Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-26

The tanks then pushed on, the con-
quest Of the wood being completed and
been driven into the village. Almost
Immediately the Germans delivered q
heavy counter attack on tho troops who
had penetrated the hamlet, and after
stiff engagement forced them to with
draw again to the edge Of the wood:
the attack on tho village.
1t was a battle in which the British
troops gloried. for 1t took them back
to the days Of other wars. when men
period of fighting behind sandbag para
pets was temporarily past and they
were at close grips with the enemy.
where they could employ the bayonet
The Germans had rushed up reinforce
ments which they had obtained by
raking every available point on their
line. During the morning the enemy
and threw themselves against the Brit
ish line at the edge Of the wood.
British Draw Lines Back.
A struggle followed. and the British,
unable to withstand the fury Of the Ger
man attack without too great a loss OF
life. withdrew slightly. and the Ger
edge of the forest. But the British
were not to let the matter rest, and
they surged forward agair. This .
dismounted cavalrymen advanced with
drove the enemy back and re-estab-
lished themselves on the old line.
Little by little the Germans were
forced to give ground at the northwest
lage. until the British infantry reached
the blood-stained streets of the hamlet
once more. Dusk settled down about
the contending forces. but they still
continued to shoot and thrust at one
another in the gathering darkness.
No more grim tragedy has been
enacted since the war began than was
staged among the ruins of Bourbon viii
lage last night. ITS finish found the
shattered German forces outside the
mination. Several times through the
night they reformed and swept forward
against the village, but each time were
hurled back with heavy losses.
Germans Hold Fontaine.
The village of Fontaine Notre Dame.
between Bourbon wood and Cambria.
was still in German hands today. This
shattered hamlet, however, was giving
the British no cause for worry, and at
1t and continuing to push ahead on the
northwest side.
The work Of British airplanes during
the present offensive forms a graphic
weather, which compelled them to OPP
crate within a few feet Of the ground.
they kept steadily at their task, and
rendered invaluable assistance both in
lions. There have been almost continual
battles between German infantry and
British airmen flying as low as thirty
feet above the ground Never before
has this kind Of warfare been carried
out on such a large scale. Pilots have
attacked infantry and gun crews indis-
criminately. wherever they encountered
them. and have inflicted heavy casual
ties on the enemy with bombs and ma
chine guns.
Shot in Air-Delighted.
The nature of the fighting can be seen
from the experience of a British pilot
whose machine was literally shot to
pieces by rifle and machine gun fire,
and who finally crashed down behind
airman yesterday presented himself at
headquarters after having been shot
down for the third time within two
days. He was delighted over his ex-
another machine SO that he might 60
out again.
One aviator attacked a column Of
German infantry marching in close
bombs directly among them. The troops
scattered. and as the airman whirled
away he saw two heaps of dead about
huge craters which the bombs had torn
in the road. There were innumerable
cases of airmen successfully bombing
airdromes, troop transports and gun
crews. A large number of artillery
crews have been wiped out either by
machine gun fire at close range or by
bombs.
Swell Toll Of Heroes,
Naturally many Of the airmen had
miraculous escapes from death, and
some, of course, paid the full price,
and have gone to swell the toll Of
brave men who have given their lives
for their king and country. Among the
hairbreadth escapes reported Is that
Of an aviator whose machine was torn
to pieces while he was fighting Ger
man infantry with his machine gun.
He was caught in the shellire and all
the wings of his machine were shot
away. Fortunately he was flying only
twenty or thirty feet above the ground
and stood on his own lines He crashed
down in no mans land and found him.
self unhurt He Immediately cana