The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-13
Presses Back Tsuton Linz
Along Six-Mile Front IN
Dashins Attack.
PERSHINC WIRES HAIG
HIS CONGRATULATIONS
Roulers, Rail Center Vital 10
German Submarine Bases on
Belgian Coast, Msnaced by
British Advance

London, Oct 12.--Chargfng &S
dawn through a sea of mud the Brit
ish today resumed their drive In
Flanders Despite the meanest KIND
of weather faced them since spring
the attack was crowned with COM
plete success. The object was to push
the Teutons further from the tip Of
the Paxschendaele ridge, and this was
accomplished. In the very first hour
OF the new offensive, the third to BE-
launched in the same sector within
eight days, the attackers wedged
themselves nearly thousand yards
into the German positions. Tho at
lacking front was about six miles
long, stretching from Houtholst wood.
where the British and French lines
join. down TO a point south OF the
Ypres- Roulers railway. Several hum
dred prisoners were taken.
The center OF the bitterest fighting
the Teutons again rendered tenaci-
Gus resistance. yielding only inch by
irch--was. the village of Passcken-
dae1e itself tseven miles northeast OF
Ypres). The last British attack,
launched Tuesday of this week. had
brought Sir Douglas Haigs troops
within / 900 yards of this fortress vii
| lage Today's drive saw their ad-
vance guard battling In fierce man to-
\
coveted place. One more blow and it
must fall. Today's attack was no sur
prise to the defenders. An hour be-
fore the '~rommies' leaped over the
top. hail of gas shells was sent into
their lines They did nothing to spoil
or postpone the assault.
| A Splendid Success.
| The British commander himself
was amazed at the success Of the OPP
! Grafton. ut is simply Splendid he
said to correspondents at the front
The entire history of Flanders shows
that the soldiers worst enemy Ii mud.
This is true more than ever because
In the particular section here the ma
tural drainage was stopped when the
| country was inundated.
| Notwithstanding the mud. the Brit
fish including men from all dorninions
and the French have overcome both
the mud and the Germans.
| From General Pershing came this
COZ wratuiatoFy message to Haig to-
day:
Permit me TO extend sincere con-
gratulations to you and your mag
nitcent army upon the recent impor-
tant gains in front of Ypres.
| They give a striking answer to the
weakened peace propaganda"
/ Haig's Hearty Response
In reply to this Haig telegraphed
to the American commander -in-chief:
~ wish to thank you very heartily
in behalf of the British army under
my command for your most kind tele-
gram. We look forward to the day
I when American armies Join us on the
western front and we are quite conf
| dent that the allies, so reinforced,
/ will fight the war to an early and de-
4 cis.ve end"
h The mornings successes was a
striking proof of yesterdays assertion
by Major-General Maurice. that the
British steam roller goes up hill very
slowly. but 1t is now going down hin
and battles are following each other
more rapidly"
Three Days Between Blows.
I Only three days were allowed 70
struck Last Tuesdays attack fol-
| lowed four days pause. Before that
not less than a week was taken before
the renewal of the push. Determine
ed 60 wrest from the Teutons the last
remaining portion Of the big ridge
northeast of Ypres the British COM
/ mander Is expected to strike again
within the next few days. Weather Is
no longer allowed to dictate pauses,
tor winter will set IN before the mid
die OF November and before that the
British propose to have their bat
tertes we'll Installed all along the ridge
with their infantry at the foot of the
eastern slope ready to sweep down
into the Flanders plain.
i Todays drive again adds to the
menace to the German submarine
bases on the Belgian coast since Pass
chendaele Is only some SIX miles from
i Roulers, the big rail center which II
vital to those bases Teuton attacks
on the French front we're again ~.
Ipulsed today.