Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-08
RITISHHAvE
GAINED FROM
LAST MOVES
Cambrai's Backward Step
Gives Tommies Fine
Location.

London, Dee. S.-The number OF
Iulluus captured by the Germans
and iustrians in their new often
s1e now exceeds 1909. accord
ing tp an official Austrian au-
nruRcpmeut. Strong points east
Ct isiHgo have been stOrmed, the
statement says.
British Headquarters In France,
Friday. bee. by Associated
Pres, Distinct satisfaction was
felt aldng the British front today
al the success Of the retirement in
the Cambria sector. The world
will never know the full story OF
The hrruism displayed by General
BJug's men In holding Bourbon
wood. lighting and working day
and night in gas helmets.
The Germans have been losing
heavily boo men ever since they start
cd 10 follow the British retirement.
The British rear guards were with
drawn In sections leaving the enemy
puzzled as to the exact situation and
lhe constant artillery and rife fire of
ODE British together with their patrol
assaults confused the enemy Every
British gun and every piece OF am
uun.tuu was removed safely.
After The main body Of troops had
been withdrawn few hardy Tommies
who had been left behind blew up the
bridges over the Nord canal. These
Hplosi0ns at about daylight Wednes-
day gave the Germans their first init
nation .hat something unusual was
l'ooi
Germans Occupy ~Gift."
The Germans today continued their
work OF reoccupying the devastated
re bequeathed to them by the Brit
Sl when General Byug made his With
dmwul from the Cambrai salient.
II was an unsavory task that faced
'bg enemy The Bourbon wood still
was reeking with poisonous gas
Bra.ncourt, Anneux. Cataing, Noyelles
MARCHING and Masnieres were q waste
OF ruins and the low lying ground on
which the Germans apparently hat
planned to- dig their new trenches was
overlooked by the British positions.
Into this desert the big guns were
hurting IONS OF explosives and ma
chine guuners were whipping a con
slant stream Of bullets into the ranks
oi the enemy sent forward prospect
ing i1r desirable points available f9i
defense Meanwhile the major portion
o.. the British army was sitting com
iortabiy On their new home, their con
s7.ilauou virtually having been com
pIeied before they started to retire a
midnight Tuesday
Tommy "COmig" in Trenches.
As matter of fact, part of theil
work Was done for them by the Ger
mans Iu the famous Hindenburl
Trenches The wonderful German dug
outs and network of front line ant
communication trenches were all a
TIE disposal OF the Tommies who lool
9Bt with uuC0uceFued satisfaction a
he former occupants now labOrin
mserably TO build underground habi
Glious
Fighting continued today at man
points between advanced patrols Q
zoe British and the Germans. In tn
region of La Vacquerie the German
save u0 Indication that they had aban
aonod their attempt to oust the Brit
Sn from the high ground just mort
\ oi La NacQuerie village.
The British who held Bourbon WOO
\ SO calamity were compelled to wea
gas masks most of the time they wer
I'd Che forest The ground wa
S"ampy in many places and the Who'll
= wood was covered with underbrusf
A llese TWO features resulted in ga
hanging about the woods in clouds a
me time. In some points it was per
nous even TO remove the mask to ca
OF drink and this necessitated FIRE
| 9uent relief.
II is impossible, Of course, to civ
ah adequate estimate of the humble
vl German troops employed in the OF
sTalions along the new battle lin
,Aee General Byng began his push o
No'. 30, but IL probably Is not far or
" ihe way to say that the enemy ha
something like go, 900 men.
British Have Possession.
Tia British withdrawal leaves th
british IN fun possession of the Hin
Vh0urg line between the Nord cans
Sla Fillers-plouich. East Of Viller'
rloulch the British line crosses III
system and then southwest towar
Salche wood, which the British sti
suld The new positions are exceed
Msly strong
The British artillery fire upon II
Fc'acuated zone is very heavy and u
ueTmans have suffered considerab
easlalties Something like two thou'
-uu Germans were killed at one plat
URN Of Flesquieres yesterday aftei
"Von by artillery fire.
Active on the Meuse.
Paris, Dec. S-"There was acti'
s%,ul'ery lighting last night on Il
'sat bank Of the Mouse, particular
p Tue sector between Bezonvaux an
s,,aamont and in the region OF III
~ Nv, says today's official announc