The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-06-08
Associated Press Correspond.
ent Describes Wars Most
Thrilling Move.
WYTSCHAETE RIDGE
is IMPORTANT GAIN
Gaining of Heights and 5000
Prisoners Rewards for
Sensational Rush.

'''i' hNtill correspondent III
France of the Associated Press. with
the British Armies in France London.
June Sine British armies struck to-
day on II new front and won victory
which supplements the successes at
Arras during the last two months,
The Germans. though apparently
aware that the blow was coming, and
seemingly prepared to meet it, we're
driven from their nearly three years
hold on Messincs Ridge opposite
poor old" Ypres. the last remnant Of
an important Belgian town, which,
with the help of the French and Brit
ish in turn, has held out against all
the massed attacks the Germans could
fling against II, including the first
great surprise of poison gas, a means
Of supposed civilized warfare
Ypres Is Avenged.
fpres in a sense was avenged today,
for Messinea Ridge has been the van
tago point from which the Germans
have poured torrents of shells into the
stricken city. The British also wiped
off an old score against the Germans.
, for they held the ridge In October.
1914. and with very thin forces and
virtually no artillery fought bloodily
but vainly. TO hold. when the Prussian
| troops massed their modern and over
powering weapons OF war against II.
Germans Had Prepared.
Today's attack lacks many OF the
elements OF surprise which accom-
panied the battle of Arras and the sue
c"sSful storming of Vimy Ridge,
There had been doubt for three weeks
past as to the intentions of the Brit.
ish. The Germans knew that big
push was to be made against Messines
and they had plenty OF time to pre-
par" FOR the defense of that place.
| Prisoners taken today, however. de-
clared that the bombnrdment of Vimy
was child's play compared with the
gun fire turned upon Messines Ridge.
| This fire reached It's climax Just as
dawn was graylng the eastern skies
and while the full moon was til sus-
pended high in the heavens. Today's
successes, won along about ten mile
| front from Observatory Ridge, south
east Of Yrres, to Pioegsteert wood, lust
north Of Armen'icrcs. proved another
triumph for British artillery suprem-
acy.
AS the fighting was wholly on Bel
| gian soil, however the Belgian artiI-
lcry stationed some distance north of
| the actual line of attack lent aid with
a violent bombardment to German DO
| sitions within range of It's varied
| calibred weapons.
Today's attack was accompanied hy
all the arts and deviltries of latter day
war. The night was filled with red
incendiary flames. Shells that spilled
molten laden streams crashed in ap-
palling numbers about the heads Of
the defending soldiers. High explo-
! sive and shrapnel fire was carried out
with such rapidity that the earth
writhed under the force Of the attack.
| Trenches Break Into Flames.
| Mines that had taken two years to
| dig and fill. with an overwhelming ex-
plosion broken into an avalanche Of
| flaming destruction in the half light
of the dawn. This was indeed a
| Ypres day of retaliation and victory
for the vicious sufferngs OF two years
and eight months.
| All the corps and divisions employed
reported tonight that their objectives
had been reached and maintained.
| There has been good fighting
throughout the day. although the ar
tillcry success had made the infantry
assaults comparatively easy.
| Prepare for Counters.
Late tonight the Germans were re-
ported massing in two thanking posi- :
tions apparently for heavy counter at :
tacks. The British, meantime, how
ever. had brought their guns far for.
ward on the ridge and were prepared.
1t was a day of intense heat and the
gunners worked stripped to the waist.
The attack went forward with clock
like regularity. At noon, $500 pris.
oners had been counted and It was
fully expected that they would Teaoh
5000. The British casualties were
slight.
The preparations for today's show
had been made carefully and delibag.
ately. Every detail was worked out
down to the last minute detail Of the
itinerary of each Of the tanks. The
tanks. by the way, had q field day.
The attack began at dawn and The
CONTINUED on Pass H1vol