New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-08
Angl0-French Forces
Advance Over Half
a Mile.
SEIZE HEIGHTS
RULING BAPAUME
FOch Takes Road to Pc
rOnne-Ten-Mile Line
Moves Forward.

London, Oct. THE Allies renewed
their great offensive in Picardy to-day
In perfectly coordnated attack the
British and French troops swept for
ward along a front of ten miles from
the Albert t-Bapaume road TO the region
south OF Bouchavesnes.
Haig's troops carried the village OF
lie Sars, less than four miles southwest
of Bapaume, on the highway from Al
bert, and advanced their lines from
600 to 900 yards between Gueudecourt
and Lesbnufs. The French swung for
ward two-thirds of mile northeast Of
Morval, seized the whole Of the Bethune
road TO within 200 yards of Sally and
brought their line 10 the western
fringes of the st. Pierre Vaast Wood.
Thus along the two-mile front south of
Sally the French advanced at least
half mile at every point.
Hold Key to Bapaume.
These gains represent extremely i'm
portant steps in the Allied movement
against Bapaume and Peronne, directed
along the two roads running into the
former stronghold from the southwest
and the southwest. By TIE seizure OF
lie Sars and ground on both sides OF 1t
the British have removed the last OBJ
stacle to a quick drive on Bapsume
along the Albert road. That position
is now within range of the heavy
British guns.
The French advance has brought
them in position to strike the vital
blow at Mont st. Quentin and Peronne,
and to sweep the Bethune road as far
north as Trsnsloy. The wedge Foch's
troops have been driving between Ba-
paume and Peronne has been extended
until its tip now protrudes into the
enemy's front directly north of Mont
st. Quentin, the key TO Peronne. A
salient has been created in the German
lines south OF Transloy which will COM
pel their retirement from that sector
Growing the western slopes OF the
Sailly-Saillisel ridge, the French line
now dominates the region on all sides
With the fall Of Sailly-which cannot
hold out many hours longer-the
French will come into possession OF the
stretch OF the Bethune road south OF
Transloy, thus bringing their lines on
a level with those of the British at
Guedecourt.
The Allied line from lie Sars to the
Rethune road represents the base Of
the triangle at whose tip lies IA
paume. The French are moving along
the eastern side Of this triangle, anc
the British along the western side
Thus. with every fresh success, the
base OF the triangle is narrowed anc
the force of the Allied blows against
Bapaume increased. 49,.
Despite the bad weather, the Allied
aeroplanes cooperated with the lanc
forces in the battle. largely directing
the fire Of the artillery and report
ing enemy troop movements almost a.
soon as they got under way. Wit.
slightly better conditions than those
under which this afternoons operation
was conducted, it is expected the ~
lies will smash forward for ever
greater gains than have yet been made
in the offensive.
North of the Ancre the artillery fire
of the British has grown IN intensity
in the last few days, presaging th(
extension of the offensive to the west
ern end OF the Somme line. Raids or
ether parts of the front continue. The
Allies apparently are "nibbling" to dis.
close any vulnerable spots in the
anap,v,q line