Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-03
BRITISH AND FRENCH
CONSOLIDATE GAINS
Their First Days Offensive Is One
Of Almost Unbrokcn
Successes.
RESISTANCE is STUBBORN
They Contend With Heavy Curtains
OF Fire From German Guns, but
Sweep Forward Despite All Instru-
mcnts Of Death Opposing Them.
HI FREDERICK PALMER.

| rNNNSC. July (lO Il. M).-Nhc close
OF the first days offensive over the
| longest front, the allies have yet at
tempted to pierce and the most extern
sive action yet fought finds the Brit
ish and the French consolidating their
gains.
South of tho Ancre the infantry swept
French and Montauban and Mametz
were taken by the British with almost
nnbroken success. though they had to
| : intend with heavy curtains Of fire
and delays duo to tho stubborn rcsis-
lance OF the Germans. AT some points
this resistance made the task particu-
larly arduous for the British. How
ever, from the German trench called
The Dancing Alley" so complete had
been tho destruction OF the frst-line
trench by the artillery. that the bat
| TALON was able 10 occupy it with the
loss OF but a single man
| TO the south the allies made n gain
of froni one 10 two miles. and the
| swinging movement partially envcIop-
| cd Fricourt. Tho German defensive
firEi-line trenches be left b, hind light
ly held, but tho British carried on Tho
| fight to the second line. IN which the
Germans gathered in large numbers
and fought fierccly. North Of the
| Ancro about Gommccourt and Beau
| monthamcl, the action was terribly in
| tense and complicated. Like Vcrdun,
every method OF destruction known to
modern warfare was employed. only In
this ease the Germans were the dc.
| tenders.
DIFFICULT FOH INFANTRY
| UNITS TO KEEP IN TOUCH
The attack being made In the morn
! ing mist OF the valleys. It was diff
! ficult for the infantry units to keep
! In touch. or for the Eunncrs to follow
| their advance. but. with tho appear
ance OF the brilliant sunshine, which
continued throughout the day, the ali
! was clear and the heat was that Of real
/ summer
This afternoon At o'clock the VII
| lage of Thiepval was still desperately
! held by the Germans. who were visible
TO the observer until tho British open-
ed an artillery attack, which seemed
TO be churniug 1t to dust and making
1t Impossible for any human being
survive. even in the strongest redoubt
The British mortars were as busy
their projectiles ElistcninE In the sun,
as hundreds Of them followed one an
other Hike glass balls In the hands OF
jusGler into the vortex OF fire
So swift has been the work OF tho
transport that some of the wounded
may be in London Tonight. Prisoners
arc being brought In in great patches
being gathered from tho dugouts not
destroyed by the fire Of the British
artillery. Tho destruction Of six Ger
man" sausage observation balloons
by the British airmcn early in the
week evidently was "a serious loss, az
none of them has been replaced. It
was also noticeable that British aero
planes over the battle field greatly out
numbered the Germans. Infinite care
and pains were taken to keep secret
the PREPARATIONS for the big drive and
the portion OF the line at which the
big push" was to be made For many
weeks the work went on with silence
required Of all officers and most Of
them so limited TO their own areas tina,
| they did not know what was happen
| ing in the ncighboring sectors
1 OtfENSItE Is BARRED AS
! TOPIC OF CONVERSATION
AT all the mcssc>, Including that Of
the staff officers, tho subject OF the
| offensive i'm contemplation was barred
as topic OF conversation. though. OF
! course, every officer know OF II. The
ony speculative reference to II wa.
| made In the transmittal of official
| orders and during the course OF the
!
necessary to the perfection Of the de-
tails
The battery ernplacements were first
| made. and then the batteries were
| brought into position The troops
marched up in the night with no lights
/ burning. The soldiers and officers only
understood that they were expected to
! leave their trenches at a certain time
for a certain objective. For the &C
! ton General Sir Douglas IFaig, the
! British commander. moved his head
! quarters nearer to the front, where the
| officers OF his staff were ready at his
| call and reports from all sections came
promptly over the telephone and tele-
| graph which carried his instructions
back 10 the front. British headquar-
tiers also were in touch with those OF
| the French on the right by the tclc-
phone.
With the attack starting at 1880 in
the morning, by S o'clock the staff
had reports as to whether or not the
different units already hold the first
line trenches OF the Germans or were
advancing beyond them. So It was
known at all times just how far eaoh
unit had carried out the part assigned
to il, and the maintenance OF proper
alignment was made possible.
PICTURESQUE JOURNEY
rs MADE by OBSERVER
The difficulty OF keeping up COM
munications through the curtain Of
shell fire and making observations
through the smoke was not the least
Of tile Items Of preparation. During
the bombardment the observer made Il
most picturesque journey, working his
way forward through the transport aud
reserves on tho march to "a high poiat
to view the Smelling in the darkness.
This was probably the most terrible
display OF fireworks of all time. Far