The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-07-05
In German Line On Front
In France.
BRITISH AND FRENCH ARMIES
Combined In An Attack OF
Great Proportions After Five.
Day;BOmbardment.
SEVERAL VILLAGES CAPTURED

British Headquarters in France,
July 1.-The British to-day launch
ed their long expected offensive and
by night, with the cooperation of
the French, they pierced the Ger
man line on a five-mile front to a
depth of seven miles and have taken
the towns of Serre, Montaubon, La
boiselle and Nametz and two woods
behind the German lines. The gen.
eral attack was begun on twenty
mile front stretching north of the
Somme.. British statements say
that, up to tonight, fully fifteen
hundred German prisoners have been
brought in. The section in which
the German line was broken lies in
an angle of the Somme and Ancre
rivers. The line from which the
British and French advanced
stretched little southeast from the
town of Albert.
This great offensive was launched
at half past seven this morning, af-
ter weeks of intense bombardment
with guns of every caliber, firing a
million shells daily. The French on
the Britishh right co-operated in the
attack. .,.
The front selected for the British
offensive was decided upon many
weeks ago and the bombardment OF
the rest of the line as well as the
frequent raids, which procured fer
British headquarters important in
formation as to the dispositions OF
the Germans, was designed to keep
the German generals uncertain as to
the point at which they would be
called upon to meet the brunt of the
attack.
The tremendous offensive which
has been launched by the British
army on the German front is the cul-
minatfon of five-day bombardment
whictt in the amount of ammunition
expended and in the territory involv-
ed, exceeds anything. of the kind
that has been previously known in
the world war.
Foresome weeks reports have been
current in England and France that
the big offensive of the British was
about to commence. 1t was stated
that England had 100000 men,
full equipped and trained in prepa-
ration for the extreme effort to
break the German lines. More than
100000 shells are declared to have
been fired daily in the preliminary
bombardment which extended over a
front of 80 miles in length.
The menace of the British attack
was fully appreciated in Germany
according to newspaper comments
from Berlin and the utmost conf
dence was expressed in the ability of
the Germans to meet and crush it.
The Allies now are on the Often
sive in practically every field of the
war. The British assault comes on
the heels of the great successes won
by the Russians in Galicia and Bulk
owina and are continuing.
On the Italian front the Central
Powers also have met with severe
reverses and for several days the
Italians have been steadily driving
the Austrians from position after
position in the Trentino.
The defense also of Verdun by the
French seems to have stirened,
and the balance of battle in that Bit
terly contested sector appears re-
gently to have swayed in favor Of
khe defenders.
The great offensive undertaken by
The British. according to reports
from the front and the comments of
military critics. is an absolutely new
departure In the tactics hitherto
pursued by the belligerents. Con-
rary te, the favorite tactics of the
Eerman6, the British did not attempt
partial advance by massing their
Lrtillery at a given point on the line
nd follqCing an intense lombard
oent by an infantry attack In SER
led columns.
Employing an enormous number
4 guns, the British maintained a
ontinuous and even bombardment
the German lines along the en-
re- 80 miles of attack. They sought