The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-09-27

London. Sept. 26.-The French aifHs
British continued their latest 49,
greatest stroke on the Somme todaST
winning two Of the most decisive s,i1sss
cesses yet attained on this fron&a
Combles and Thiepval. for which tfe13
have been fighting for more than twdaa
months. tonight are in their handa2
together with the whole powerfulf&5
organized field system in the Thfan&lS
val sector and further strong section y
OF the German third line to the soufY
and east. including the village ~
Guedecourt. The French left ~
British right wings established Ao1xs
tact at Combles, fiattening out o.
German salient there. while slnzso
along their line the French captuS
Fregicourt and the greater part o.
strongly organized wood west Of So
Vast forest
Make Notable Gains.
The allied army has taken mora
than 2.700 prisoners in the two day.
OF fighting. has registered a uniforms
gain OF more than a mile along this
greater part Of a fourteen -mile fronES
and has inflicted what are described
as colossal losses on the Germans
Berlin admits an extensive alliexs|
advance. But" says the officiaI
statement issued at grand head
quarters. before all we must think
OF our heroic troops who faced the
united Anglo-French principal forco9]
and the massed employment Of mas
terial of the whole worlds war In
dustry prepared during many
months"
Berlin Is Apprchensiye.
The German capital is grave under
the strain OF the repeated powerfufS
blows OF the allies, not only IN tho
west, but on all fronts, according sQH
dispatches reaching here, but nnd1a
relief in the reviews OF military critic
who point out that although thlS
French and British launched thatGs
utmost effort in an attempt to brealFS
through the. German front, the line
held, although forced to fall back a1s
points. %a
The capture of Thiepval, III
Hohenzollern redoubt, and the whofS
powerfully fortified ridge on whio6S
the Germans had held out for mor9
than ten weeks, opens to the Brittle
road for the outflanking Of h.
paume. The capture of Combles gfvqS
the Franco-British allies poesesot6
Of the key defensive position Of Primes
Rupprecht on the Bapaumc-PerOnsE Y
front. Peronns already II In imMl 81
ent danger and It Is the foundatael6
stone Of the German defense Of th
entire 100-mile salient AZ IN in61
cation OF the choice Of the allied 49,
cess today. It Is pointed out thaG Z
the capture Of Combles alone d.
hattened out a two-mile salient ~
released thousands OF men for 49,
attacks. Ea
A City of Bodies.
Combles is a city Of bodies. Whaq
once was a thriving town there woQ(
only dead men and some 100 wound
ed and abandoned Germans whom TIL
advancing allies gained possession
the ruins and debris.
The British official statement sayS
French and British troops joIn4n
occupied Combles as a result Of
capture of Fregicourt and MorV
We beat Off heavy counter-attackn
the neighborhood of Morval and
Boeufs with severe loss to the ene11
''On our center we stormed the foe@
fed village Of Gueudecourt. driving q
Germans back In disorder.
ION our loft we captured ThiepA
and the high ridge to the eastsvQ5
including the Hohensollsrn redeu2
This ridge was very strongly fortt1
with an elaborate system Of hAnN
wired trenches and defended With
peration. Our successes Of The
two days may be regarded ~ q NJ
considerable Importance"
The last twenty four hours have r.
further desperate air hghting oveew
western front. The French AIR ~
alone has engaged in forty-ssven
ties. according to an oficial statea
issued by the French war ofnco
result. ave German aerOplAnae
destroyed and three others were n
to descend In badly damaged ~
ton. Numerous raids upon Ul1ll
establishments behind the O.
front and even across the 0ermAn
der were carried out By the IFeAG
RUMANIANs WIN DACW MI
TWO U140nRA1x
=. 800: g. e.