Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-22
TRIUMPHANT BRITISH
DRAW LINE CLOSER
TO TOWN OF CAMBRIA
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" bOuuJv VI
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b said that tho mounted men went into
a0kien at II 30 o'clock yesterday mosMnS .
after the tanks had opened the way
through the barbed wire TINS Va r one
Of the features Of the battle in which Gen,
Pershinx appeared to take desp intsrs9.
while he was at the front yestsruay. ~
has been 3 wonderful two days TOT tne
horsenen. who had been ssies Sash 9 Nv
exceptions, since early In the war. Tnou-
sasds Of them have been opUeunS over
. wide area beyond the Hindenourg une.
Germans Call for Help.
Up to the actual hour Of the British at
tack there We're moments when great sSi !.
ness reigned over the battle front. and II
seemed Impossible that within snort
time the line would be seetning cauioi is;1-
Al 20 O'Clock long line OF tanAS 1,s
tributed over a wide front started for
ward, At the same time the British IN
fantry on either side of the land montois
made thrusts at the German line Witnih
a distance of many miles was tanning
with variegated signals which CARED
frantically for help from the German gun,
ners in the rear. Red, green, Whlte anu any
blue lights shot up In every direction, ana
the rockets Showered a myriad OF stars
down through the gloom. like mammoth
display of fireworks
The dismay of the Germans was
plazed across the sky as clearly in this
unforgettable whirlwind OF pyroeech,
mics as though their higher command
had announced It officially. Their guns
came into action, first one. then half
dozen, then scores but their fire was
weak. They were not prepared Ios
such an eventuality or they Wouiu
have shown 1t in their artillery WORK
The British big guns soon began TO
break the silence on their side. not IN
the form of a barrage fire, but IN
counter battery work. Meanwhile the
tanks rolled on over that which was
virtually a virgin battlefield.
Preparations Last Weeks
For weeks the process of concentrat-
ing men and guns for this great at
fully had 1t been done that compare
lively few officers in the British army
knew what was transpiring. 1t was q
startling move on the part OF Ffeid
Marshal Haig to open battle so quickly
on a quiet part Of the line, far removed
from the cockpit of Europe around
Ypres. For many months there had
been nothing more than occasional
raids. with now and then furry of
artillery fire in the Cambria sector.
Allied Forces Electrified.
CANADIAN HEADQUARTERS, France,
via London, Wednesday. November Fl.
The splendid British advance has
electrified the allied forces on the west
ern front Nowhere has the striking
success Of Gen. Byng and his army been
greeted with greater enthusiasm than
by the Canadian corps. None of the
congratulations pouring in upon him
Canadian forces which he commanded
SO ably. So well was the secret of the
advance kept that 1t was not until the
afternoon of the attack that whisper
army of their old leader was striking
on the south. By evening, when the
splendid success of the attack was
known, Canada in Flanders was jubi-
liant. Within q month France. to the
north. had shown her mettle and repu-
dated the Islander of those who said
her strength was broken. Canada and
Britain at Passchendaele had stormed
positions Of great value to the enemy
and completed their hold on the ridges
which threatened his command Of the
Belgian coast and Flanders. Now. to
the south. the troops of the United
Kingdom have broken their way
never equaied before on the western
front In the same length of time.
. Neither the confusion of Russia nor the
ordeal Of Italy can offset the import
'ance Of these thirty days developments
Vital theater q the war.
Nothing More Daring.
No wonder the Canadians are tubilant.
So II all France and Flanders. This
war has been marked by changing tao
tics, but nothing more daring or dra-
matte than the policy which sent the
troops over the top with multitudes of
tanks and without a suggestion of
bsrrage to indicate their coming. Guns
have been brought into far advanced
positions before, but not until the adj
vance troops signaled them to bonn
hard men.
Three days ago the Canadian press
visited Arras. Bapaume
and Albert to see the old Canadian
hattleheids of the Somme. No move
ment of troops, equipment or supplies
marked the road. The outward indi-
cetious signified the stagnation of.win-
"a Only. the numerous airpIanes and
q occasional shell suggested war.
m was nothing to tell that. night
q. 81 night, men had been moved up,
81 advanced and supplies rushed for
ND. Germany's secret service spies
14n outwitted. They knew too late.
&nneh Scnrn Pin Gain