Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1917-11-22
BRITISH ARMY WIN
A BIG VICTORY
Miles Over Wide Battle Front.
Prisoners Taken

Bristish Army Headquarters In
France. Nov. 21.-The redoubtable
Hindenburg line in the Cambrial sec
tor was broken in many places yes
terday by the great force of the
British tanks and the infantry
which followed through the gaps are
still battling their way forward.
The surprise attack was launched
at dawn over a wide front In the
first few hours its progress was
marked with evident success and up
to the latest reports received at this
time had been moving along regu-
larry according to schedule
Germans Are Dazed
The resistance offered by the daz-
ed Germans yesterday morning was
negligible and by noon British
pioneers were at work laying roads
across the old front line trenches,
while prisoners in considerable num-
bers had begun to come back from
various directions. The casualties
of the attacking forces thus far have
been light. Great numbers of Ger
mans lie dead before the main Hind
enburg trench where the bewildered
enemy, taken unaYares, made half
hearted attempt to stem the onrush.
ing Britons.
The battle was an innovation for
the western front, for it was begun
without any preliminary artillery
work. Upon the army tanks rested
the responsibility for victory or de-
feat and they fulfilled all expecta-
tions. The iron giants went thru
the tremendous line of barbed wire
entanglements i'm front of the main
Hindenburg positions and over the
trenches as though they were up
spread.
Start Attacks Early
They started forward at 6:2O
O'Clock and by 1880 the British in
fantry which had swarmed into the
holes made by the mighty engines,
was engaging the enemy in open
fighting along the .Hindenburg sup
port line back of the main defense
at many points.
The Germans surrended freely in
numerous places. Two attempted
counter attacks were smashed by the
British infantry in the early hours.
The tanks yesterday afternoon fol-
lowed by infantry, were continuing
their journey into enemy territory.
Hun Army Surprised
Prisoners admit ruefully that the
attack was surprise to them and
caught many of them in their dug
outs. The secrecy with which the
British made their preparations was
one of the most striking features of
the offensive.
Buns, tanks and troops were NOV
ed into the Cambrial sector at night
and carefully hidden during the day.
Nearby score of guns is report
ed to have been captured.
The British are pushing on toward
Cantaing, three miles southwest OF
Cambria. Northwest of MARCHING a
position known as Premy Chappelle
has been fought over and the Ger.
mans have been forced to withdraw.
Germans i'm Retreat
In circulating Harvincourt the
Germans did comparatively little
damage and the place had not suf
. fered greatly from shell fire, it is
in much better condition than many
of the towns which saw the bitter
fighting of the Somme last year.
Few, if any, German airplanes
ventured over the British lines this
morning. There was considerable
fog and this, added to the smoke
barrage. made observation practic-
ally impossible for them. British
airplanes, however, were operating
in large numbers, flying in most
cases within Il few yards of the
ground.
The fighting was still continuing
this afternoon.