The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-11-30
General Byng Smashes Through
hlndenhurg Line Toward
City OF Cambria.
BOOBIES TAKEN BY SURPRISE
Tanks Play . bio Part IN the sensa.
tIonaI vletory--ltsllan 5ravely Re-
slstlno Powerful Attacks Of Austre-
oermans--En Enemy Aliens In Amer.
lea Under Surveillance.
By EDWARD W. pIcKARp.

~ - " fNFtR W. FfAhfNnGs
Lieut.. Gen. Sir Julian Byng smashed
q grent hole liz the Iiindenburg line
between 81. Quentin and the Scarpe.
General Dlaz and his heroic Italians
put a stop for the time being to the
Teuton attacks on most OF the Plave
river line. General Allenby and the
British army In Palestine moved
steadily ON TO the development Of Je-
rasalem The French struck the
crown princes forces hard blow In
the Aisne sector. President Wilson
placed the severest restrictions on en-
envy aliens In the United States.
Altogether II was not pleasant
week for Kaiser Wilhelm.
General Byng'a sensational advance,
which WAS begun Tuesday and con-
tlnued through the week, was hailed
an the greatest British victory since
the Somme. Its success was due large
" 70 the element OF surprise. for the
British had been delivering their pre-
paratory artillery tlre much further
north aud then suddenly attacked In
the Cambria sector, taking the Ger.
mans quite unawares. General Byng,
who devised the plan and whose army
carried II out. first sent out Il great
number OF tanks and as these cleared
away the barbed.wlre entanglements
and broke through two OF the strong
est lines In the German defense sys-
tenn In the west, the infantry and cav
airy followed with rush that car
rled All before H. The Germans were
demorahzed, and for many hours Of
fered little resistance, surrendering
by the thousand, and the British
moved rapidly forward, taking village
after village, ana quickly consolldat-
lng the enemy positions. which had not
been badly demolished by shell FIRE.
Almost 70 Cambria.
on Wednesday the resistance Of the
enemy stlfEened considerably, but 60
no avail, for the British pushed on I'M
til they had put behind them the towns
OF hiosnlercs. Marcolng, Ribecourt,
Havrincourt, Graineourt and Files,
duieres. The tanks stiil were leading
the way, and cooperating with them
were tho mounted forces, which have
had so little opportunity for real nc.
ton. lily Thursday noon Byng's troops
were but little more than two miles
from Cambria, and his big guns had
begun 20 she'll that most important
German base and railway center
The British swiftly built roads aud
light railways across the captured sec,
/ ton up 90 their new lines aud also be
gan 20 widen out their salient, which
ut first was dangerously sharp. Grown
Prince Rupprecht rushed up masses
81 troops aud took up strong position
IN Bourbon wood Just north Of the
British salient. dominating the immc
di6te region, lie also pushed the al
vance posts % she British out of Fon
taine Notre Dame, but they held and
consolidated all the rest 90 the terri
tory they had gained
The secrecy which enyeloped the
preparations for this great movement,
was astounding and speaks volumes
I Tor the skill % the British command
ers and the efficiency % the aviation
corps which prevented the enemy ait
scouts from discovering the masslnr
% troops and tanks. The Camhral
sector bad been quiSt for long time
and the Germans considered that par,
of their defense lines impregnable
They also Thought an attack In forcs
CA such defenses could not be made
Successfully without artillery prepa.
ratioa, At tremendous cost they have
learned they were mistaken III both n.
stances
Attack Has Several osleets.
Aside from the capture 81 Cambria
Hud the possible forcing Of general
retreat OF the Germans on the west
/ front the Immediate object 81 this
lridsh offensive probably was to re.
tess the pressure on the Italians aud