotted out the counter-fire in exactly 35 minutes. Other accounts 'show that the American advance narrowed the battle neck at St. Mihiel to six miles. Probably out of two German divisions the total prisoners were 9500. The United Press correspondent reports that the Americans completely flattened out the salient. The prisoners thus far total 12,000.

IMPORTANT RAILWAY CAPTURED Received 11 a.m. WASHINGTON, Sept 13. The Verdun, Toul and Nancy railway are now in the Allies’ possession.