Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1918 — ALLIES SMASH NEW HUN BLOW AT COMPIEGNE [ARTICLE]

ALLIES SMASH NEW HUN BLOW AT COMPIEGNE

Gemas An Hurled Baek by Foch's Troops With Terrifying Losses. FRENCH 6UNS SLAUGHTER FOE Counter-Attack Drives Enemy Across the River Mata —1.000 Prisoners and Many Guus Taken by Allies —tlviliaas Evacuate City Men* aced by Shell Fire. farts, June 14. —Von Hindenburg’s thrust southward from N»>you. with Compeigne as the jrize. appears to be absolutely spent, while the flanking assault southwestward from Soissons toward the forest of Villers I'otterefs is halting on the edge of this forest, with nothing but terrifying casualties to show for an advance of m»t more than three miles. Allies* Counter-Attack Heavy. What ,is more. the allies’ lines not. only are holding, but are reacting with such violence that the enemy has been thrown l-ack in places, his divisions dtsorrar.ircd. the morale of his men unmistakably falling below the fighting el«b. and no chance of plowing forward unless he is willing to pour in more , thousands. The much coveted high ground between Courtelles and Mery, which the French hold, and from which they are louring a devastating fire on the German lines of communication, led the Germans essay another great assault. It was a total failure. French Slaughter Foe. Just aw the enemy ranks had been formed and the men were charging the French artillery caught them in the open and literally tore the organizations to pieces. The Germans not only* did not reach the French positions but turned and fled to the point of departure. leaving a wake of dead and wounded. In the French center, southwest of Noyon. General Fnch earlier in the day loosed a counter-attack which fairly ewept the Germans off their feet. The French lunged forward apparently at a time when a hostile pttack was in the making, and the engsigement nearly approached a rout for the enemy.

Advance Costs Foe 20,000. In the Soissons sector, where the Germans are making a simultaneous bid for Comjdegne. along the north edge of the forest of Villers Cotterets, the enemy made some progress, about three miles westward, along a front of seven or eight miles-—at an estimated expenditure of 2f>.Witt men. Enemy Hurled Across Matz. General Foch's<men ripped through the advanced enemy ranks, capturing some !.<■■• men, and ten or more pieces of artillery, mme of them heavy guns, and the <b rrnans were thrown across the River Matz, where now they are presumably reorganizing their shattered units on the corth Civilians Leave Compergne. The French are evacuating the civilian population at Compeigne, dispatches from the front declare, bat this does not disturb Paris. The. Germans are about seven miles away from this strongly held town, but at that distance they are easily in gun range. Consequently it has been held expedient to get the non* ombatants out. French Statement. » Paris, June 14«—The war*office issued the following statement: •‘During the course of the day the Germans launched a powerful counter-, attack from Conrcet’iss to the north of Mery (M«»ntdldier sector). Caught under the fire of our guns, the assaulting troops, were notable to reach our positions but were obliged to retreat to their line of departure after having suffered very heavy losses. “The material captured in our attacks June 11 included ten cannon, (four of them heavy pieces, and a large number of machine guns. “Between the Oise and the Aisne the day was calm.

"On the Aisne the enemy continued during the morning his thrust between the Aisne and the forest of Villers Cottorets. He was repulsed at the majority of points, but succeeded in gaining a foothold in the village of Laversine. All attempts to debauch from (’oeuvres and to advance west of Verte Feuille farm Completely failed. The enemy was not able to renew his attacks. “In the afternoon, north of Corey, the enemy who had penetrated our lines momentarily was driven out and we established our positions in their entirety., “The artillery fighting was quite spirited in the region of the Ourcq river near Champlat and Pompelie. Quiet prevailed on the rest of the front.” The text of an early statement follows : “During the night the Germans did not renew their attacks between Montdidier and the region of Antheuil. The French troops are consolidating their positions there.” “On the right wing of this battlefield the French, by a counter-attack, hurled the enemy back to the north bank of the Matz river. “East of the Oise the French have occunied their new positions on the heights of Croix Ricard and Melicocq. '“Hundreds of prisoners and many machine guns remain in the hands of (the French. ' “Violent combats continue between the Aisne river and VillersrCotterets. The Germans have made progress as far as the ravine, east of Laversine. “After violent fighting the enemy has obtained a foothold in Coeuvres and St Pierre-Aigle. “Tlie Germans made a violent attack bn the front between Bouresches and Belleau wood. American troops broke up the attack -and inflicted serious losses _upon the enemy, holding to all the gains which they had made.” French Take Foe’s Guns. Berlin. June 14.—Strong F-ench counter-attacks between Roys and Estrees St. Denis have been repulsed, according to the official report from general headquarters. The number of prisoners taken by the Germans has increased to more than 15,000 find the guns to 150. Some German guns, it is admitted have fallen into the hands of the French. < - The night statement says the position is unclumged.