The sun., 1917-03-01
BRITISH REACH
BAPAUME RIDGE
Are Only a Mile From the
Town Which Was Objec-
tive of Big Drive.
Com MECOURT Is TAKEN
Haig's Men Continue to Push
On. Great Trench Systems
Being Captured.


LONDON, Feb. 2S.--British troops are
only mile from Bapaume. Infantry
forces, pressing after the retreating Ger
mans. have set foot on the Bapaume
ridge. They can see now for the first
time the town that has been their goal
ever since the Somme offensive opened
eight months ago tomorrow.
1t is believed here that earlier signs
were not misleading. and that the Ger
mans actually intend to evacuate Ba-
paume. In fact, all but tthe last line Of
defence of the town itself may be already
in the hands of Sir Douglas Haig's ad-
vancing troops.
The Germans have given up the village
Of Thilloy. almost exactly Il mile SOUTH
west Of Bapaume, and more important
still, atop the ridge of which Bapaume
IL the central point. II was on this ridge
that 1t was thought the Germans might
stand.
Trench system Captured.
To-night's official report says that "the
trench system adjoining" Th!lloy has
fallen into British hands This may
mean the wonderfully strong and in
tricate section of the old German fourth
line just beyond Thilloy. between 1t and
Bapaume. II so all that remains is the
Bapaume line itself. which is compara-
lively new.
! Nor are these the only successes an
nounced for the British to-day. Gomme-
court, nearly Ave miles north Of the
Ancre, along q mighty fortress before
which thousands OF British troops laid
down their lives in vain efforts to storm
1t, has been given up almost without re-
sistance. Beyond and little southeast
, of Gommecourt the struggling village OF
Tuiseux-nu.Mont has been taken.
! To strengthen their hold on these posi-
! tions the British have pushed forward
I near by Their line is now more than
half mile northeast Of Gommecourt.
progressing in regions where hitherto all
attacks had been repealed.
Patrols SIN Advancing.
Trench systems adjoining Puisieux-au-
I Mont have fallen also to the British, and
patrols are still creeping ahead, as close
. behind the Germans as Is safe.
! An attack has been made on the Ger
man lines at the point where apparently
b
tucked and captured this morning part
OF German trench northeast of Sally
Saillisel, near the strong lie Transloy po-
sition, and took eighty-five prisoners ant
u a machine gun.
For the first time the German Wal
: Office breaks it's silence concerning the
Ancrc retirement, only to imply that
everything Is going as the General stan
;! hoped.
In the Ancre section infantry engage
ments in front OF our positions took ths
course desired by the command" 1t says
Big Retreat Likely.
! Viewed In combination with the con
! tnuing retirement. this statement in
!; creaseS the wonderment as to where 1
Will stop. Besides the strong possibility
that Bapaumc Is to be handed over tn,
more vague chance that the hoped fo
: retreat to the Arras-Cambrai line Is OF
at last is widely discussed
That Entente leaders believe there arr
great possibilities in the situation il
| evidenced by the fact that a conference
or the highest British and French com
nanders OF Government and army wa
held at Calais on Monday. Even the fac
of the conference was kept secret unit
1t was over but there is no doubt her
that it centred upon the German retire
ment on the Ancre and how the Allie
might best take advantage of it,
Great Britain sent to the conferenc
Premier Lloyd George, Gen. Sir William
Robertson. the Chief of StafY, and Fiel
| Marshal Sir Douglas Haig. commandin
the armies In France. The French repre-
sentatives We're Premier BRAND. Ger
| Lyautey, the Minister of War, and Ger
Nivele, commanding the French arinie
| in France.
| Activity at Other Points.
The Somme- Ancrc front continues (
be the centre OF interest on the wester
| battle line but raids and small recon
uoitring attacks at other points on tina
front by both British and French troop
are doubtless with the intention of as
certaining whether or not the German
are preparing a wider retirement.
| The official statements follow.
| Brlt!sh--This morning we attacked
and captured n portion of an enemy
trench northeast of Sally -Saillisel
and took eighty-five prisoners. includ-
| ing two officers. and also a machine
| gun.
| our advance north and south Of the
Ancre continued during the night We
| occupied Gommecourt to-day. We have
| captured the villages of Thiloy and
puseuN- Mont, together with the
trench system adjoining them, and
have pushed our line forward loo
yards to the northeast of Gomme.
court.
a successful raid was carried out
last night In the neighborhood OF
Clery, Our troops reached the enemy's
second line and captured twenty-five
| prisoners. We also entered the cnemy's
| positions northeast of Arras and south
| west and west Of Lens and bombed
several occupied dugouts.
An enemy raid northeast OF Armen'
| there's was repulsed with loss
IL Much valuable reconnaissance worl
| was carried out by our airplanes yes
| terday. A number Of air fights tool
| place and three OF our machines were
} brought down.
on Sunday naval alrplanes raidet