The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-11-21

ish offensive. .s .,,o
The American commander viewed the
great battle with the deepest interes''
London, Nov. 21-The q enpurs
lines has been broken to a den -four
to five miles, the war office al fes'
The British troops stormed st
system of the Hindenburg line de. "
on the whole front between ST. Que
and the Scarpe river.
From st. Quentin to the Scarpe a.
thirty-two miles.
The British infantry and tanks press.
ed on and captured the second system Oh
defenses. of mile beyond.
The attack was begun yesterday oS
the third army.
No Artillery Preparation.
There was no artillery preparation
and the Germans were taken completely
by surprise.
The second system of German de-
fenses captured by the British Is known
as the Hindenburg support line The
british captured Benavis, Lameau
Wood. La Vacquerie, the defenses
known as Welsh Ridge and Rfbecourt
village. Their operations are continu-
ing.
Several thousand prisoners have been
taken.
The whole German line west Of the
Canal du Nord to the Bapaume-C Cambria
road has been captured
Towns and Forest Captured.
The towns of Havrincourt Marcoing,
Graincourt and Anneux and Neuf
wood have been captured by the British.
The British also fought their way
through Couillet wood.
Lieutenant General Sir Julian Byng
is in command of the attacking army.
large number of tanks moved for
ward in advance of the infantry when
the attack was opened and broke
through successive belts OF German
wire defenses, which were of great
depth and strength.
The announcement follows:
Yesterday morning the third army,
under command of General the Hon. Sir
Julian Byng, delivered number of at
tacks between st. Quentin and the riv-
er Scarpe. These attacks were carried
out without previous artillery prepara-
ton and i'm each case the enemy was
completely surprised
our troops have broken into the
enemy's positions TO depth of between
four and five miles on a wide front and
have captured several thousand prison
ers with a number of guns. Our opera
tions are continuing
Big Tanks Tear Wire.
AT the hour of assault on the princi-
pal front of attack. a large number OF
tanks moved forward in advance of the
infantry and broke through successive
belts OF German wire which were OF
great depth and strength.
Following through the gaps made by
the tanks, English, Scottish and Irish
regiments swept over the enemys out
hn of al We
system of the Hindenburg line on the
whole front.
Our infantry and tanks then swept
on in accordance with the program, and
captured the German second line OF
defense more than a mile beyond.
This latter is known as the Hinden
burg support line.
The number of prisoners, guns and
material captured cannot yet be esti-
mated
The spell of fine weather which ia
vored our preparations for the attacks
broke early yesterday. a heavy rain fell
iuring the night. and the weather Is
now stormy"
Germans Are Dazed.
The resistance offered by the dazed
Germans this morning was negligible
and by noon British pioneers already
were at work laying roads across the
old front line trenches, while prisoners
in considerable numbers had begun to
come back from various directions.
The casualties Of the British forces
thus far have been light. Great num-
bers of German dead lie before the
main Hindenburg trench. where the be.
wildered enemy. taken unawares. made
a half hearted attempt to stem the on
rushing Britons.
The battle was an innovation for the
western front, for IL was begun without
any preliminary artillery work. Upon
the army tanks rested the responsibility
for victory or defeat. and they fulfilled
all expectations. The iron giants went
through the tremendous line of barbed
wire entablements In front of the Hin
denburg positions. and on over the
trenches. as IL they were on parade.
Infantry Swarms Forward
The tanks started forward at $40
o'clock and by l1:30 the British infan-
try, which had swarmed into the holes
made by the mighty engines was engag-
ing the enemy in open fighting along
the Hindenburg support line back of
the main defenses at many points.
The Germans surrendered freely in
numerous places and several hundred
were brought in during the first few
hours OF the fighting.
The tanks this afternoon. followed by
infantry. were continuing their journey
into enemy territory.
Prisoners admit ruefully that the at
tack was a surprise TO them. and
caught many OF them in their dugouts.
The secrecy with which the British
made their preparations was one OF the
most striking features OF the offensive
Guns. tanks and troops were moved