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Show MESS Move Beyond Fricourt, Occupy La Boiselle, Carry Field Positions; German Losses Estimated Esti-mated at 20,000 Killed and Wounded and 12,000 Prisoners. FRENCH CAPTURE SEVEN BATTERIES Teuton Reinforcements Arrive and Exert Increasing In-creasing Pressure Against British; General Gen-eral Haig Indicates His Troops Are Gaining. (Spfx-ial Ca.M by Arrangement with London Datly Tolcgmpli and International News Service. ) LONDON, July 3. The third day of the powerful Franco-British offensive on the Somme is a record of continued advances and striking news successes. The French army of General Foch, operating south of the river, has broken completely through the second German, defense line for a distance of three miles and tonight is within four miles of Peronne, key position of the German Ger-man front for 100 miles and tho objective ob-jective of its drive. During a night and day of continuous continu-ous fighting the French have pushed forward for-ward three miles, captured five villages and two forests and increased the number num-ber of prisoners taken 1?o more than. 8000. The British to tho north have occupied the village of La Boiselle, made further field gains and brought their number of captives to 41100. Tonight they are fighting furiously around Ovillers and north of Fricourt. While not reporting such sensational gains as that of the French drive south of the Somme, they are in the face of tremendous resistance making somo advances. ad-vances. The German losses to date are set at 20,000 killed and wounded and moro than 12,000 iu prisoners. No esthnato can be made of the Franco-British casualties. Berlin today reports that the British aro suffering torribty on their whole front from Gommeeourt, to whom the join the French. Haig Is Satisfied. General Haig, in a report from his headquarters in France, however, declares de-clares that the Fnglish losses are 'less than expected. J' The most desperate fighting of tho day took place south of the Rommc on the front held by the French. North of the river, at the junction of the French northern wing and (he Bri t i sh southern, there was a derided lull. The allies spent the day in consolidating the ground gained and the Germans were content, to prepare against renewed re-newed attacks. No infantry actions were fought, but the allied' batteries carried on a gruelling pounding of the opposing lines. The arrival of heavy German rein-f rein-f orre meats was reported t oday. Many of these already have been thrown into the breach; especially are lhcy noticeable, notice-able, bet ween I'eronne and tho Brit ish front. The tide of batilii ebbed and flowed for the British, today, but, summing sum-ming up the situation, General Haig tonight to-night reports " ?mhM antia.l progress. ' ' At some points the British were driven hack by German counter at tacks during dur-ing (he day mid in large measure the battle on this part oi' the front has rcolved itself into a series of actions for positions. The most, important British gain was the capture ofc La Boiselle, where a (Continued on Paeo Threes ALLIES CITI1E TO MAKE BIG BIS (Continued from Page One.) German garrison, although surrounded, had held out for three days. They finally capitulated this afternoon. The positions captured by the Wench i during the day includo the Mereau- I court and Chapitre woods and the vil- ! lages of Herbecourt, Feuilleres, Assevel- j lers and Flacourt. Of these llerbe- court, three and a half miles from j Peronne, and Assevellers, which is de- ! scribed as "a powerful center of the I German defensive organization, ' ' are ! the most important. Buscourt and Flacourt are at the apex of the wedge which the French have driven through the German second line .before Peronne. Seven batteries, among which were heavy guns, together with other batteries bat-teries not yet inventoried, were left behind by the Germans in their retreat. The French nlso have captured machine guns and military stores. Great aerial activity, with heavy losses on both sides, continues over the front of attack. Besides the fifteen machines destroyed the Germans have lost sixteen captive balloons and a number of aeroplanes, while the French have suffered some losses. |