New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-04
Joint Attack Clears
GuillemOnt and
. Clery.
DRIVE TO GATES
OF COMPLIES
French Capture Forest
and Obtain Grip
on Ginchy.
nv C.hls 20 Tbs rYfouns

London, Sept. 8.-Advancing along q
front of six miles north of the Somme
the French and British forces to-day
struck their greatest blow in weeks at
the enemy.
The powerful joint attack won for
the Allied forces the villages of Clcry,
lie Forest, Guillemont and part of
Ginchy; extended their lines nearly half
a mile at every point and brought them
to the very outskirts of Combles, and
swept in nearly 5000 prisoners.
The attack was one of the most vio-
lent made in the two months of fight
ing on this front and far more than
eyened the score for the small German
gains won in the counter offensive of
last week.
Allies Attack on All Fronts.
With this attack the Allies are again
on the offensive on all fronts, and the
respite which the Germans had while
the Rumanan question was being set
tied Is ended. At time when the
Austro- German armies arc being driven
from their vital positions on the Iron
Gates of the Danube and Germany has
sent $4,000 men to attempt TO stem the
tide and avert disaster, Russia, Italy,
and now Britain and France, have again
applied the pressure which had proved
too much even before the Rumanian
battle began.
Only along a part Of the southern
Balkan front is the pressure still slight.
Germany, again, cannot hope TO draw
troops from any front TO meet the
need at another, without risking grave
disaste-.
The latest Allied success in the
Somme region carries the British front
500 yards east of Guillemont, from
Ginchy to Falfemont Farm, while it
extends the French lines almost on top
Of Combles and as much as half q mile
east of their former positions in the
district between Combles and Clery.
The besiegers' guns now threaten
Combles from the west, south and east.
In few davs no forces will be able TO
live within the shell-torn ruins of that
town. 4
Peronne Threat Increased.
By capturing Clery the Franco-Brit
ish troops together have accomplished
what the French alone found too dif-
icult a task. Foch's soldiers had en-
tered Clery before, but counter as
saults, pressed with vigor which
seems to have left the Germans of late.
always succeeded in turning them out
again. With the town permanently in
their possession Peronne cannot much
longer withstand the pressure TO which
it will be exposed from the north.
Ginchy will hardly be able either 70
resist the pressure which the British
hold will expose the German defenders
10, and critics here look for the com
plete occupation of the village within
a day or two. II seems certain that the
British will be able to hold Gullemont
now against all counter assaults.
Thus the grip which the Allies have
obtained on the German second lines
will be turned against them. From now
On the Allied push should win increas-
ngly greater victories along the whole
front, possibly smashing through the
snemy's defences for a real drive on
Bapaume before the winter sets in.
Germans Surrendering.
The capture Of so many prisoners by
the Allied forces in this operation is
regarded here as highly significant
Observers believe that IL indicates
either one Of two things: that the Al
lied attack is showing a power such
as has never been realized before, or
that the German soldiers, weary Of the
battle, are again surrendering in larg.
without offering whole-hesrt-
ed resistance. Reports of the surren-
der of German troops on this front
are reaching London in ever increasing
numbers.
To-day's operations by the Allies
were not confined to the Somme front.
simultaneously with the great drive 10
their west, Haig's troops in the Thiep-
val region extended their lines near
the Mouquet Farm and along ths
Ancre, while Petain's forces struck be-
fore Verdun and won fresh advances in
the neighb0rhood of Fleury. The Ger
mans also returned to their attacks in
this sector, launching spirited assaults
az Vaux and Chapitre. At all but one
point they were hurled back with heavy
losses. Three hundred prisoners fell
into French hands in these engage
ments.