The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-01
BRITISH SMASH BEGINS
fContinued from Page one.l

safety there should be no travelling on
the continent except for the most seri-
GUS reasons.
All persons were warned that they
would undergo the strictest examina-
ton under the passport regulations
and close search of their persons and
baggage.
The combined British and French
drive began a few hours after the
Germans launched the most powerful
onslaughts against Verdun in many
weeks. The crown prince hurled his
legions against the French works east
and west of the Mouse. The French
war office announced that on every
sector the Germans were repu1sed
with appalling losses, except on the
northeastern front, where the Franeh
were again driven out of Thiaumont
works.
10000 Germans There.
The latest information here stated
that about 10000 German troops
were massed along the British front
from the Somme northward to Arras
with $4,000 Germans in reserve. Nov
ing southwark from Arras, the Ger
mans face the British in the following
order:
First Bavarian reserve division,
Thirty-eighth Landsturm brfdade; One
Hundren and Eleventh division: Fifty
second division, Fourteenth reserve
rests partly north and partly south
| of the Somme.
Behind the German front are the
following reserve units: Twentysec
ond reserve corps, concentrated at
Valenciennes; the First guard reserve
7'-s-t0-1 No. ~ 20 . ~-0r,7'- ~ I'D tho
Fourth guard division, southeast cf
Cambria.
There is no way of estimating the
number of British opposing the Ger
mans on this front. Travellers arriving
from France recently have reported
with several hundred thousand British
aoOps
| Start Off With Rush.
London July 1.-The long expected
| British offensive began at 1880 this
morning with a tremendous smash
against the German lines on twenty
mile front north of the Somrne. This
| information was contained in brief
special bulletins from army headquar-
tiers today.
The British swept forward with
rush, capturing some enemy front line
! were taken. The British attacks were
| continuing with the greatest violence
| at the hour when the dispatches were
filed.
The first reports were flashed to
London shortly before noon. News
paper were SIdDDcu eagerly III
the clubs. hotels. on the streets
everywhere. Within a few minutes
the word spread throughout London
the big push has begun.
London Greatly Aroused.
The war office thus far has issued
no official statement. But the public.
aroused by announcement early today
that the Russians have captured the
important Galician city of Kolomea,
Thiaumont fort in the fighting north
east of Verd n and that the Italians
are steadily pushing northward in the
Trentino, accepting the bulletins as
clear indications that the long awaited
Super-offensive of the allies has begun.
The British rush forward this morn
ing followed four days of the most
lavish expenditure of shell fire the
world has ever seen. The German
front for nearly ninety miles from the
User to the Somme was bathed in a
never ceasing flame of artillery
pounding with the explosion of mil
lions of shells.
At dawn today the British bonn
bardment, which grew more intense
throughout yesterday suddenly con-
centrated a terrific fire on the Ger
man line from the -Arras south to the
Somme. For an hour and half the
brief bulletins received in London said
the German line was under a steady
L
ted out trenches and human life.
Took Trench Within Two Hours.
The big guns lifted their fire at
1880. AT the same instant rows of
British troops sprang forward to the
attack. They were seasoned regiments
who had been awaiting eagerly their
chance at the ''Bouches'' for many
months and new regiments from
Kitchener's armies, which had been
held in reserve back of the lines.
by $50 a. M read one dispatch.
we had occupied the German front
line, digging in behind rows of Ger
man dead. British casualties thus far
have not been heavy"
With full knowledge that London
had been waiting for days. tenseIy
eager. for the beginning of what may
be the worlds greatest offensive, the
sages direct from the front to the
British capital. For this reason men
sitting quietly in their clubs were
reading at 1880 p. m. brief flashes,
channel in France as far south as the
River Sommc, at $3.50 this morning
Only three hours had elapsed be-
tween the crash of British and Ger
shells and the time the news had
reached London.
Preceded by 8 Day Bombardnnent.
Special dispatches from the front
received here early today left little
doubt that the big push was not far
away
'-An the horizon beyond the ground
where stood today was darkened by
the fumes of Shells wired the Chron- |
icle's correspondent. mot minute |
passed without the crash of high ex-
p1osives. The effect of the British |
military work on the German troops |
seems to have been deadly Some pris- |
oners say they have had no food for !
three days. owing to the heavy fire |
which prevented supplies reaching |
them from communicating trenches" |
Hear the Free lecture at the high |
school auditorium tomorrow at o. M |