The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1916-08-14
BY JONI euCHAN

tEigland's foremost writer on military
affairs. Written for the United Press)
LONDON. Aug. Z. -(By maiD -
When the bombardment ceased on the
morning of July 1st, and the allied
( troops left their trenches In the big
push on twenty-five mile front, they
did not expect an even, steady advance.
A rigid line of German Notifications
stretches from Nieuport to the APPS.
There are no gaps. The defense has
its first position. consisting of several
= trench lines: an intermediate position.
and second and final position some
way back, of the same type as the first.
( The labors of eighteen months have
| made each position n miracle of hu-
man Ingenuity labyrinth of trenches
and a subterranean city of dug-outs.
/ No such front can be broken at .he
! first attempt. The path of wisdom is
to attack on broad front and take the
thing by steady stages-to capture one
position at time. and to attack with
infantry only when the guns have done
their work. In the area of attack, OF
which Albert is the point of division,
the Germans on the north were pre-
pared and the high plateau over which
tIeir lines ran was formidable OBJ
stacle to any advance. In the southern
part the ground was easier, the enemy
weaker, and real surprise vas
achieved.
The British objective in the north.
:he enemy's first position, except at
one or two points, was rot attained.
Villages were blotted out. and miles Of
country reduced to the appearance of a !
ploveG field by the allied lombard
ment, but the German guns, well hid |
den behind ridges, were intact, and be- |
fore the hour came for the British 10
cross their parapets they opened a
Counter bombardment on the British
fist line. That line was largely de.
sfroyed but the British infantry, un-
der devastating artillery fire. ad-
vanced steadily across No Mans land
between the lines.
Then the German first trenches
'"nke. Their occupants had retreated
10 the deepest dug-outs, sometimes
'fty feet below the ground. They now
'Epeared and manned their front lines. .
ring with machine guns and auro- ..
natic rifles. Both sides showed the
'iost conspicuous gallantry. The at
ack, as whole, was broken up before I"
reached the German firing line. {
'nolc battalions disappeared as fight a
ns Units. BY the evening of the first =
ay the enemy's position in the nortt-J .
rn section was unshaken. Z"
i; was different in the south. Their.
he allies had the benefit of real sur.
rise. The German reply to their boln- = =
was feeble. In some places u
ie initial bOmbardment seemed % III
ave destroyed resistance, and the at. u
ick advanced with scarcely casualty VI
'rCsS trenches filled with German NJ
ea!. In few hours the immediate
'jective was completely attained. !.
u the German first position was car.
ed on front of more than twelve
lies. One French regiment had only
u wounded. and the casualties OF one
1ole corps were under 500. The Ger II
IN losses We're very high. CrossingI
captured ground on the following
one walked among piles Of German
ad.
The FIRST stage of the battle was be-
nd doubt q great allied success.
e objective was completely attained
an ample front, and the way pre-.
red for the stroke against the final
rman position. Without the sacri-
; In the north the success of the
tish right wing and the French
uld have been impossible.
We are only looking at the BEGINNING
the greatest battle in history. I'LL
be slow and costly fight. for Il
many knows II is her last stand.
allies will pursue their plan sober
and methOdically. with NO attempt