American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-11-27
= VOLUME XVIII.
TANKS WON THE DAY
IN GREAT BRITISH ADNANCE
Cleared Wire Entanglements, Out
Fought Big Guns, and PilOted In
fantrymen Over and Through Ger
man Trenches.

minds Of many soldiers, that the BRIT
ish tanks were freaks of little value as
instruments of war, is being wiped out
on account Of the achievements OF the
great army Of these mighty engines
which on Tuesday morning broke
through the main Hindenburg line and
carried the war miles into enemy terri
tory. The work which the tanks did /
on that first day and have been doing |
&ver since is one of the most striking /
features of the war 1t cannot be SAID /
they are alone responsible for the tre-
mendous victory won by the British; |
for infantry, artillery and cavalry all
have played their part. Nevertheless
the tanks drove the entering wedge
without which this triumph would not
have been possible.
In a few hours they tore to shreds
lines of barbed wire the demolition OF
which by a concentration Of artillery
would have required many days Fur
thermore, their employment made pos
sible the arrangement of the secret at
tack which would have been out Of the
question had the artillery been brought
into play
Nothing has been announced Of
fcially or unofficially concerning the
number of machines constituting what
the correspondents describe as the
grand fleet" of tanks employed in
Tuesdays advance, but the number
apparently has been greater than IN
any one previous action. Casualties
of the tanks are described as slight.
One writer says that "a number"
were knocked out by direct hits from
German big guns. Another says that
Cd hxrc cha11fira and
others were begged One or two bur-
led their noses in the soft earth or
turned over in trying to climb down
steep banks. One fell into a canal, but
it is evident that the great majority
plunged ahead unhindered.
The tanks have demonstrated fully
.>~<1eir power in saving the lives of men
and in conserving ammunition. The
casualties among the infantry which
followed the tanks into action were
exceedingly light. The correspondent
has heard that two battalions, for in.
stance, had only one casualty each
and that another suffered the loss o.
only three men. The casualties
among the crews of the tanks alsC
were very light 1t is impossible t'
state how many tanks were in action
but there were several hundred an'
out of all the men who went forwar'
in them it appears but fewer thai
twenty were killed and fewer thai
100 wounded.
The performance of the tanks wa
the more remarkable because ther
was only a short time to prepare 10
their use. Some of the tanks wer
veterans but many had never bee
in an engagement before and tn
crews lacked actual lighting eXpeI
fence. Moreover, it was necessary
train the infantry to cooperate Wit
them.
In addition, a great amount of wor
was done to get the tanks into pos
ton and bring forward their fue
Many hundred tons of petrol wei
brought up secretly and stored pen'
ing the attack.
The advance of the tanks with the
general leading the way in monito
flying his flag. was the most impre
sive sight imaginable. For miles th'
we're lined up along the British fror
and when they started forward it Wi
like a great ceremonial parade. Ba'
of them came the infantry, giving Il
fnal touch to the picture.
They crushed their way through q
barbed wire easily. tearing great ga
for the infantry, and it was not un
they had made a considerable advan
that strong resistance was encounte
ed The stiffest fighting was at L
team wood, south of Masnieres. The
the tanks engaged a number of &c
man field and heavy guns and won
6av AGAINST them. One tank dellOf
atelv charged a 80 inch gun and clea
cd out its crew with its machine gul
Cantaing fell before one tank viii
never had seen action until that tin
II charged into the village, making
untenable by the vigorous action
its guns. Twelve tanks led the W
y into Narcoing Their crews preVlol
ly had studied maps and been assign
nosts and the tanks went about
business methodically, each one L
ing up the position designated. Ih'
twelve movable forts completely
ganized the place.
AT Ribecourt the tanks arrived J
as the Germans were sitting down
breakfast The crews Of the tanks
their morning meal from the food p
pared for the enemy.
These are not the only places VIII
the tanks assisted in taking. II
have been swarming over the VIII
rreat territory annexed by the b
ish and when the full story Of their
A ploits told il will make remarka
history.
George Singer. who spent most
last summer here. has been in tC
.ha mast few daVs tuning piaI