Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-10-27
fought determinedly to retain the po-
sitions.
Advance About TOO Yards.


South of here, above Poelcapeiie. tho
British made a considerable advance
and stormed into subsection two forti-
ned farms Southwest Of Poelcapelle
they went ahead with better speed ana
in something less than twenty minutes
after the signal was made Tor the
attack had negotiated about seven nun
bred yards of territory. which took
them beyond the German concrete de-
Tense known as the Moray house. me
ground here was very Wet ana 'he
going was difficult.
German airplanes in this sector were
very active over the BRUSH lines III
deed, both air services were busy our
ing the battle Notwithstanding the rain
and the cloudy sky. The Germans I'M
doubtedIy knew that an attack was
coming here because they dropped a
barrage I'VE minutes before the brie'sh
gums opened Are.
All the attacks were launched under
the most trying conditions imaginable.
The ground had been partly drleo by
several days OF sunshine and vino. on.
II again began to rain at midnight ana
dawn found the ground in extremely
difficult condition. In many places the
troops were faced with fmpassaoie
morasses around which they had 10
make their way wallowing In mud up
to their knees and slipping into. water
filed shell holes neck deep. They went
forward. however, with determined
spirit these men of France. of Canada.
the British empire.
French Reach Detectives.
ON the left the French pushed ahead
on narrow front of about a thousand
Yards into territory that had been
heavily defended with fortified farms
and pill boxes Their artillery prepara-
ton had been perfect and virtually all
the concrete strongholds had been
knocked out by shellfire before the
infantry attacked. The French reached
their detectives without delay, reduc-
ing Lucarne farm among other fortified
places.
4 small party of poiius added a spec
tacular touch to the operations after
the main body had rested on the new
line. Just in front of them was
marsh through which flowed a small
stream. a number of infantrymen
waded across this swamp in water up
to their necks and forced the Hibou
farm northwest of Draeibank, to sur |
render. 1t seemed doubtful whether
they would be able to hold this isolated
place. but they were in it at the latest
reports
of about 5000 yards across the Pass |
Glendale spur and just north of 1t
were met by fierce resistance, and they |
won their way to Bellevue and other |
points by continual hard fighting The !
advance along this sector averaged |
possession of ground that the Ger !
mans had determined to hold at all !
costs.
Win by Main Force.
Wolf copse was the first obstacle en-
countered. This copse. heavily defend |
ed with machine guns had been the |
scene Of much bitter fighting recently. !
The British Stormed this position and |
forced their way through with rifles |
and bayonets. They were then close to
Bellevue and the many concrete EN-
placements there sent heavy I
machine gun barrage against them as
they advanced. They went on. how
ever, and hurled the Germans back
from the western crest of the spur by [
main force. The enemy Immediately |
counter attacked all along the spur.
and a hard struggle followed. but the
British still maintained their hold on
This important ground
Fighting about Polderhoek chateau
in the Gheluvelt spur was particular
ly severe The ground about the chat
eau was very boggy and the chateau,
which stood on a little knoll. was sur
rounded by concrete pill boxes. The
Germans had a large force of infantry
holding this place. The British storm
ed the position and successfully en-
gagged the pill boxes with bombs. A
large number of prisoners were taken
here. and the German losses were con-
siderable South of here the British
pushed forward along the spur for
aOme distance