The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-03
new BRITAIN DRIVE
Continued from Page one.)

Continued from Page One.)
and Peronne. South of the Somme
the French placed themselves within
seven miles of Peronne by the capture
Anticipate Some Reverses.
The British public, far from being
flushed by the early success, is pre-
pared for the development of a cam
paign lasting several months. The
people of England are content to
await grinding advance with small
gains. They expect heavy German
counter attacks and some allied re-
verses.
General Haig, according to all dis
patches from the front, is carefully
conserving his men preparing the way
for each attack with the most tremen-
dous artillery attack ever seen in any
war. Critics here unite in declaring
that the allies now have larger mu-
milton reserves than the Germans. In
shells were bursting at the rate of 80
per minute, one correspondent re-
ported. They fell in streams on the
village of Thiepval, which was blown
to pieces.
The Germans, waiting nervously in
the dugouts for the blow they knew
was about to come. sent up hundreds
of rockets throughout Friday night.
Slept Under Screaming Shells.
They lighted the whole front in or
der to catch sight of the first lines of
advancing British infantry.
The British soldiers. hugging their
trenches under the steady torrent of
shells that poured overhead, wrote let
| tiers home and went to sleep early.
| They knew, without being told that
the intensifying of the bombardment
meant the order to attack would come
shortly after dawn.
The British reserves began coming
AftHr ha a S11d-
denly let loose a hellish fire upon the
Germans.
French Capture Herbecourt.
Paris, July 3.-In brilliant night
attack that threw the Germans back
on a wide front, French troops last
night captured the village of Herbe-
court, advancing to within five miles
immediate detectives of the allied Of
fensive.
| The official statement indicated that
about $4,000 German troops, defending
nearly $1,000 forming thirty-one bat
talions. suffered terrible losses and
were badly disorganized.
The advance was made on a five
kilometer front (about three miles,.
The French swept forward from the
Somme to a point west of the village
Assevflleres.
Battle Sunday Night.
1.-THE combats south of the Somme
were entirely favorable to the
French" the war office statement
said today. During Sunday evening
and Sunday night the French entirely
occupied on a five-kilometer front
the two second position German
| trenches between Mireaucourt Wood
and up to Assevilleres.
Between these two points, during
the course of a brilliant encounter, the
! French carried Herbecourt village,
toward Awre, in the region of Dan
court, the Desloges Wood, and cleaned
out the enemy by French grenade ad
vances. North of the Somme there
were no German attacks during the
night on our newly gained positions.
Capture Prisoners.
South of Assevilleres the French
made further progress, spreading their
Somm to the village of Estrees. seven
and one-half miles southwest of
Peronne.
North of Estrees village and be-
tween Estrees and Assevilleres the
French made important gains, captur-
ing prisoners and heavy artillery
pieces said the official statement
4 Information now at hand shows
that thirty-nine battalions took part
/ in the defense of the newly carried po-
4 l.
having sustained the heaviest losses.
are completely disorganiZed. Most of
the prisoners captured by our forces
, on Saturday and Sunday are exceed
ingly young. They all admit that the
| French artillery preparation was very
| efficacious. not only annihilating their
! defense work but also destroying all
communications and revictIaling lines
| and making it impossible to send
commands during the artillery prepa-
rations.
! Destroy German Balloons.
| French aviators destroyed thirteen
/ captive balloons. During the attack
| French aviators were masters of the
front. Only nine German aviators
assembled and none of the these crossed
1 our lines"
The French alone have now ad-
vanced their positions on a front. of
ten miles. extending from the out
skirts of Hardecourt, north of the
Somme. to a point south of Estrees
| village.
French critics, while entertaining
no high hopes of an immediate pierre
ing of the German front, point out
1 that the Allied gains have been made
/ on a much larger front than marked
| the beginning of the crown princes
attack on Verdun.