On the =12th=, they drove the enemy for good out of Proyart. On the =13th=, they reached the suburbs of Bray-sur-Somme and the crossroads of Chuignolles. The front now ran along the old German lines of the Somme Battlefield of 1916, where the enemy, thanks to a number of strong points of support, succeeded in staying the advance. In five days, the British had scored a fine victory, their forces (13 infantry divisions, one regiment of the American 33rd Division, 3 divisions of cavalry, and 400 tanks) defeating 20 German divisions, advancing 12 miles, and capturing 22,000 prisoners and 400 guns. [Illustration: _The Allies Advance from the morning of August 8 (dash line) to the evening of the same day (dot-and-dash line). The thick full line shows the front on August 12._] The French Manœuvre. Liberating Montdidier. Meanwhile, General Debeney, by a series of turning movements, brought about the fall of important sections of the German front, without frontal attacks. Constantly extending his attacks along the Avre, the approaches to the river on the north and north-east, as far as the confluence with the Doms stream, were cleared, whilst his hold on Montdidier, from the north-east, gradually tightened. [Illustration: BRITISH CAVALRY NEAR ALBERT. (_Photo Imperial War Museum_).] On =August 9=, the French line was advanced as far as the station of Hangest-en-Santerre, on the Albert-Rosières-Montdidier railway. In order to force the enemy to abandon Montdidier, without a frontal attack, General Debeney began a turning movement at about 4 p.m. A secondary attack was launched in the direction of Roye, between Domelieu and Le Ployron. The station of Montdidier and Faverolles Village on the Montdidier-Roye line, were reached that evening. Throughout the day, the French airmen bombed Roye undisturbed by the enemy's planes or air-defence guns. By =evening=, the 1st Army had taken 5,000 prisoners. From Faverolles, they threatened to join up with the men who had advanced north, via Davenescourt, and to cut off the Germans in Montdidier. The latter was evacuated in great disorder the same night and on the following morning, only a few machine-gunners being left behind to retard the French advance as long as possible. On =August 10=, at noon, the French entered the ruined town, and advanced rapidly eastward, beyond Fescamps, on both sides of the road to Roye. In the evening, they reached the line Villers-les-Roye (where they joined hands with the British) and Grivillers. On the =11th=, they captured the park and village of Tilloloy. By the evening of the =12th=, the 1st Army had taken 8,500 prisoners (including 181 officers), 250 guns, numerous minenwerfer, 1,600 machines-guns, and huge quantities of stores. [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration] PHOTOS, _p. 44_: