Evening star., 1916-09-27


when they reached them At the same
time the French. dashing forward on
the other side of the village, pushed
victoripusly forward into the heart of
the village. In the main street the sol
dters of the two nations met and joy
ously shook hands, calling out to each
other, "Parlez vous" and How dye do"
Defense Wsek at End.
Combles had a labyrinth of dugouts
and well fortified cellars. but at the
last practically no defense was made.
Those Germans who had not managed
to escape when the town was hope
iessly surrounded were taken prisoner.
One lot OK Germans who were en-
deavorfng to find a way through the
encircling allied infantry walked into
the British skirmishing line. The cell
lars and dugouts of the village were
full of wounded, who found security
there from the furious fighting on the
slopes and ridges.
Having cleared Combles of any stray
Germans. the British and French moved
ON side by side to further attacks.
one OF the most striking features
OF the fighting last night and today
was the surprisingly slight resistance
Germans. according to all reports
made by the British officers. The Ger
mans made the usual counter attacks
against the British new positions last
night. but the reports Of the allied Of
fcers to headquarters agree that they
lacked spirit. Some German trenches
taken yesterday were lightly occupied
or not at all. In other instances the
allied commanders stated that consid-
erable bodies of Germans threw down
their rifles promptly as soon as the
attackers approached their trenches
although 1t was known that thew had
orders to stand to the last Batches
OF prisoners have been coming in from
day. .Ae
Anxious to Save Guns.
In their attack yesterday the british
found the strongest defense made in
front OF Gueudecourt There. the Ger
mans used their machine guns with tho
tenacity and unyielding courage which
has hitherto characterized them The
British resumed the attacks TODAY and
tonight all the village is in their pos
session Both today and yesterday the
draw their guns Immediately they were
IN any danger. evidently desiring to
take no risk of losing any of their ar
tillery. This sometimes leaves their
troops In the front line unprotected
by cannon fire and may account for the
number of surrenders.
In the meantime the British continue
TO pound the whole line with their
seemingly fnexhaustible supply of
shelis, leaving the Germans in doubt
as to what sector will be the next to
pc attacked by the infantry. The nrst
warning that the Germans have that
the British seek to gain a certain 'front.'
age Is a sudden increase of gunfire in
that sector to a tornado under which
~ Goes not seem possible that a mouse
could escape alive. Usually this tor
nado Is brief compared to the old fash
ION OF artillery preparation, while 1t
iasts long enough to enable the British
II nintantry to rush from their lines to the
GERMAN trenches while all the German
niachine ~ guns and rifle fire are stilled
II ls amazing how the cooperation of
th1antry IN and artillery has improved by
the oattie practice of the offensive.
Attack on ThiepvaI.
About midday today the British left
had its turn in the region of Thiepval,
at the other extreme of the battle
front from Combles Here the fighting
iine joins the old German front trench
line, and the Germans, in their dug
outs ana galleries, have fought with
acterizes them in this kind of war
fare. They stick like glue to those
said one British soldier, be
cause they know that once they are
pushed back we do not give them time
to dig any more"
A blackish heap of dirt on the crest
Of ridge is all that remains of
Thiepval. On the top of that.heap there
still rise few black sticks, tree trunks
slivered and hewn by shell fire which
nave escaped oelng downed by di-
Continued on Fourteenth Page.)