The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-10-12
ALLIES STEAM !.
ROLLER PRESSES
ENEMY'S LINES
General Haig Regardless of Bad
Weather Is Following Up
Recent Victories
FRESH DRIVE THIS
MORNING NEAR YPREs
British Troops Along a Six Mile
Front Are Pending Teuton
Defensive

British Front in France and Bel.
9ium, Oct. 12.-At an early hour
today the British troops, which
began an attack in Flanders this
morning, had penetrated several
yards in to the enemy'o trenches
near HouthoIst wood to 4 point
below the Ypres-RouleIs railway
and were battling a'onJ the PAT
schendaeIe ridge, within one thou.
sand yards Of the center Of the
village Of PasschendaeIe.
BY 7:40 a. n., reports were re.
ceived that everything was going
we'll with the British attack ii
Flanders. The troops along a wide
front had pushed forward to. 4
depth averaging 300 yards Or
more. =
The prisoners began to como! (
in early, although slowly, owing To- =
the condition Of the ground. - .....
Indications are that the Ger. I
mans early were aware that, trou:
BILE was impending. About 4. a.. NJ
they fired large number of aat:
sheIIs along the British 'front.' ::
The British steam roller ."goes up:
hill very slowly, but it is now going
downhill and battles are following
each other more and more rapidly"
This statement was made. vest terdiy
by Major General F. B. Maurice dl,
rector of operations, at the British
war Office. =. ~ :.
The truth of his assertion was div:
en- home less than "a hours after It
was made, by the beginning %of this
of another British attack lin
Flanders. Only three days had elapsed
since the last attack. $3.50
Tuesdays push was launched after
four day pause, the last previous
drive having been carried out the pre-.
ceding Thursday. Previously, intervals
of a week or more had elapsed be.
tween the British attacks.
Progress Reported.
Good progress was reported early
by Field Marshal Haig along the six
mile front, northeast of Ypres, on
which today's assault is being deliv.
cred. Apparently the objective is the
remainder Of the ridge commanding
the Flanders plains, over the COM
manding points of which the British
have passed and are driving down.
ward.
Regardless Of Weather.
Another notable fact in connection
with the present series OF drives 10
that each is now apparently being
made regardless of weather condi-
tions. One good day for airplane Oh.
servations was enough for the British
in this instance to get their ranges.
launch their drum fire, drop their
barrage and push to the attack
through the mud and renewed rain.
fall
No Use to Wait.
Military observers in this cOnnec.
tion credit the British high command
with the belief that it is probably of
little use to wait for good weather, at
this time Of the year in Flanders.
consideration pointed to Is
the reported weakening state of tho
German army morale, an opportunity
to be seized with all possible prompt.
tude if the utmost advantage is to be
taken of it. There is no indication
that the French forces of the British
left, which pushed forward approxi.
mately a mile to the edge of Houth0lst
wood in Tuesdays attack, are part OF
today's advance. Their task for tho
moment seems to have been c0mplet-
ed by the bringing up of their lines
to a point where efficient protection
would be given the British left dank
in the renewal of the wedge-driving
process being carried out between Pas
and Gheluvelt.
The main enemy today was not the
Germans, but the mud. The Germans
were far less formidable than previ.
ously, owing to the disorganizatton
occasioned among them by the recent
terrific blows Of the British. The cor
yesterday met Field Mar
shall Haig, who does not confine him.
self to headquarters. The field mar
shall paid the highest tribute to the
men for their work in the bad
weather.
!
SATISFACTORY PROGRESS.
London, Oct. 12.-The British troops
in Flanders attacked the Germans
this morning on a front of about SIX
miles northeast of Ypres. They are
reported to be making satisfactory
progress. Rain fell heavily during last
night. The official report from Field
Marshal Haig's headquarters today
reads:
I'VE attacked at 5:25 o'clock this
morning on front of about six miles
northeast of Ypres. Our troops are
repOrted to be making satisfactory
~. H;D,CA a. :-uo. .l>