Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-04
ALLIES DRIVE ON
IN GREAT CHARGE
ADMINISTRATIONS

Press headquarters on the French
front, July q, 3, II p. M, (via London,
July 4, 1915 a. m) Siege fighting
continued today beyond Fricourt. The
British. taking Poodle and the bot
tom woods advanced toward the main
German second line of defense.
The Associated Press correspond
ent today went over the territory pre-
viously taken by the British from the
west of MOutauban through the fam
Gus Dantzig.
When the British closed in upon the
trenches at Poodle woods, the German
sections, already surrounded, came out
holding up their hands. Thus a body
of more than 500 men, after being ham
mered necessarily with she'll fire for
four days, dramatically surrendered
before the eyes of the spondents.
The British gun fire. so far as could
be seen, was much heavier than the
German, while, according to all re-
ports from the front line the Germans
have withdrawn all their guns from
the valley, which is now controlled by
the British, to positions on the ridges.
Towns LeveIled.
Both Mametz and Fricourt virtually
are leveIled. The earth and brick
buildings were kneaded by shell fire
thrown into the communication
trenches running through these vii
ages. Where the preparatory bonn
bardment was most severe, strong Ger
man position in dugOuts 80 feet deep
did not save their men from the big
shells and trenches became fOrmles5
heaps of earth. Bits of green uni
forms, flesh and aCcoutrements were
mixed with rags and churned sand
bags in uncanny horror.
British soldiers were gathering the
German dead and burying their own in
communication trenches.
Officers met on the front line agreed
that the new army battaIions con-
Quoted themselves with the same gal
lantry as the regulars.
Germans, lately taken prisoners,
when interviewed, indicated that bat
talions were rushed from as far as
Rheims and Lille to meet the Anglo
Saxon attack
Describes French Advance.
Paris, July 4, $3.50 a. M - I'VE
were sent against Dompierre and Bee
said young colonial in
fantryman who was wounded in the
battle of the Somme. Things did not
drag The signal was given at 9
o'clock and off we went Two hours
later we had DOmpierre and Becquin-
court and were pushing on towards
We had taken seven lines
Of trenches There were few hand to
hand fights. We marched with fixed
bayonets but attacked the trenches
with bombs. I never could have be-
Iieved it could have gone so quickly"
For a month past the Germans have
been on the alert around the Somme
and orders had been given in secret
circular TO construct special entrench-
nents. Saps had everywhere been
pushed TO within % yards of the
French barbed wire and numerous |
passages were cut in the German wire
TO enable their patrols I!
o spy out everv suspicious movement |
IF the French
Extra shelters had been dug 80 feet |
ieep in the trench so that the men could |
get into them more quickly when the |
French bombardment ceased Exits |
we're made in the rear of these shell |
ers. Numerous listening saps were |
made in such a manner as not to inter |
ere with either frontal or thanking fire |
rom the trenches Woods, whenever |
veil placed, as was that of Mereau- /
,ourt, were turned into formidable re-
doubts with specially constructed shell |
ers with iron Orders over the en-
RANGES. Concrete protection was
ERECTED to resist the big shells. At fire.
Iuent intervals there were armored
concrete machine gun turrets.
Villages were transformed. houses
we're pulled down in order to give a