The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-11-22
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greatest of the war dramas then
about to start.
OF a sudden the moment came. It
was the kickoff. Nothing but the
tense moment when the ball is put in
to play SO aptly expresses the moment.
A little while-and hell broke loose.
1t seems almost preposterous that
the Germans in a great many places
on their lines did not awaken with the
first snorting of the tanks as they
crunched great swaths through the
Boche wires. But there were count
less instances where it was not until
the behemoths themselves, their
tongues flaming ahead, their steel bel
lies flattening the earth, actually came
over the German trenches, that the
Boche came to life. Your German is
creature of habit He knew it was
customary for artillery to precede an
attack. There was no artillery. Hence
there could be no attack!
No wonder he was dazed
The Inferno Of British artillery did
not start until the tanks We're well
over their first detectives. Then it
came, a deluge, molten flame, it
seemed. From Lens to st. Quentin. 1
am told today, the British artillery
SpCOACo Wy " 1CScllSn NlOleuCS.
The multitude of tanks found it easy
going. The general in command of
the land leviathans had sent word to
all his crews:
The tank corps expects every tank
to do its damnedest"-and the tanks
did it with full damnation to the
Boches.
The ground over which they wrig-
igled was practically flat There were
few shell holes Mighty few of the
monsters got stuck A few were
knocked out around Flesquieres later
on, when heavy German field gun,
mizzle depressed. fired point blank at
a range of $50 yards.
Behind the tanks trooped the infan-
try, taking it easy, laughing in glee at
the astonished Boches and their fren.
zied cries Of "kamerad" or disregard-
ing staccato machine gun fire, that the
more wide-awake-and courageous
Of the enemy poured in their ranks.
There were several spots where the
Hindenburg- line was captureh without
a single casualty among the British
attackers.
Here and there behind the tanks
and the infantry, the cavalry swept
observation-disclosures, later in the fight
ing actually disregarding the slow
moving tanks and dashing on to swing
their sabres and overwhelm the en-
envy. They had waited long years,
these cavalrymen, for chance at
the enemy and they made the most Of
the holiday opportunity. British in
fantrymen who arrogantly turned up
their noses in other days at the caval-
rymen, holding that it was the trench
boys who were the real soldiers. had
to revise their opinion today They
hadn't seen cavalry in action before.
Nobody else habitat is against firm
lily fixed trench defenses
The cavalry carved itself a niche in
the wars history by the two days
work just passed. Today they were
still carving.
Their speed gives them the edge.
In several towns captured yesterday
the mounted troopers swarmed in
while the Boches were lunching.
The Germans were beginning to re-
cover from their daze today and head
quarters reported frenzied opposition
at half a dozen points around Cam
brai But the suddenness of the blow
and two days of tremendous sweeping
gains over the Hindenburg line, has
UNNECESSARILY lowered the German
soldiers morale. He had been told the
Hindenburg line couldn't be taken.
1t has been taken Perhaps he is be-
ginning to think there may be other
untruths in what his commanders tell
him.
Newspaper correspondents had their
thrill in the proceedings late yester-
day. They were objects of assidious
attention OF German snipers at Ribe.
court
Cambria to Fall Next.
[By Ed l.. Keen, United Press Staff
Correspondent
LONDON, Nov. 22-Cambrai. center