Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-11-15
British Regard Advance
Along Ancre Riuer as One of
Greatest Successes of Drive
Copyright. 1915. by the Associated
Press

Copyright. 1915. by the Associated
Press.
With the British Army in France,
via London, Nov. 15, 4.30 A. M.--The
British advance along both sides of
the Ancre, which continued yesterday
with the capture of the village of
Beaucourt, is considered by the British
commanders as one of the most i'm
portant successes in the four months
of the offensive. They insist especially
on the relatively insignificant charac-
ter of the German resistance in q
position which they consider of great
strategic Importance and one of the
most highly fortified on the entire
western front.
Electric Lights in Dugouts
More than 5000 prisoners have
been collected in the extensive sub
terranean galleries and chambers
which were sunk on both sides of the
valley and were miles in extent. Five
hundred Germans surrendered in q
tunnel near st. Pierre Divion. which
was mile and q half long This
tunnel gave access to scores of electric
lighted chambers in which companies
of infantry were housed and which
contained quantities of machine guns
and bombs Another 700 prisoners
were caught in a ravine south of
-Hamel, where they were cut
off by the first attack on Monday
afternoon. The British success south
of the Ancre was increased owing to
the fact that the Germans in this Sec
ton were on the point of being re-
lieved by fresh troops when the attack
was launched. The result was that
twice the normal strength of the gar
rison was trapped by the barrage fire.
Among the prisoners taken here were
many men of the Ninety-third Infan-
try, of which the Duke of Albany is
honorary colonel in chief The regi-
ment lost heavily. According to the
rear to inspect the regiment when it
left the fighting line.
The majority of the infantry fighting
was done with grenades instead of
bayonets The British swarmed over
the surface between the trench lines
and hurled showers of bombs into the
German dugoutS and shelters, captur-
ing in quick succession seven parallel
rows of the main German trenches
between Beaumont-Ha and Beau
court. Prisoners from the Prussian
Guards told the Associated Press cor
respondent that the terrific British
bombardment destroyed the machine
gun emplacements and made resist
ance to the infantry charge impossible.
They said they were cut off from their
reserves on an entire front of seven
miles, which was isolated by the Brit
ish curtain fire. They declared they
were glad to surrender.
Tank" Cleans Out Guns
tank" which helped to destroy
machine gun positions at the bottom
of the valley south of the Ancre was
attacked with bombs by the Germans,
who swarmed about it in large num-
hers. All of the attackers were killed
by the guns of the tank"
Two-thirds of the British casualties
south of the Ancre were walking cases.
The total losses were lighter in pro-
portion than in any previous operation
of the past four months. The British
attack was pressed continuously last
night. All ground as far as Beaucourt
has been well consolidated and the
troops are pushing beyond Feene1e.
The Germans so far have not at
tempted any counter attacks.