Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-27
French and British Sweep
In From Three Sides and
Carry All Before Them.
PLACE FOUND FILLED
WITH GERMAN DEAD
Long Had Hampered Anglo
French Forces in Drive Toward
Bapaumc and Peronne.
MANY PRISONERS CAPTURED
Large Quantities of Booty. Including
Machine Guns. Taken by
Entente.

LONDON. Scptcnlbcr .G.-Combles.
the pivotal point in the German line
guarding the approach to Bapaume. ON
the north. ANA rcronnc, on the south
81 the Somm" front. has fallen before
the terrific attacks Of the French and
i'ritiSh. the Germans fighting to tho
death or suyrcndcring when there wos
no longer hope.
French and British troops swept n,
from three sides after their capture of
M"rVal and Frcgicourt. broke through
me German dcfenscs. ovcrran the town
and carried all before thcm. This place.
with its marvellous subtcrrancan pas
sagcs and powerful fortitications. had
been caught in the grip OF the entente
aliIrs. who. coming from the north ana
the south. had already advanced far
beyond II and cut off communication
with the rear, except Il narrow strip
which was covered by allied guns AT
the end Of the lighting the town was
iillcd with the bodies OF Germans who
had fallen fighting, the French official
statement says.
Prior to the loss OF Comblcs. the
effect OF the victories Of the French
and British armies in the capture OF
important strategic points on tho
iicial communication issued bv the Ger.
man War Onicc, which. after describing
briefly the great artillery bombardment
of the entente allies, lasting four davs
and the attack between the Ancre and
the Sommc, admits that 1.-THE conouests
of the villages on the line of Gucude-
court must be recognized" and adds:
But before all we must think OF our
hcrotc troops, who faced the united
Anglo French principal fires and the
masscd employment of material Of tho
whole worlds war industry, prepared
during many months"
THIETNAI. AND GUEUDECOURT
FALLS INTO BitITISII HANDS
Boih Thicpval, at the northwest end
OF the british line, and the fortified
town of Ciueudecourt, northwest of Les
Bocufs, also have fallen into the hands
OF the British. Around the former place
many hard battles have been fought
since the inception of the great cntcpto
offensive on July l. General Sir
Douglas Haig's men, after capturing
Thicpval. drove on eastward and took
the Iollern rcdoubt. n strongly fortified
position which lies between ThicpvaI
and the bend in the British line at
CourccIctte
The French likewise advanced be-
yond FreGicourt and captured the wood
between that village and Morvel and
the greater part OF the German forti-
ned positions lying between this wood
eastward across the Bethunc Road to
the western portion OF the st. Naust,
nipping off another portion Of the Ger
man limo OF communications to the
south from Bapaumc.
The German casualties III the fight
ing arc declared by P:iris TO have been
heavy. and in addition, during the two
days fighting, more than 200 Ger
mans were made prisoner by the
French, while the British took in cx-
cess OF 1890. Large quantities of
booty. including machine gums, wcrs
taken by the "ntonto allies.
STRONG RUSSIAN ATTACKS
IN NOLHYNlA REFUSED
While Petrograd continues silcut
with regard to the operations on tho
eastern front Berlin and Vienna tell
OF the rcpulsc OF strong Russian at
;acks in Volhynia, Cialica and the Car
pathan mountain region.
ON the Roumanian front tho Aus
trians and Germans have been con,-
PEELED to cvacuatc the Vulcan and
S"urduk Passes OF the Transylvanian
Alps. in order to avoid an extensive en-
circling movement started by tho Rou-
mauianS
Soiia reports the capture OF the Am-
@arech-pcryels line in Dobrudja from
the Russians and Roumanans, who re-
tired northward.
Raids 10y aircraft OF the Teutonc
allies since Saturday night have re-
suited in the deaths OF l39 persons
seven'y-four in England and siXty-ilve
in Bucharest, Roumania.
y large number OF persons also were
injured in both regions by the cxplo-
sion OF bombs dropped from Zcppclins
and aeroplancs.
The situation in Greece is still tense.
Former Premier Vcnizclos is on his
way to the Island of Crete, supposedly
TO take charge of an insurrectionary
movement that has as it's object the
forcing of the King and the govern
ment 10 agree TO Grcecc's entry into
the war on the side OF tho entente
allies.
Unoficial advices say that the be-
lief is expressed in Athens in circles
very close to the King that he will de-
clare war Immediately.
BRITISn Also CAPTURE
TOWN Of THIEPVAL
LONDON. September 27.--In addition
TO the capture Of Combles. tho oiliciai
communication issued by the War or
flee last night reports the occupation
by the British OF the important town
OF Thicpval. on the northwestern end
OF the Somme front. tho high ridge 10
the east Of 1t and strongly fortified
rcdoubt
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