Evening star., 1916-09-29
SUSTAINED AND TIRELESS FURY
MARKS FRENCH AND BRITISH
DRIVES m SOMME BATTLE
Gen. Haig's Men Go After
Schwaben Redoubt, Strong
Position Beyond ThiepvaI.
Fierce and Destructive Artillery Fire
Paves Way for Successful
Infantry Advance.

WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
THE FIELD IN FRANCE. September
2S. via London. September 29.-"You
have Just time to get into a treetop
and see US go after the Schwaben re-
respondent of the Associated Press to-
day.
Attacks have been SO numerous along
the British front in the last few days
that. even II informed of all before
hand. the correspondents would have
to possess dual personality to be
present at all. The offensive is In one
Of Its bit-by-bit stages, but is being
pressed with sustained and tireless
fury under the auspices Of the halcyon
autumn weather. for the last week
gan.
Schwaben redoubt is beyond Thiep-
val. which was taken Tuesday. A cru
cifx once crowned this ridge. Where
1t stood became the center of the
strongest defense German industry
the goal Of the Ulstermen in their he
roic charge on July l, when they fell
race forward under the storm OF ma
chine gunf1re sent from the site of the
WORKING
In their fields could see when they
looked up from their labors in the sur
rounding fields and villages.
In all the weeks since July / the
british made no further attempt at
this hill. The trenches were in the
same place as before that day. The
NO Mans Land" or dead space re-
manned where it was when the Ger
mans first formed their defensive line.
sut while the British were swinging
tDh
attack on July l had succeeded. they
had given Thiepval and Schwaben re-
doubt fair daily allowance of shell
nre: though making no infantry al
Placed in Crushing Vice.
For nearly three months this soften
Ing process continued Then when the
British had gained the ridges running
at an angle with the old German line
OF Thiepval they began to take fresh
interest in that old first line. Now they
did not have to attack it in front, but
approached it from the. side, as well as
having 1t In crushing wise
one German officer who was CAPTURED
said he did not think the British good
enough soldiers to attack in this way.
which was just the way the British did
attack after their lesson of July /.
And we hope the Germans will con-
unue to think us stupid" said British
staff officer.
But beyond Thiepval was that last
commanding high ground south of the
Ancre. Bare and brown 1t looked this
morning. and distinct were the
German &c. trenches. which the Eng
given moment. Meanwhile all al along e
the line Of battle came just the steady
gunnre which has been maintained
without intermission of late. This
Keeps the Germans always under strain.
can dig. They never know when or
where such things as happened this
morning at Schwaben redoubt NAV
happen.
Subject to Terrific Shellfre.
And suddenly balls of smoke, so thick
that they soon became as a cloud. were
laid over the German ridge, and every
one breaking from an ugly flash.
Kissing. crashing death laid its grip
ping. clinging mantle over this trench,
whose inmates could survive only by
huggfng their dugouts Every shell
seemed to fall between two imaginary
lines OF tape laid for the guidance Of
the gunners.
When the rain of steel ceased, the
Its cessation. were over the parapet
and at the doors of the dugouts Then
on to the next trench In the same fash
lon the waves Of shelfire swept UP the
hillside as shields for the advancing
waves of khaki.
There are creeping artillery barrages
and jumping barrages and many kinds
as the guns come playing an fncreas-
tngly skillful part. And the Germans
came back, their shells screaming
through the British shell curtain. try
ing to check the human waves. But
unless their curtains were laid in the
right place they were wasted. line
Of infantry may be fairly safe with a
curtain shellfire a hundred yards on
either side.
Three quarters of schwaben redoubt
is in British hands and 500 or 500 pris-
oners were shelled out Of their dug
outs. while the fighting continues at
this writing.
All along the Limo the British are
gaining ground.