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Show HUMBERT'S MEN 1 CROSS SOMME v 1 Soldiers Build Goot Bridges' I Under Galling Fire and Contest Con-test Every Foot of Ground. WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES rN THE FIELD, Sept. 5. (By the Associated Asso-ciated Press.) General Humbert's men crossed the Sommc' at Spanau- j court during the night, occupying several sev-eral points on the east bank. Further south the advance continued today with greater facility than yesterday. The passage of the Sommc was effected effect-ed after a series of sharp engagements in which the German mountain troops contested every foot of ground. Hidden among the bullrushes and in the hollows and the reed beds of the branches of the river, the Germany were' able to fise their quick firers effectively, ef-fectively, compelling the pursuers 10 I slow up their progress. General Humbert's Hum-bert's men built foot bridges under the enemy's Are. The first bridges were destroyed, together with ihelr build -erg, but other men gallantly replaced those killed and, facing a galling Are, continued until pontoons and foot bridges wero thrown across the stream. This work afforded numerous occasions occa-sions for acts of great heroism. Among these acts may bq. mentioned that of a French soldier, who, notwithstanding the fact that the river was under fire of German sharpshooters, undertook ime lasic 01 swimming 10 me opposite op-posite side of the stream and bringing back a rowboat. During the .trip across the soldier dived time after tlmo to escape the enemy bullets, but he Lmved an oven more dangerous fire while rowing back, being an 'excellent target for the enemy ambushed along the banks of the stream. Pluckily crossing the stream under fire the French troops then attacked the enemy in the marshes and weeds and in all sorts of other hiding places on the opposite bank and finally took the positions which were veritable , nests of machine guns and pushed on tcward the Pcronne-Ham road. Ham thus Is .threatened from the north and outflanked on the south. |