Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-28
Participate in Capture of
Both Combles and Thiep-
val on SOmme Front.
ONE REFUSES TO
WAIT FOR INFANTRY
Goes on Excursion on Own Account,
Penetrates German Lines and Runs
Short Of GasoIene-keeps Guns Going
While German Soldiers Swarm Over
and Under Il in Effort to Find Open
ins--Rsseuers Finally Bring Up Oil.

IiitiSH rEoHt III rTdHCe, Sept. ~,
midnight, via London, Sept. 2s.-In the
lull which has occurred after the great
two days battle in which five villages
and 5000 prisoners were taken by the
allies, the correspondent Of the Asso-
ciated Press has had an opportunity
to CLEAN many stories from the par
ticipants in the struggle. These stories
were not only. Of courage and heroism
but Of humor and paradox possible
only in such complicated and remorse-
less warfare.
The most wonderful tale Of all told
was perhaps that of tank" or new
armored motor car, which started to-
ward Berlin on its own account This
monster land ship did not wait on the
infantry after the taking of Guede
court but plodded over shell holes and
across lots looking for its prey like
some prehistoric lizard.
In course Of time it found German
trench, but as it engaged the occu-
pants with its machine gun, it ran out
of gasolens. When the Germans found
is~strange creature impenetrable to
bullets. curiosity and spirit OF revenge
was q flip to their courage. They
went after it like prehistoric man after
wounded mammoth. No such game
was ever seen on this~western front,
marked as it has been by all kinds Of
bizarre. fighting.
According to the accounts given BY
the British OFFICERS, while the tanks
viD
some of the Germans managed to creep
along the trenches under the fore leg
and high legs Of the beast. Then they
swarmed over It looking for an open
Ing. They fired their rifles inso joints
and bombed it al lover but to no avail.
!, All the while the tanks machine gun
kept busy at the human targets In
reach.
6asolsns Brought Up.
Finally the British infantry n the
rear refused to wait on any general $
orders that they should remain at the
objective which they had gained. They
were out to save the tank, and with a
cheer they rushed the Germans and
drove them off.
The troop inside opened the door, and
called out:
I'VE are all right II you will only get
US more Juice soythe old girl can have
a guzzle Of her proper drink"
The infantry formed about the tank
while runner was hurried back for
gasolene. The gasolene arrived safely
and the beast, having taken swallow,
ambled back to the British line. 1t left
behind 250 dead Germans, according to
it's commander.
Assists in Taking Thispval.
Another tank assisted in the taking
of Thlepval There was once cha
teau in Thiepval. The cellar is still
there rooted by the remains of the
dwelling, walls and bricks pounded into
debris. Here the Germans waited.
smoking their cigars and drinking soda
water, which was brought up thru
shell proof underground tunnels, while
the roofs over their heads were be-.
labored yainly by British artillery.
They had the sense of security of a
Kansas settler when he went below
with cyclone approaching.
When the guns began rattling Mr..
Thomas Atkins took cover and con-
sidered ways and means of silencing
the enemy. Then tank arrived.
which with elephantlne delhi
Grafton numbered across trenches and
dipping its vertebrated ponderosity In
and out Of the shell holes. made q
quick finish of the cellar and its occu-
pants.
Come Like Rats From Holes.
An example of what persistent dig
gin9 will do in extension Of cellars Of
buildings is given in the capture OF
Moquet farm. The British blew into
the mouth Of all entrances Of dugouts
that they could find and had adj
vanced their line well behind the farm,
when "a British officer saw two Ger.
mans on Stag heap by his side. They
beckoned to him and he went toward
them and one shot him dead. Both then
disappeared in the earth.
Later on Germans came to the sur