New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-14
Advance More than a
Mile on Bapaume and
Seize Two Villages
GERMANS MAIN
POSITION PIERCED
Line Thought To Be I'M
pregnable-Fire Screen
Holds Off Reserves


London, Nov. 13.-Haig's troops
have broken through the main Ger
man line west of Bapaume, held by
the Kaiser's forces for two years
and converted into a series OF tas-
tions.
Striking along a five-mile front
on both sides of the Ancre to-day
the British advanced on the whole
line, at points for more than a mile.
and carried by storm the villages CT
Beaumont Hamel and Saint Pierre
Divion. More than 1000 prisoners
already have been passed back.
Thus the battle Of the Ancre has
opened. Slowly the British forces
have been forging northward toward
their objective, Bapaume. But now
they have delivered a blow from tie
west, taking the enemy completely
by surprise.
Failed In first Attempt
The task Haig's men carried
through to success to-day was at
tempted the first time on July !,
when the Somme offensive opened.
At that time the German defences
north of the Ancre proved too strong
and the effort was abandoned. The
British thrust then was made from
the south, in an attempt to outfank
the German position.
With dawn to-day the battle began.
A storm OF shells described as the
most terrific the shrapnel torn Somme
country has yet witnessed burst on the
German defences. The strongest OF
these was Beaumont-Hamel, atop
hill. Further north and little TO the
east is Serre, which also stands high
on a ridge, while to the south OF the
Ancre is st. Pierre Divion, a strong
hold on a height.
This was the work set for the Brit
ish. Deep trenches, winding in dizzy
maze, dugouts bristlng with machine
guns and behind them the field guns
confronted Haig's troops; and, to add
to the difficulty, ground beaten by rains
for a month.
Attack Ridge Positions
rl..L. .ooL t,yo d;ract;ons WhiIs
one column south of the Ancre was
moving northeastward toward Dlyion'
the other pushed forward north OF the
brook against the ridges that stand be-
tween the British line and Bapaumc.
Both thrusts succeeded, and. while the
battle continues, the greater part OF
the work has been completed.
Time after time the British guns
had pounded those positions with tons
of explosives, but still they defed the
attack. For two years the German en-
gineers had put all their ingenuity to
the task of strengthening them, and
prisoners taken to-day declare they
were thought to be impregnable.
When the first effort to storm these
works was made last July the British
paid a heavy price. But when the
word was passed down the line this
morning thousands of Tommies hoped
over the parapets as gayly as you
please, and went on. Over the shell
battered fields they dashed until they
reached the German lines and there
engaged "Old Fritz" in a hand-to-hand
struggle.
Reach Outskirts of Serre.
South Of the Ancre the British troops
swept toward Divion and soon had car
ried this position and pressed beyond.
North Of the river their comrades capt
ured Beaumont and then moved on
Serre. They reached the outskirts OF
this latter village, and there the battle
continues on the high ground between
serre and Beaucourt. Just north OF
the river the British line is close to
Beaucourt, and that position is being
shelled heavily. The pocket is being
drawn around IL gradually. Serre Is
menaced by fanking movement.
/ The artillery did its share to-day.
Behind tho German line il built up and
maintained a screen Of FIRE. Reserves
could not penetrate this wall Of flame.
and Fritz" had to die fighting or sur
render. Many OF the Germans pre-
ferred to give themselves up. They
never had witnessed such an assault.
they declared.
Between the new British positions
south Of Serre and the old line created
by the smashing advance between lie
Sars and the Schwsben Redoubt lie
the German strongholds OF Miraumont
and Grandcourt. These two positions,
situated on the Albert-Arras railroad
paralleling the Ancre, guard the west
ern hank Of Bspaume with Pys and
irles.
viii Strike for Bapaume
The deep pocket into which Beau
court has been thrown by the smash
ing advance OF the British troops to-
day now threatens 10 inelose Mirau-