Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-16
ENGLISH STAFF is
VERY ENTHUSIASTIC
Greatest Concentration OF
Guns Of All Caibers Ever
Seen in a Given Area.
A.. P. WRITER VIEWS ALL

British Front in France (Via Lon
don), July ls.-The British general
staff officers are showing elation over
the results of the overnight attacks
against the German second line, al
though careful to state that the great
task against a powerful foe is only
barely started. Soon after daylight the
joyful news of the British success
slipped into telephone message over
the area occupied by the British army
As a spectacle to an eye witness,
this action of the second big stage OF
the battle of the Somme surpassed
that Of July !. Taking needed ground
for organizing new trenches and
throwing out small parties, who dug
themselves in, the army has been
gradually gaining position from
Villersy to the Boiseiie and Mont
Tuban, a distance Of four miles, from
which to deliver blow, until many
points were within 200 yards Of the
German second line. Va 4. <
Seen Cutting Wires. 4.
Meanwhile the shells of the British
artillery could be seen cutting the
wire and making thorough prepare
tons, of which General, Sir Douglas
Haig, the British commander, insists
there is evidence on every hand.
Tomorrow morning At s." came the
laconic word yesterday evening, pre-
ceded by the usual intensive prelirn-
mary bombardment, only alittle hot
ter"
The ground gained by the British
on July / and IN subsequent opera
tons gave The Associated Press OBJ
server a viewpoint from which the
whole line Of attack could be seen.
The faint moonlight enabled the gun
ners dimly to see their work, the in
fantry and the contour of the ground.
This Is real daylight saving show"
said one Of the gunners.
Guns Of All caliber.
Seemingly, as the observer pushed
audaciously close to the German line,
there was the greatest concentration
of guns OF al caliber, probably ever
made in given area. From behind the
German trenches gained on July ]
darted the dagger flashes through a
blanket Of night. Onel Twoi Three!
Fourl For battery after battery was
shooting at high. speed, from
the bottom OF the hillside to the top.
The scene Of artillery power was
no less Undesirable than the thrill
ing suggestion Of the waiting infan
try battalion lines, which were seen
going into position before the battle.
At the moment the assault started
it seemed there was no interval in the
thundcrs as the guns moved forward
their curtain of shell bursts in front
ofthe first wave Of infantry advancing
across the zone between their
trenches and the German lines.
Big Fire Noticed.
In the direction Of Longueval big
fire was seen. II was the village or a
storehouse burning, as the bright spot
was growing to a steady point in the
field Of gun flashes. Then soaring
heavenward went rocket signal
light, which gave the positions gained
in the attacks. The commanders in
the rear answered with other signals,
while what had been the German.
stronghold half an hour or an hour
before burning red patches, spreading
with the sparks of the roman candles.
This method Of communication is
difficult part of the business OF d.
recting an army under cover Of dark
ness.
At the first flush Of dawn the first
British aeroplane came humming
from its aerodrome toward the Ger
man lines, and the sausage-shaped OBJ
servation balloons arose together into
the air. Out of the blanket where
the guns were flashing arose the
white flashes OF the maze Of old Ger
man trenches, the ribbons Of roads,
and finally the dark masses be-
came Mametz and other now famous
woods and gaunt finger points, the
trunks Of trees, which had shaded the
highways, but now were denuded Of
limbs by the she'll FIRE.
More Lines Moving.
While the smoke barriers from the
British lines were carried by favorable
winds the shells made other points OF
the line indistinct, the ridge Of Lon
gueval. where the British burrowed
forward against commanding posi-
tons and q stubborn. cunning and
brave foe, was seen distinctly to be
in their possession. More lines OF
troops were moving through the Ger
man curtains Of shell FIRE to the sup
port OF those who had gained the
hotly desired summit and now were
looking down hill where the German
guns are hidden and with the
Bapaume ridge in the distance. Be-
hind them all was the organization
which had plotted the action of the
army and back Of those were bat
talions awaiting their orders.
A sergeant of artillery Of the typical
John Bull' type, sitting stiff on his
horse after sleepless night, directing
the columns of caissons, hurrying 10