New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-01
Sweep Into Outskirts OF
Maurepas, Ginchy and
GuillemOnt.
PERONNE RAILROAD
SEIZED BY FRENCH
Drive on Fortress Defending
Bapaume Continued in
Fierce Heat.
By FRED Il. PITNEY.

weather have permitted the Anglo
French forces to take up once more
the offensive on the Somme front
They have pushed forward to the
outskirts Of Combles. They are up
70 the last German line of defences
here. and at one point on the TIP OF
the Monacu Farm are in possession
Of a piece Of the last line.
This is the most important step
the Allied troops have yet achieved
in their double drive on Bapaume
and Peronne. Combles is the last
great German defensive position be-
tween the present Allied lines and the
westernmost Of the trunk line rail-
roads that feed the German line in
France. Its fall would not only cut
off a third of the German means of
TRANSPORTATION to the Aisne front,
but would permit the British and
French troops to sweep forward to
the road between Rancourt and
Sally. or to thrust north at Morvai.
Would Flank German Trenches.
Such a move would flank the Ger
man positions at Peronne and Monte
St. Quentin and force their I'M
mediate evacuation. The drive on
70 Bapaume would then become an
extremely simple operation when
compared with the almost insuper-
able difficulties already overcome by
the soldiers Of Haig and Foch.
1t is highly significant, also, that
the Allies have been able to pene-
trate and hold even a small strip
of the enemy's last line Of defence.
It is the crowning proof Of the in
ability Of the Germans TO bear up
against the powerful pressure and
the sudden. sledge-hammer thrusts
which have characterized the
strategy Of the Allied high com
mand from the very beginning OF
the offensive. If the Germans are
hack on their last lines, and cannot
cling to these, there is small chance
of their being able to check the
Allied troops when the latter have
the open country before them and
cavalry action becomes possible.
II IS for these reasons that the Ger
mans are tighting so desperately al me
threatened points. Nowhere along the
rest of the line are they charging with
so much fury as at Monacu EARN. This
place is the highest point IN the river
valley, and although only lew yaros
above the general level, II dominates
the whole section between Maurepas'
Combles and lie Foret.
Two weeks ago the French captured
the MOnacu farm. 1t was not until
nightfall last evening that the Ger
mans gave up their desperate attempts
10 retake the position. But at sun
down the French not only had consol-
dated their grip on Monacu, but had
also swept on toward Clery and opened
a breach in the German last line de-
Tending Combles. All along the front
70 Hill 139 Foch's troops are now
across the narrow gauge railroad run
ming from Combles 10 Peronne, which
the Germans had used for the sup
porting Of their main defence line.
Seize German Works.
simultaneously the German work at
the crossing of the Ginchy-
roads fell before the swift onslaughts
of two picked French battalions, put
ting the enemy in critical position
at this point as well as at Guillemoh<
10 the south.
The Franco-British line now presses
on the outlying districts Of Maurepas,
Guillemont and Ginchy. These three
villages surround Combles on the
north, west and south. They are the
advanced fortresses defending the main
German fortified position. Maurepas,
the nearest point. is only 1000 yards
from Combles, while Ginchy and Guile
mont are, respectively, 300 and l.oOO
wards away Between these villages
and Combles are three small woods,
powerfully organized by the Germans
as redoubts.
Wait for Mud to Dry.
Preceding the renewed Allied thrust
of Saturday and Sunday there were
two weeks Of constant rain and heavy
storms on the Somme, which covered
the country where the troops were in
action with a layer Of mud in many
places six feet deep. Movements were
made practically impossible-not only
artillery, but infantry action. Troops
attempting TO charge slid back two feet
for every foot they advanced. This
was particularly true of the French
section OF the lines north of the
Somme, as Fochs troops hold ground
which slopes down TO low, marshy
lands that flank the river.
Bnt the bombardment Of the German