Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-27
SANGUINARY FIGHT
GAINS FOR BRITONS

| sanctuary FIGHT
GAINS FOR BRITONs
CONTINUED From Page ~
village the British have acquired pos
session of one of the most iInportan
points they have secured since thu
great drive began last Tuesday. Thi:
high ground controls wide sweep o.
territory and it's occupation holds GU
the possibility that the Germans
eventually will be forced to withdraw
their lines to the northwest.
The Bourbon position also oyerlooks
Cambria but this city may be a hard
nut to crack, because the central part
is walled and many suburbs radiate
from it, forming natural barriers
against an advancing west. 1t seems
possible that Cambria may ultimately
become sort of No Mans Land, dom
mated by the big guns on both sides
and that this ancient town with its
fine old cathedral and picturesque
walls will go the way of so many
other places which come under artil.
lery fire.
CIVILIANS EvAcUATE cAMBRAi.
In the last few days large amount
of traffic has been pouring out OF
Cambria toward the south, indicating
the probability that the Germans have
evacuated the civilian population and
are preparing for eventualities.
That the Germans attached greatest
importance to Bourbon wood and the
Village iwas fully evidenced by their
strenuous resistance and the intense
counter attacks hurled against the
British lines. Several counter thrusts
were delivered by the enemy Satur.
day. Some of them succeeded tempo
rarily, but the British Immediately
pushed forward again and regained
the lost ground.
The fighting over the wooded slopes
of this elevation has been among
the most spectacular of the war, for
the occupation of the forest was due
largely to the work of tanks and air.
men who paved the way for the on
rushing infantry. A number Of iron
monitors led the advance to Bourbon
wood Friday with British planes
circling over the enemy at a height OF
from thirty to fifty feet and carrying
on vigorous warfare with their ma
chine guns and bombs. 1t was hard
fighting but the advance was contin-
ued successfully until the northeast
corner of the wood was reached where
force of the enemy.
AvIAToRS RoUT INFANTRY.
British airmen, who had been fight
ing close to the ground, deliberately
down on the enemy Infantry
men with machine guns, pumping a
steady stream of bullets into the Ger
man ranks. The battle was short and
decisive. The airplanes wheeled and
rewheeled over the heads of the Ger
sive fire that the defenders were
forced to retire from the position after
suffering considerable losses. The
tanks then pushed on, the conquest of
The wood being completed and an en-
.ering wedge having been driven into
the village.
Almost Immediately the Germans
delivered a heavy counter attack on
he troops who had penetrated the
hamlet and after stiff engagement
forced them to withdraw again to the
edge of the wood.
Saturday morning the British re-
1ewed the attack on the village.
BAYONETS CLASH IN BATTLE.
1t was battle in which British
.roops gloried, for it took them back
% the days of other wars when men
struggled in the, open. The trying
period of fighting behind sandbag
was temporarily past and
hey were at close grips with the
enemy, where they could employ the
oayonet which they know so well how
@ use. The Germans had rushed up
which they had obtain
ed by raking every available point on
heir line.
During the morning the enemy ad-
vanced in strength from the north
British line at the edge of the wood. A
struggle followed and the
British, unable to withstand the fury
If the German attack without too
great loss of life, withdrew slightly
Ind the Germans gained a footing in
he northern edge of the forest. But
he British were not to let the matter
est and they surged forward again. !
This time dismounted cavalrymen ad-
ranced with the infantry and between I
hem they drove the enemy back and
'e-established the old line.
GERMANS CONTINUE FIGHTING.
Little by little the Germans were
orced to give ground at the north !
vest edge of the wood at Bourbon vii |
age until the British infantry reach !