The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-24

famed for its supposed lmpreSna Dillty-
At least five determined counter at
lacks have been smashed in this
region. Southeast of Bullecourt hard
fighting occurred at Moeuvres last
night, and a strong counter attack was
repulsed.
The last lines of trench defenses in
the region of Cantaing have been
broken and the British today were
firmly established at many points in
the Masnieres-B eaurois line south of
Cambria.
It is now possible to give more de-
tails of Tuesdays battle. In the ad-
vance south of Camprai the first hard
fighting occurred at Lateau wood,
which lies on the Cambria highway
south of Masnieres. This wood finally
was cleared of Germans and the adj
vance continued toward Masnieres.
Some opposition was encountered in a
suburb, but by l o'clock this had been
overcome and the British had crossed
the L'Escaut canal at a lock. The
small German garrison fought bitterly
to retain Masnieres. The whole place
was undermined with dugouts IN
which the enemy was hidden with
machine guns, but the Germans were
forced to give up this place after a
sanguinary struggle, altho some of
them were still holding out in the
cellars today.
In Hand to- Hand Battle.
MaTcOlDR was IdheH Will oAIIolA
sistance on the part of the enemy and
this gave the British a second cross
ing of the canal. The advancing
troops forced a passage here at the
same hour as Masnieres was entered.
The Masnieres- Reaurois trench line,
north of Masnieres, apparently bad
been reinforced by Germans fNom
Cambria and this front held up the
advance temporarily with rifle and
machine gun fire, but the British
alternately forced the Germans from
the trenches in hand to hand fight
ing.
German resistance on the first day
was comparatively weak as a whole
and they surrendered freely in many
places. Yesterday their lines stiffened
reinforcements from Lens and the
two companies of invalids already
mentioned were thrown into the line.
Now Down Massed Counter.
The first counter attack came over
the ridge from the northeast of Mas
nieres. The enemy advanced in massed
! formation as in the early days of the
war. The British had concentrated a
| large number of machine guns at this
! point and were hoping for a counter
attack. They permitted the enemy to
| advance to within a thousand yards
of the line before they opened fire.
/ Then the machine guns and artillery
were turned on the Germans and they
were smashed in whitening storm.
AT l o'clock an attack on Marcoing
was attempted by the enemy, but as
| in the former case, they were caught
in a heavy artillery and machine gun
| fire and they turned back after suf-
| fering severely.
An hour later another body of Ger
mans advanced on Noyelles which
was held by one company of british
! troops. Here some of the stiffest
! Efrr1,N
close quarters. Both sides rushed re-
Inducements and for two hours the
battle surged back and forth thru the
streets and among the buildings. 1t
was melee in WHICH the bayonet
played the principal part. The Ger
mans fought well but they were not
good enough to withstand the. fury
! of the British assault and gradually
they were forced back across the
canal to the east.
Captured Officer Has Servants.
Among the prisoners taken by the
British were several officers who were
caught in the regimental headquar-
tiers. The regimenta1 commander was
captured and it is reported that his
advent into the British lines was a
particularly humorous spectacle. He
came tramping back clad in an elab-
crate fur coat. followed by two ser
wants who carried more of his finery.
He was swearing mad at the turn OF
| events. The sight of a company OF
British cavalry threw him almost into
a frenzy and the lurid language which
he directed at the British drew a
smile from even the hardened Tommy
who has a somewhat picturesque vo-
cabulary of his own.
Civilians Wept With Joy.
Civilians who were released from
| Masnieres today told something OF
their experiences in the last three
years. They rejoiced at their new
found freedom and many of them to-
day still ,wept with Joy when the sub
ject of their deliverance was brought
up. 1t was a motley crowd that came
out of this place. people in all condi-
tons and from many walks of life
Among them was the mayor, M. Les.
lain, a middleaged man who acted
as spokesman. They first learned OF
the approach of the British from ma.
chine gun fire in the distance. They
were Immediately thrown into a STATE
of excitement and watched for the
coming Of their friends from ever
vantage point available. They had
their first sight of the advancint
forces at the bridgehead and saw com
ing with the attacking troops strang,
monsters which they never dreamed
existed. They were the great tanks
and the people stared in amazemen
as these mighty engines plowed thet
way forward. Only 3SO Germans wer,
holding the town and all except a few
left in the cellars withdrew five min
, utes before the British entered. witt
! the civilians who greeted the British
{ were two German soldiers, one from
+ Alsace and the other from Lorraine
) who had deserted and were waiting +
! give themselves up to the British, witt
whom they sympathized.
Fed by American Relief.
During the three years of their cap
tivity the civilians were fed by tn
American relief committee. All othe
e food was requisitioned by the German
= who placed heavy penalties on thos
\ who concealed any. For instance, tn
\ secreting of a bottle of ordinary win
: called for fine of ten francs or
long term in prison and there wa
twice as severe a penalty for hiding