Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-05
British Victory South of
Ypres One of Greatest
Of Present War.
ALLIES OCCUPY
IMPORTANT HEIGHTS
Advance Made With cIoekIiks Preei-
sion Following Most Intense Bonn
bardmsnt Of Three Years Of Con-
siiet-Gsrhans Make Strong Resist
anee At Several Points-British Now
Consolidating New Positions.
fBy the Associated Press.1

British Front in France and Belgium,
Oct. 4. Delayed].-British arms today
achieved one of the greatest victories
Of the war in a tremendous assault
against German positions east and
northeast OF Ypres.
Indeed, when the whole story of this
battle has been told it may take its
place as an unequalled triumph Of
three years Of conflict, for each sue
cessive report from the seething cal
dron along this front adds to the i'm
portance of tho success recorded.
From point near the Ypres-Staden
railway, on the north. to the Ypres-
Menin highway, on the south, the men
Of the British empire have surged for
ward with IN irresistible force, which
at some places carried them to depth
of $500 yards over still more Of the
German keystone positions in the
Passchendaele-G -Gheluvelt ridge system
OF defenses.
Can Sweep Eastern Stops.
On the northern wing of the ad.
vance the British have reached Poel-
capelle and Gravenstafel, and have
overrun most OF the Gravenstafei
ridge, which tilts out to the west from
! PaSschendaele-G Gheluvelt ridge. South
OF Ypres- -Roulers railway, the troops
ore reported to be oyerlookiHg. ssthe
!, Eastern slope Of -the main ridge, and
IN some places to have pushed on into
the valley below
Germans Severely Punished.
Not only have the British wrenchei
away many stron gholds, but they have
inflicted almost unprecedented casual
ties on the enemy.
AS the attacking troops went out in
quest Of great adventure over the
!, mist -shrouded slopes. their vast pro-
tected artillery barrage caught In its
merciless swirl large numbers Of the
enemy, who by coincidence had been
massing for an early morning attacS
along a wide front, extending from
zonnebeke to the Polygon wood.
Some five divisions Of German troops
were involved, three Of these havfnnss
been rusncd up in reserve to support
their comrades in the front lines whea
tho German attacks should begin.
Wall Of Breaking Shells.
4 solid wall Of breaking shells
plcwed thru them in q hurricane Of
death ana thay lie in countless thous-
ands among the devastation that the
barraSe left in its wake.
Part Of these Inflated troops were
the famous guardsmen in whom the
1Ae.1.,an tamnarnr had taken s::.l: u-:;:s
in days gone by.
At many places Germans ran into
cur lines or were captured in largo
numbers as the attack swept on All
day streams OF broken prisoners have
been pouring into the British cages
in the rear. Perhaps half of them
WIRE wounded. Some were blinded
and some were with shattered limbs,
pitiful sight, even to those hardened
20 such scenes.
Taking the battle rs a whole, the
Germans offered weak resistance to
the British advance this morning, but
despite the heavy blow dealt to the
encnhy forces It was not considered Inn
probable they will make strenuous
counter attacks - soon ~ they can
reform,
With cieekiiks Precision.
The story Of today's fighting Is that
Of perfect organization which worked
WtsSA SANsSAAs&AO pS0Sl6lOus N W10 SLlll
dusk when the British began the steam
roller advance. for low hanging clouds
blanketed the country and q light driz-
zle was falling. For days an intense
bombardment had been maintained
over the German front. but the artil-
lery hre which opened as the great
barrase dropped was appalling.
Guns Of all calibers. from enormous
howitzers to light field guns, Joined
! in the internal thunder which shock
the countryside like an earthquake.
Solid lines Of vivid fire belched from
the earth and from the murly sky
abcve az the great shells and shrapnel
burst along the German lines.
The ruins of the. little hamlets
perched on the ridges stood out in
ebostly silhouette aaginst the flashes
and over the whole scene the clouds
*s.e.. heel. crimson yie::;;,. -
On the left of the advance the
ground In the region Of PoelcappeIle
Was we'll garrisoned but apparently did
not offer strong resistance. The Bri-
tish were within reach Of the town by.
1850 o'clock.
0srnsans Forced 70 Surrender.
Meanwhile others were making their
way h over Abraham Heights near
{ ESGraysnetafel. There was some cellar
af1Ekfin9 here. but It was brief. The
4 I,Saju trouble was encountered near
- ~ had
AZ S2